Friends: Understanding the Bible goes beyond the written text. Why do some words and phrases not match up across various translations?  Some thoughts ...  Blessings, Bob

--- --- ---

Spirituality Column #921

July 9, 2024

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Luke 9:55-56    By Bob Walters

Luke 9:55 KJV – “But he turned and rebuked them, ‘Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’ And they went to another village.” (King James Version, Bible)

Luke 9:55 ESV, NIV, NASB, RSV – But He turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.

Last week I was merrily writing along about the apparent academic trend in theology supporting “universal salvation” and David Bentley Hart’s erudite defense of that idea.  Based on my reading of the Bible, I voiced doubt that “everyone is saved.”

All that hasn’t changed.  But while rechecking the column’s cited verses prior to publication, I was stopped in my tracks when I looked in my trusty NIV 1984 edition for Jesus’s words in Luke 9 about coming to “save men’s lives, not destroy them.”

Those words aren’t there.  Not in the NIV, ESV, NASB, or RSV. Scrambling to find the verse in my KJV, yep, there in Luke 9:55-56, was Jesus rebuking the disciples and assuring salvation. At that point I changed my search from studying parallel verses to translation differences. How did I not know about this enormous scriptural variance?

You Bible scholars out there already know that there are “families” of ancient texts, and that MSS (manuscripts) and codexes and papyri typically present scripture in diverse forms. The A game, obviously, is to know the Greek yourself (I don’t).  The Super A game is also to know Hebrew as well (I don’t), with a side of Aramaic, Syriac, Copt, and Latin.

There are many who read the King James Version and trust no other Bible. The joke is, “If the KJV was good enough for Paul, it’s good enough for me.” Hopefully, I need not explain the joke to you (IYKYK). But, the “KJV Only” crowd is intractable.

Of course, I trust the Bible as both God’s word and my guide to relationship with the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, church, and humanity in general.  So, when scripture throws me for a loop or I see something I either don’t expect, don’t understand, or seems contradictory, I figure it is my knowledge, not scripture, that needs work.

My theological mentor and Bible teacher George Bebawi, the multilingual Egyptian bible translator, patristics expert (the early church), and divinity lecturer at, among other places, Cambridge University, England, after he retired taught a weekly Bible class at our church (East 91^st Street Christian, Indianapolis) for 14 years (2004-2018). I coordinated the class, formatted his teaching materials, and took notes.

George knew all the above stated “Super A game” languages, plus English, German, Arabic, and maybe one or two others.  He had studied ancient sources and original texts in Paris, Germany, Israel, Egypt, and Vatican, and was unbothered by the broad shadings of the oldest writings.

I suppose it is no real challenge to read one translation of the Bible, like I do with my NIV 1984, but I also know it is important to be aware of the corpus of scriptural foundation and diversity.  In proper Christian scripture, what you find is not different religions; Christ is always Lord and Savior, God is eternally three in one and exists as an eternal loving relationship, Creator of all things, and judge of all humanity, etc.

What my research turned up – and this is just the superficial gloss of a non-academic, i.e., me – is that the KJV did not add anything, nor did the NIV, ESV, NASB, or RSV (and others) take anything away. They accurately translate the manuscripts they used, and variances do not call into question these basic doctrines of Christianity. Words simply may be in one place, but not another, John 12:47, here, for example.

Bible understanding takes some work, but trusting Christ is salvation’s door.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) found this Wiki list of verses not in modern Bibles.