It’s KJV, or it’s nothing, cries the most dogmatic among us.
But it’s old, not new, and, you know, we like shiny things!
But my thought this morning has nothing to do with translations.
It’s about how well you know the Word…
…even if it’s from a different translation or language.
A favorite scripture says, “Thy Word have I hid in my heart…”
…”so that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalms 119:11)
What was the language of the Psalmist? Hebrew? Aramaic?
What would the Word sound like coming from a different language?
Would you recognize it or quibble over the language you need?
English may be the worldwide language of pilots,
But it’s not the most spoken or read language of the world.
If you were in South Korea? What would it sound like?
From there, if it were translated to your favorite Bible text,
Would you recognize it for what it is?
We’ve trusted our English language, but what if…?
What if you know multiple languages? What would you wish for?
The old King James language, which we call archaic English,
It is full of things we wouldn’t know how to cultivate
Into a translation of words, we’ve grown used to today.
Back then? You would recognize a portion of the alphabet
But would wonder about the remainder.
From the year 1011, a monk named Byrhtferth standardized
The English alphabet from Latin (Roman) and the
Anglo-Saxon futhorc runic alphabet. It looked like this:
A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T V X Y Z & ⁊ Ƿ Þ Ð Æ
What’s Missing? The letters “J” and “U” were added several hundred years later, and eventually, the “special characters” were dropped. What would the Bible look and sound like back then? Whew! I’m not sure I want to think about it!
One last thought, Peter writes and tells us to be “all of one mind.” Another translation replaces the phrase with Harmony, Same Attitude, Unity of Mind, Live Together in Peace, Agree, or Like-Minded…
Do they all mean the same? Doesn’t it depend on your definition of the original Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Aramaic, or whatever intermediate translation source was used? It gets tough identifying what the original writer had in mind. It sometimes makes it even more difficult to know what the Mind of God was in having these words included in His Word!
Pick your language, find a trusted translation, and do no stress over the words and styles of others desire.
Be well. Read and pray every day. That’s how we make it through life!
1 Peter 3:8-12 KJV
Finally, be ye all of one mind,
having compassion one of another,
love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
(9) Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing:
but contrariwise blessing;
knowing that ye are thereunto called,
that ye should inherit a blessing.
(10) For he that will love life, and see good days,
let him refrain his tongue from evil,
and his lips that they speak no guile:
(11) Let him eschew evil, and do good;
let him seek peace, and ensue it.
(12) For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous,
and his ears are open unto their prayers:
but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.