Mars Hill switches to ESV « springs of Christ’s living water

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Mars Hill switches to ESV

January 9, 2007 by mk

http://www.esv.org/blog/2007/01/mars.hill.switch

Posted in Church, Scripture | 5 Comments

5 Responses

on January 9, 2007 at 7:53 pm | Reply Maggie

Ooh. Pretty blog! I wish it would snow! (See my post funny post today: http://5purposedriven.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/weird-prayer-request-answered/)

Okay, back to topic: I’m mulling this ESV approach. My Greek doctorate pastor dude has said to us before that word for word is not necessarily the thought rendered in the text, as there are not always words equivalent to Greek wording. Therefore, the same word for word translation does not equal the same though.

For example: Spanish “Hasta la vista” literally means, with English wording “until the sight”.

When we say, “Hasta la vista!” today, however, it means “see you later”.

If we say, “Until the sight!” it just loses something.

So, I’m curious as to how these sorts of things are handled…a bit of cultural change to the euphemisms, cultural interpretations, change of words over time…it seems that all these HAVE to be taken into account, even though they are “God’s word’s” for us to better understand his intent and heart. Not much “lisence” can be taken, however, I’m not sure a “word for word” rendering would make it much clearer.

I need more information on this! Thanks for bringing it to us.

Mags
on January 10, 2007 at 1:45 pm | Reply diana

I love the ESV as a literal translation I think it’s great when people read different translations, but KNOW which kind we’re reading. Like if you take the MSG to be a literal, you’re in trouble, but reading the MSG to get the message (as a paraphrase) then nothing wrong with that, right? Right (I think so).

The ESV is currently my favourite translation I also love the NKJV. Whats everybody’s favourite Bible versions here?

God bless all
Diana

PS- Maggie great post! God is good I want to see snow one day. But not this season in this city cos nobody would be prepared, it never snows here and all…
on January 21, 2007 at 5:46 am | Reply Benjamin

I have been using the NIV foe years and I’m now attending a church (Sovereign Grace) that uses and encourages ” the flock” to use the ESV. I am trying to find out some more info on the ESV and have found your comments helpful. I agree, there are some things that could get lost in the translation when things are translated word for word as in your example.
i want to see some snow also, it’s January 20th and it still hasn’t snowed yet here in southeastern PA!
on January 21, 2007 at 5:47 am | Reply Benjamin

I have been using the NIV for years and I’m now attending a church (Sovereign Grace) that uses and encourages ” the flock” to use the ESV. I am trying to find out some more info on the ESV and have found your comments helpful. I agree, there are some things that could get lost in the translation when things are translated word for word as in your example.
i want to see some snow also, it’s January 20th and it still hasn’t snowed yet here in southeastern PA!
on October 2, 2007 at 1:44 am | Reply "Maggie"

I had some conversation on my blog lately with some wording problems with ESV that relates to Abraham’s lineage and timing issues with Ishmael. I don’t know that I’d use it after that. It causes huge trust problems for Muslim people. For some reason, it says that Abraham put him on her arm when they left for the desert. He should have been 17 yrs. old or so at that time. There are other interpretation problems in that same text that cause problems…”playing” instead of “scoffing”.