How We Do the Translating
We started translating this Bible because we found so many errors in the existing Bibles, and we usually also find them confusing, misleading, and hard to read. Yet, many people refuse to accept the fact that someone can do a better job today, because the process of Bible translating is clouded in myth and is presumed to be more difficult than it really is.
We also find that most people will stand by a Bible translation that is very inaccurate, while rejecting others that may be far more accurate out of hand, because they donÕt like the way the new Bibles are worded. However, the new Bibles are worded that way simply because they are more accurate. So, letÕs look at the actual wording of a few scriptures in the Bible to see what they say and how they are translated. Then we suggest that you compare the words shown below to those that are found in your favorite Bible translation.
WeÕll start with the first two verses in the Bible, Genesis 1:1, 2 (LXX).
In Greek, these verses read: 1 ἐν
ἀρχῇ
ἐ¹οίησεν
ὁ θεὸς
τὸν οὐρανὸν
καὶ τὴν
γῆν 2 ἡ δὲ
γῆ ἦν
ἀόρατος
καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος
καὶ
σκότος ἐ¹άνω
τῆς ἀβύσσου
καὶ ¹νεῦμα
θεοῦ
ἐ¹εφέρετο
ἐ¹άνω
τοῦ ὕδατος.
Or (modern letters):
1 En arche epoiesen ho Theos ton ouranon kai ten gen 2 e de ge en aoratos kai akataskeuastos kai skotos epano tes abyssou kai pneuma Theou epephereto epano tou hydatos.
A word-for-word
translation of these verses into English reads:
1 In beginning made (created)
the God (Powerful One) the heaven (sky) and the earth (ground or land), 2 but
the earth (ground or land) was not/seen and unformed, and darkness upon
(covered) the abyss, and Breath (Spirit) God (Powerful One) moved upon (over)
the waters.
A popular English
Septuagint translation reads:
1 In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. 2 But the
earth was unsightly and unfurnished, and darkness was over the deep, and the
Spirit of God moved over the water.
We have translated
it as:
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2
But the earth was unsightly and unfinished, darkness covered its depths, and
GodÕs Breath moved over its waters.
First, notice that there are many word choices in English (those shown in parenthesis), which we may use and still translate the original language properly, and these are just some of the options. For example:
á Was it God or the Powerful One? God means Powerful One.
á Did He create the heavens, or heaven, or the sky? There was no different word for heaven or sky in either Hebrew or Greek. Here the Greek word ouranon is singular, and means sky or heaven (something above the earth). However, we have chosen the word heavens here, because the clear meaning is that God created all that is above the earth.
á Did he create the earth, the land, or the ground? Again, there is no separate word for each of these things in either Greek or Hebrew, so the choice in English is up to the translator in each instance where the Greek word ges is found, and settling on just one word to translate it throughout the Bible would make many verses confusing to its readers.
á Also, consider the translation of the word pneuma (¹νευμα), it just means Breath, but it is usually translated Spirit, which is (once again) the Latin word for breath.
So, as you can see, there are several ways to translate these two simple verses, and all of them can be correct. However, some modern Bible translators have gone out on limbs in their Ôeasy readingÕ translations and changed these and other verses to mean something that they actually donÕt say.
Our Method
How have we chosen to do the translating? First, recognize that nobody, no matter how scholarly, actually speaks ancient Greek today, and especially not Alexandrian Greek. Yes, speaking Modern Greek is an aid, but it can also be a hindrance, because Modern Greek words have changed meanings and nuances through the centuries, and some have been affected by common religious beliefs. So, since we are trying to go beyond accepted doctrines and get back to what was actually said, we must look beyond what the words may mean in Modern Greek.
None of those who are doing the translating here speaks Alexandrian Greek either, nor do we speak Modern Greek. However, we have studied Koine (Common) Greek, which is the Greek that much of the Christian Era Scriptures were written in. And although we canÕt speak it (nobody can, because the language is 2000 years old), we have access to many fine interlinear (Greek/English) Bibles and word references. So, we donÕt sit down and read all the Greek words and write them in English, as a modern translator for the United Nations (for example) would do, immediately translating the words from one language into another. Our work is tedious and requires much researchÉ and we often find that there are no accurate references for the true meanings of many words and phrases.
So, what do we do? First, we start with a good interlinear Bible translation, and then we put the Greek words next to the English words. And as we go along, we check to see if the Greek words really coincide with the English words that are shown. Also, we must look at the context to see what was implied by what actually happened.
Here is an example of what we typically look at (from 1 Samuel 13:11): Ôkai And eipe Samouhl Samuel said, ti What pepoihka have you done? kai And eipe Saoul Saul said, dioti Because eidon I saw oti that diesparh scattered o the lao people ap from emou me, kai and su you ou paregenou did not come en in tw the marturiw testimony twn of the hmerwn days as dietaxa you set in order. kai And oi the allofuloi Philistines sunhcthhsan were gathered ei in Macma Michmash.Õ
Where we come across unfamiliar or questionable Greek words we look them up, and sometimes we break them into root words to make sure that we understand what may have been actually implied and that weÕre not just accepting someoneÕs traditions of what they mean. And where no logical reference or root can be found for a word, we may defer to the Hebrew text, or go to other Bible translations and see what was said there.
Next, the texts are rearranged and edited into contemporary English for clarity, and then they are put online for everyone to read and comment on. Recognize that not many Bible translators would allow such scrutiny or open critical reviewing.
So, our translation of the verse above (1 Samuel 13:11) reads, ÔSamuel asked, What have you done? And Saul replied, I did this because I saw that my men had left me, and you didnÕt come when you said you would. After all, the Philistines are camped [just outside] MichMash.Õ
What We Have Found
First, understand what we are trying to do with this Bible. WeÕre trying to make it very accurate and easy to read, while giving the readers a better idea of what was actually saidÉ which means that we are attempting to avoid the use of words that are already given special meanings by religions. Take for example the words, soul, spirit, cross, Hell, Satan, Devil, angel, Christ, etc. The Greek words they are translated from donÕt necessarily mean the same things that religious people conjure up in their minds when they read these common English words. So, we have made every attempt to substitute very accurate synonyms or word choices to provide you a fresh look at what was actually said.
Also, we have found that many common terms, such as forever, everlasting, system of things, Hell Fire, etc. (just to name a few) donÕt really appear in the Bible at all.
One of the advantages of using the Greek Septuagint (pronounced Sep-twa-geent – with a hard G) as a source, is that it gives us a better idea of what the Bible looked like during the time of Jesus and his Apostles. For, although Jesus likely spoke just Aramaic, and Matthew likely wrote his gospel in Aramaic, whenever Jesus or his Apostles quoted the Bible of their time, most of it reads very much like the Septuagint, not the modern Hebrew text. And as the result, we can more clearly see why they used certain words whenever they quoted the ÔOld Testament.Õ
Until now, most Bible translating has been done by people who were experts in Hebrew for the Ancient Scriptures of Israel (Old Testament), and by another totally different group who were experts in Greek for the Christian Era Scriptures (New Testament). So, while one word in the Hebrew text may have been translated into a certain word in English, the corresponding word in Greek may have been translated into an entirely different English word. As the result, some very common words of Christian Era Scriptures (such as resurrection, tribulation, etc.) just canÕt be found in Bibles translated from the Hebrew text. But in the Greek Septuagint, we can see a closer version of the Bible as Jesus read it, and we find that these words, which Jesus quoted, actually do appear there.
How Translating Can Make a Difference in Doctrines
Take for example, the words of Daniel 12:1, 2. One modern Bible translation (from the Hebrew text) reads: 1 And during that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people. And there will certainly occur a time of distress such has not been made to occur since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, every one who is found written down in the book. 2 And there will be many of those asleep in the ground of dust that will wake up, these to indefinitely lasting life and those to abhorrence and indefinitely lasting shame.
In Greek it reads: 1 kai kata ten oran ekeinen pareleusetai Michael ho aggelos ho megas ho estekos epi tous uious tou laou sou ekeine he hemera Thlipseos oia ouk egenethe aph ou egenethesan eos tes hemeras ekeines kai en ekeine te hemera hypsothesetai pas ho laos os an eurethe eggegrammenos en to biblio 2 kai polloi ton katheudonton en to platei tes ges anastesontai oi men eis zoen aionion oi de eis oneidismon oi de eis diasporan kai aischynen aionion.
Translating it into English word-for-word, reads: 1 And on the hour that, arose Michael the messenger (angel) the great who/stands on (over) your sons of/the people yours, but the day difficulty (tribulation) as not begun (happened), such not begun (happened) since the days those, and in those the days lifted all the people who were found written/in the book. 2 And many of/them lie/down in the flat/spot the ground (earth or land) resurrected (stand again) some for the life age, some for the disgrace, some for the scattering and shame age.
We translated it as: 1 And in that hour, [GodÕs] Highest Messenger MichaEl (the one who watches over your sons of your people) will arise, and then a time of difficulty will begin such as has never happened before and will never happen again. For [God] will raise all those whose [names] were written in the book, 2 and many who died and were buried will be resurrected, some to life in the age, some to disgrace, and some will be scattered and shamed in that age.
What problems have you noticed? First, you can see that Michael was identified in the Greek text as the highest messenger (or archangel), not as the great prince (which is what the translation of the Hebrew text says). This is a much more complete description of MichaelÕs position and nature, and it fits exactly with the words of Jude 9, where he was identified as the arch (highest) angel (messenger). So, we can see that when Jude referred to Michael, he was referring to the person spoken of here in Daniel.
Next, notice that Daniel spoke of the θλιψεως (thipseos), which the Hebrew text translates as time of distress, but can also be translated as day of difficulty (or tribulation). However, the term ÔtribulationÕ (time of difficulty) is not found in most modern translations of the ancient Aramaic text (Daniel was written in Aramaic). This is important, because this is the exact same term that Jesus used when he said (at Matthew 24:21), ÔBecause then there will come a great time of difficulty (θλιψεως – thipseos) such as has never happened since the worldÕs beginning until now, nor should ever happen again.Õ
So as you can see, no tie can be made to JesusÕ words from translations based on the Aramaic text. And as the result, it has gone unnoticed that Jesus was actually quoting Daniel 12:1 when he was foretelling events that would lead up to the end of the time when he would be Ônear.Õ Due to this translating anomaly, many religions have come to a totally different idea of the period that was being foretold in the Book of Daniel, and wrong teachings have resulted.
Also, consider the word at Daniel 12:2, αναστησονται (anastesontai). From the Aramaic text it is usually translated as wake up, however, this is the Greek word for resurrected (stand again). So, because Bibles that are based on the Aramaic and Hebrew texts donÕt usually say resurrected or resurrection, the vital connection to JesusÕ promises for life after death and to the time when the events mentioned in DanielÕs prophecy will really happen, have gone unnoticed or have been misunderstood by most religions.
And notice one last combination of words that occurs more than once in the Greek text at Daniel 12:1, 2 alone. They are ζωην αιωνιον (zoen aionion, or life age). It is interesting that some Bibles translate these words as everlasting life, and the Bible quoted above translates it as indefinitely lasting life. However, the Greek word αιωνιον (aionion) is found here in its SINGULAR tense (NOT PLURAL), so it shouldnÕt be translated as everlasting life or as indefinitely lasting life. It simply means life in the age – another missed teaching. And whatÕs more, the modern English Bible that we quoted above, when it finds these same words in the Christian Era Scriptures translates them as everlasting life. So, the translators of that Bible recognized that the Aramaic/Hebrew word was speaking of a temporary time, but failed to recognize that aionion was speaking of something temporary in the Christian Era Scriptures too... and this has led to more doctrinal misunderstandings. For more information, see the linked document, The Hereafter.
As you can see, using the Greek Septuagint as a valuable reference (where proper translating techniques have been employed) may alter the meanings of religious teachings and dogma. And we havenÕt covered the fact that the Greek text of Daniel 12:1, 2 seems to imply three outcomes, not two, as translations of the Aramaic text suggests.