Faithfulness to the original Hebrew or Greek. That's really all that matters. Some translations try to be more literal, some have more research behind them, some are more stylized into modern English. The KJV is so praised, and it is beautiful Jacobean English, but it is not necessarily the most accurate translation. When examining the Bible I usually use an interlinear translation so I can see the original language with the English and see how things are translated (my knowledge of Greek helps with the NT too).
Being able to read Greek is a true benefit when translating the Bible. Many translations have been done so people can understand it better because versions like the KJ version is hard to understand for some people. The problem with that is that if it is not properly translated, words and meaning get changed that shouldn't be.
Adaydreambeliever, what you're saying isn't at all offensive. Whether or not a person's opinion is right or wrong is irrelevant. The beauty of it is that we are able and free to voice our opinions.
Let me clarify. How do you know that whoever wrote the initial version of biblical text, and there were many who did, were accurate. Each of us may see or read a particular thing and each of us may interpret it diffrently, so which of us is accurate?
Beats me, I have no idea which version is the most accurate. People interpret it with their own understanding. I do think that before someone claims that their version is the most accurate. should do some research on who wrote it.
I think they should take into consideration that those who wrote it were not as learned as we are today. Turning water into wine? Jonah being swallowed by a whale? Noah taking two of every animal on an ark? Really?
If you read almost any translation of the bible---and at the same time request the Holy Spirit guide you to discover how what you are reading is intended to apply to you---it's hard not to see things coming together in meaning.
This post was edited by tom jackson at May 30, 2017 1:14 PM MDT
As Nevan stated, keeping true to the meaning in the original language is key. There are a multitude of resources available to those who wish to compare the original to the translations.
I see people debate the meaning of particular verses and argue over which translation is best. I study the Bible and used to take part in those debates myself. Ultimately, man has no definitive proof that any one interpretation is the correct interpretation, or that God even exists, for that matter. Believers will simply never come to a consensus on translations or interpretations.
That said, for Christians who truly follow Christ, I have come to the conclusion that it really doesn't matter. Three times, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the only thing we really need to know is clearly stated. It is worded such that I can see no difference in the meaning regardless of which translation is used. 'Love God with all your being, and love your neighbor as yourself.' This is again stressed in John, though a bit differently, but again, I can see no difference in the meaning among different versions. 'Love each other, as I have loved you.'
Obviously, I speak from a Christian standpoint, but I can only speak for myself, so as always...JMHO
Benedict Arnold 