Why It’s Good to Use Multiple Bible Translations
When I preach a sermon in English, which is the only language I can preach in, and I had three people translating it into Spanish, each one would translate it differently.
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
To get the big picture you would not choose one translation and throw the rest away. You would put all three together to get the big picture. Likewise I do not think it is wise to try to find one perfect Bible translation. I think it is wise to examine several to get the big picture. for example, in my personal Bible study time this morning I ran across this passage in the New Living Translation.
With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Hebrews 9:12 NLT
I thought that makes it sound like Jesus was already in the Most Holy Place before 1844. I remembered hearing someone before reference this verse trying to destroy the Adventist understanding of the sanctuary. So I thought, in the spirit of the Bereans, I need to check this out. I quickly found that the KJV does not say “Most Holy Place” in this verse. It only says “Holy Place.”
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews 9:12 KJV
Now I must remember the KJV is also a “version.” The KJV is not the original manuscripts. The KJV is an extremely reliable version, but it does not automatically trump all other versions on every text. Having translated messages in ASL and having had studies translated for me from English to Spanish, I understand what all translators understand, that no translation is 100% accurate. This includes the KJV. So I did a little more research and found that even the NKJV, which is a highly esteemed version did indeed use the phrase” Most Holy Place,” not “Holy Place.” This caused me to research even further. I found that The Message translates it this way.
But when the Messiah arrived, high priest of the superior things of this new covenant, he bypassed the old tent and its trappings in this created world and went straight into heaven’s “tent”—the true Holy Place—once and for all. Hebrews 9:11-12 MSG
This was an aha! moment for me. The word being translated “most” in other translations except for the KJV actually meant “true” or real. This makes perfect sense and is understandable why so many would translate it ‘most.” The context of Hebrews 8- 9 is not about when Jesus went into the most holy place, but rather that Jesus went into a real and literal sanctuary
There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands. Hebrews 8:2 NLT
See! There is the word “true” in the NLT. Hebrews 9:12 is saying that Jesus went into a real and true sanctuary. The word “most” in the other translations is not an unfortunate translation, when you understand by “most” it is comparing the heavenly sanctuary to the earthy sanctuary, instead of comparing the most holy and holy compartments.
There are conspiracy theorists who see modern translations as a plot to destroy Adventist theology. I say if the KJV is the only version that supports our theology then we better re-examine our theology! I believe sound theology will be supported by various versions, and I believe the sanctuary message can be supported by various translations.
“I saw that God had especially guarded the Bible, yet when copies of it were few, learned men had in some instances changed the words, thinking that they were making it more plain, when in reality they were mystifying that which was plain, by causing it to lean to their established views, which were governed by tradition. But I saw that the Word of God, as a whole, is a perfect chain, one portion linking into and explaining another. True seekers for truth need not err; for not only is the Word of God plain and simple in declaring the way of life, but the Holy Spirit is given as a guide in understanding the way to life therein revealed.” -Ellen White, Early Writings, Pages 220,-221
The first point I appreciate about this passage is that Ellen White understood errors were made with the best of intentions instead of a conspiracy plot. I am sure when the comma was misplaced in the KJV in Luke 23:43, it was with the best of intentions. The second point I appreciate is that the Holy Spirit has protected the Word of God so that the way to life will not be lost, and the Holy Spirit can help us find truth in the different translations we read.
When I preach a sermon in English, if three people translated it into Spanish, each one would translate it differently. To get the big picture of what I was saying, you would not choose one translation and throw the rest away. You would put all three together to get the best picture. Likewise I do not think it is wise to try to find one perfect Bible translation. I think it is wise to examine several to get the big picture.
(23)
So appreciate this great piece by Brother Earnhardt. The Greek has "hagia" in the plural. Thus, the verse should read "holy places." Indeed, it refers to the Tabernacle in heaven as a whole. There is a wide variety of translation to this phrase, but taken in context of the whole of chapter 9 it comes out as the original sanctuary in heaven. Young's Literal Translation, the English Standard Version, and the Berean Literal Bible have "holy places."
William's article and the initial responses has sparked me to do some digging into the concept of tabernacle/sanctuary. And I needed to go beyond using translations alone - to also looking back into the original languages. The first thing I too noticed was the plural nature of 'hagia'. And then I kept digging.
And this is what I have found. The words translated temple, tabernacle and sanctuary whilst referring - in part - to literal buildings that were on earth at some point, did so by way of an object lesson. These literal structures (that originated with Moses 'Tent of meeting') were meant to convey the idea of God 'reaching' down from heaven and deliberately and intentionally choosing to dwell/tabernacle/'pitch his tent' with us (see Ex 25:8 as an OT example and Jn 1:14 as a NT example). The concept represented by "Immanuel" is the fullest expression of temple/tabernacle/sanctuary with God now even dwelling inside each of us 'whosoever will' allow Him.
The significance of what is being conveyed here is easily missed. Planet earth is the planet that Satan came down to and successfully 'stole' its God-ordained inheritance: ie, to be a lovingly created world populated by people that were to experience the joy of the abundant life that comes when the Creator and the created live in harmonious union.
In successfully enticing Eve and Adam into 'sin'/lawlessness (which is synonymous with disconnection from that which is necessary for life), humanity instead became subject to an inheritance of eternal separation from God (as the only Source of Life) and hence, abundant life. Without intervention, planet earth and its inhabitants were doomed to "perishing"/extinction.
But, contrary to Satan's hope and expectation, God did not leave us to our fate. To the amazement of the angels and the beings of the other worlds, God instead set up camp with the midst of us during the OT (to create the avenue for Messiah/Immanuel) and the NT (via Immanuel to secure salvation/redemption for this otherwise eternally doomed world).
And not only that, but in the process Jesus becomes permanently linked to humanity as The Son of Man. Thus, the planet that was to have been written off becomes forever the 'jewel in the crown' of all creation!
Hebrews is reflecting this amazing reality. I believe the references to temple/tabernacle/sanctuary in Hebrews (and Revelation) are to convey an experience that commenced with God's initial dwelling among us in the OT, expanded to Immanuel dwelling with us in the flesh in the NT, and is now being continued in heaven to its culmination of the total restoration of whosoever will back to the abundant life inheritance (in an even more abundant form than if humanity had not fallen).
Consequently, it would appear that the references to temple/tabernacle/sanctuary are to the intimate personal presence of God (and Jesus and the Holy Spirit) with humanity throughout the entire process of the salvation/redemption of humanity - and that this has (at this point in eternity's history), taken over as the 'core-focus' of heaven's activities (hence the plural form hagia).
I believe these metaphors were intended to convey to us the unseen (to our eyes) reality that, contrary to Satan's deliberate intention behind his seduction of earth's first people into sin and therefore separation from life, Immanuel is with us, progressively ever more intimately becoming embedded in the center of our midst to the point that God will never, ever leave or forsake us.
God has tabernacled/sanctuaried/templed (pitched his tent) with us permanently that we might also tabernacle with Him permanently.
Thank-you William. Your article brings a breath of fresh air. I was in one SS Class that had a couple of members who would promote the contrary. They would tell me that translations other than the King James Version should not be used, then turn to the new member and say the same thing. They would site: Acts 8:37. as missing in the NIV as a reason discard the NIV. My electronic NIV has a note to click on that says some manuscripts have verse 37 and the note quotes it. The Amplified Bible has verse 37 included but in brackets. I turned to the new member and said, I use several translations to get a better understanding, and compare with the King James and New King James. I will not use your article to change my friends opinion, I know I can't. But just the same it is good to have yours and EGWs knowledge on the subject.
I appreciate the broad-mindedness of this article. However, I'm afraid that Bro. Earnhardt is mistaken on the details of Hebrews 9, verse 12. There is no word, in this verse, that is translated variously as "true" or "most." The Message is a paraphrase, not a translation, so it's not going be of any help in guessing at the details in the original language. The actual Greek words translate literally as "the holies," which might best be rendered as "the holy places" or "the sanctuary," not "the holy place" or "the most holy place."
So far, I have not been able to find an English translation that renders Hebrews 9, as a whole, in what I feel is a satisfactory manner. Of course there is no conspiracy, but sometimes there is no substitute for going back to the Greek. Readily available interlinear translations and lexicons make this easy to do.
Knowing the history of the KVJ makes it impossible to believe in its inerrancy. It was translated by humans, so it is not realistic to expect it to be infallible and unbiased. In fact, King James gave the translators instructions intended to ensure that the new version would conform to the ecclesiology of, and reflect the episcopal structure of, the Church of England and its belief in an ordained male clergy—these instruction being a direct result of “problems” with the Puritan sect in the Church of England. These instructions guaranteed political, cultural and religious bias in the translation.
Nevertheless, the most important aspect of scripture is knowing the One who is its essence. John 5:39-40. It is not the jots and tittles of the text; it is understanding what God is communicating to our hearts that is of utmost importance. God does not leave this important issue to the translators. This is why Jesus tells us the Spirit will lead us into all truth. John 16:13-15. The Word of God cannot be understood without the Spirit of God.