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Creative Bible Study

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CHAPTER THREE

VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE

OBJECTIVES:

Upon completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Write the Key Verse from memory.
• Name the three languages in which the Bible was written.
• Define the word "version."
• Explain the difference between a translation and a paraphrase version of the Bible.

KEY VERSE:

The Lord gave the Word: great was the company of those that published it. (Psalm 68:11)

INTRODUCTION

This chapter identifies the original languages in which the Bible was written and explains how the Scriptures have been translated into other languages. You will learn the difference between a translation and a paraphrase version of the Bible. Examples from various versions of the Bible are provided.

THREE LANGUAGES

The Bible was originally written in three languages. Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew except for parts of the books of Daniel and Nehemiah which were written in Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek.

None of the original manuscripts of the Bible are now in existence. Some good manuscripts exist which are copies of the original. Versions are translations of these copies of the original manuscripts. From early times men saw the necessity of translating the Bible so everyone could read it in their own language.

No translation is exact because no two languages are exactly alike. Some words used in the Bible do not even exist in different languages. For example, there is a tribe of Indians in Ecuador, South America, called the Auca Indians. When missionaries first contacted them, these Indians did not know how to read or write. There were no words in their language for "writing" or "book."

The Auca Indians did have a custom of carving identification marks on their property. Since there were no words in their language for scriptures, writing, or book, when the Bible was translated for them it was called "God's Carving." This identified it as something belonging to God. This is just one example of the difficulties in translating the Bible into various languages.