Archive for the ‘Bible Translation Thoughts’ Category

Posted on March 1, 2010 - by Andy Cheung

Peter O’Brien’s New Commentary on Hebrews

One of my favourite biblical scholars is Peter O’Brien who has already produced masterful commentaries on Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians/Philemon. I notice that his eagerly anticipated volume on Hebrews in the Pillar Commentary series is due out soon. (more…)

Posted on August 27, 2009 - by Andy Cheung

Why I Love Bible Translation

I do not think there is a better expression for the ultimate purpose of life than that found in the Westminster Larger Catechism: “Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy Him forever.” And I do not think there is anything penned by human hands that more magnifies or greater glorifies Christ than the divinely ordained, God-breathed holy Bible. (more…)

Posted on July 29, 2009 - by Andy Cheung

Bible Translation Poll Results

Over the last 12 months, we have run a poll on the front page of the College website, asking people to vote for their preferred Bible translation from a list of 12. Over 1200 people have registered a vote, and the results can be seen below (the number after each Bible version represents the number of votes). (more…)

Posted on July 22, 2009 - by Andy Cheung

Joshua 8:18 in the NET Bible

Dr Michael Burer of Dallas Theological Seminary is the assistant project director for the NET Bible and he recently blogged about an interesting new footnote in the NET Bible. The NET is noteworthy for its excellent translators’ footnotes that shed interesting light on decisions relating to the rendering of the biblical text into English.
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Posted on June 10, 2009 - by Andy Cheung

Short interview with Eugene Nida

Recently, I had the honour of exchanging some thoughts over e-mail with Dr. E. A. Nida, a Bible translator most notable for his development of dynamic equivalence (subsequently functional equivalence) translation theory. Dr. Nida graciously agreed that the following parts of the e-mail exchange could be published here. It’s a smaller than usual interview but still part of our Talks With Scholars series. I trust that it will be of interest to students and others engaged in the translation of Scripture.
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Posted on April 24, 2009 - by Andy Cheung

HCSB 2009 - status

A while ago, I interviewed the editor of the Holman Christian Standard Bible (Dr. Edwin Blum), and we talked about a projected 2009 update. I e-mailed him recently to enquire about the current status of this revision and Dr. Blum graciously sent me a reply. The new updated version will be available in the form of the Student Apologetics Bible scheduled for print in February 2010. There may also be a printing of the Minister’s Bible October 2009 or one of the pcket sized Bibles. The long-awaited study Bible is now scheduled for release in October 2010. Like many people, I’m a big fan of the HCSB, and I posted a review of this version a short while ago. I’ll be doing a full-length review of the new version when it comes out.

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Andy Cheung teaches Biblical Languages And New Testament at King’s Evangelical Divinity School.

Posted on January 18, 2009 - by Andy Cheung

The Love of John 21 and the TNIV / NIV

A particularly long-standing belief among Christians is that John 21:15-17 provides an example of a difference between two Greek words for love: agapao and phileo. The former, it is claimed, represents godly, Christian love whereas the second is a lower, ordinary love. Therefore, when Jesus asks Peter three times whether he loves him, we are expected to infer an important distinction among the questions. Jesus asks Peter twice whether he loves (agapao) him but Peter’s reply uses phileo. All kinds of homiletical conclusions have been drawn from this difference: for example it is frequently said that this demonstrates Peter’s knowledge of his own frailty by affirming only a lower, phileo love for Jesus. Most Greek exegetes in fact consider such reasoning to be erroneous and it is interesting that the TNIV, a recent update to the NIV, has modified the latter’s rendering of these verses to reflect current scholarship. The belief that the two words have distinct meanings in this passage is a long cherished but unfortunate myth in Christian circles. (more…)

Posted on October 8, 2008 - by Andy Cheung

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news?

These famous words from Romans 10:15 bring to a close a series of rhetorical questions that Paul uses in his discussion about missionary endeavour. But what is meant by the “beautiful” feet that Paul speaks of here? Nearly every translation uses the word “beautiful” but does the usage here convey the meaning of lovely or pleasant, as the Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament suggests? Or alternatively, perhaps it carries a sense of wonderful welcome as the HCSB puts it: “How welcome are the feet of those who announce the Gospel.” Both of these are possible but there is a third option that relatively few translations use (a rare exception being the New English translation, NET). (more…)