reading the "original" Bible

[acedia]

I have a friend who, at her church, is learning to read, write, speak, etc. Koine Greek, which is the language the New Testament was written in.  I found it very interesting that when read in Greek, and then read in English, some details or the overall feeling of a passage can be changed.  She feels that learning to read this language has helped her understand the Bible much better than before.  

Anyone else had an experience like this?  I'm interesting in learning this too, along with learning to speak Hebrew (Old Testament), to see what more I can draw from the original texts.  

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi dientamin,

No I don't get a difference in "feeling" when I read the Greek version of the NT.

[Compatriot]

I am loving this place. I got linked here by a friend and I can't help feeling a Strong and Loving presence here . I just wanted to ask Acedia why the idea that the word of God would change through language cyphers ever occured to him? God wouldn't let His text truely lose His meaning simply from a change in wording or language.

Again, hello and thank you for existing. Finally an oasis from the rest of the sinful internet.

[acedia]

I am loving this place. I got linked here by a friend and I can't help feeling a Strong and Loving presence here . I just wanted to ask Acedia why the idea that the word of God would change through language cyphers ever occured to him? God wouldn't let His text truely lose His meaning simply from a change in wording or language.

Again, hello and thank you for existing. Finally an oasis from the rest of the sinful internet.

Man translated it, not God, and man is fallible.  

[Compatriot]

Man translated it, not God, and man is fallible.  

But God is omnipotent and everpresent. Do you believe that our Lord would let man fail in tranfering His word to the world and it's peoples? No, faith in the divine spirts ability is what you are lacking. The Bible was placed into this world by God and through man. Man could never write such a perfect text.

[acedia]

Man translated it, not God, and man is fallible.  

But God is omnipotent and everpresent. Do you believe that our Lord would let man fail in tranfering His word to the world and it's peoples? No, faith in the divine spirts ability is what you are lacking. The Bible was placed into this world by God and through man. Man could never write such a perfect text.

God gave us free will.  I'm free (as are billions of others) to translate my own rough version of the original texts, however faulty, and give it to someone, and they may never know the difference.  I feel that only the original texts can be trusted totally.  Those are the texts that were "placed into this world by God and through man," not the translations.  

[Compatriot]

But God would protect His Book from such "alterations" from occuring, or at least make sure a true definition of Christianity still flourished somwhere. In the begining all Bible's were writen down by hand. Every time they were writen and re-writen a chance for "human" error could always occur. Yet, when looking from modern to ancient copies of the text the differences are so minute it begs to womder how. If not through Divine protection of the Word of God, then what? Luck? I don't honestly think a true Christian would believe that God left his Book's integrity and truth to luck. To go back to your original point, if The Bible was in essence re-writen hundreds of times before the printing press and we still honor it's words as the Binding Gospels, then why would a shift in language change a thing?

[Tabitha]

I, as of yet, have not had the privelege to study Hebrew, but I hope to have the opportunity to do so in the near future for the same reasons that you are studying it.

But God would protect His Book from such "alterations" from occuring, or at least make sure a true definition of Christianity still flourished somwhere. In the begining all Bible's were writen down by hand. Every time they were writen and re-writen a chance for "human" error could always occur. Yet, when looking from modern to ancient copies of the text the differences are so minute it begs to womder how. If not through Divine protection of the Word of God, then what? Luck? I don't honestly think a true Christian would believe that God left his Book's integrity and truth to luck. To go back to your original point, if The Bible was in essence re-writen hundreds of times before the printing press and we still honor it's words as the Binding Gospels, then why would a shift in language change a thing?

I don't think that was Acadia's orginal point at all. When dealing with languages, sometimes something as simple as a tense of a verb can change the meaning of a sentence. I do believe that the Bible, with a few deviations from the orginal text to compensate for different languages, is the True Word of God. You can see that through the application of the Bible to your life, through the development with your relationship with Christ, and the fact that the vast majority of Biblical text is the same. I think what his/her point was that the tone can change with language. I think to better get idea of what is trying to be said, especially regarding the letters to churches, you have to consider the author and the audience like in any work of literature.

[BlessedX2]

Yes, I agree, changing languages you can have a change in the feel of what is being said.  I read the bible in english and in spanish and there are many places where the "feel" is different.  I also agree that God can and does protect His word.  If we can't trust the translation then the word of God is not for the common person... isn't that who He came for?

[Shammu]

Yes, I agree, changing languages you can have a change in the feel of what is being said.  I read the bible in english and in spanish and there are many places where the "feel" is different.  I also agree that God can and does protect His word.

AMEN!

Seeing that you are new here, BlessedX2, welcome to Christians Unite forums. Theres a great bunch of Christians here.

Blessed is the being, that follows the Lord.
Bob

Luke 11:28 But He said, Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey and practice it!

[ollie]

I am loving this place. I got linked here by a friend and I can't help feeling a Strong and Loving presence here . I just wanted to ask Acedia why the idea that the word of God would change through language cyphers ever occured to him? God wouldn't let His text truely lose His meaning simply from a change in wording or language.

Again, hello and thank you for existing. Finally an oasis from the rest of the sinful internet.

Man translated it, not God, and man is fallible.  

Then why is the Greek and Hebrew not fallible?

[cris]

I am loving this place. I got linked here by a friend and I can't help feeling a Strong and Loving presence here . I just wanted to ask Acedia why the idea that the word of God would change through language cyphers ever occured to him? God wouldn't let His text truely lose His meaning simply from a change in wording or language.

Again, hello and thank you for existing. Finally an oasis from the rest of the sinful internet.

Man translated it, not God, and man is fallible.  

Then why is the Greek and Hebrew not fallible?

Just my opinion..............the Hebrew was the original language spoken and written...............OT; it was/is infallible because God spoke those words directly to Moses, the first 5 books, that is.

The Greek would be fallible if it was translated from Hebrew....OT.

Do I believe God preserved His word in every translated language?  Yep, I do.  Even though the translations vary somewhat, I believe God has written His word in our hearts.  When the heart condition is right, I believe God will make it very clear what He wants us to know.

[Shammu]

Even though the translations vary somewhat, I believe God has written His word in our hearts.  When the heart condition is right, I believe God will make it very clear what He wants us to know.

AMEN, I agree 100% cris.

[curious]

Hello everyone:
   Not all the New Testament was written in Greek.Matthew was written in Hebrew.John was written with Aramaic influence,& either Mark or Luke was written in Latin.The rest were written in Hebrew.They were put into Greek after awhile.
   All the Old Testament was written in Hebrew.It was also written in Chaldean & I believe a little in Aramaic,& alot that was written in Hebrew was written in different styles of Hebrew too.
                 
                 
                 Yours in Yeshua
                 curious

[curious]

My mistake in the last one in the first paragraph the rest were written in Greek in the NT


            Yours in Yeshua,
             curious