21.5.25

The need to accept modern translations

The need to accept modern translations like the NIV (New International Version) and ESV (English Standard Version) alongside the KJV (King James Version) arises from a commitment to both accuracy and accessibility.

Here's a biblical and historical explanation of why it is not only acceptable but even wise to accept translations like the NIV (New International Version) and ESV (English Standard Version) alongside the KJV (King James Version), grounded in both Scripture and history:


1. What Kind of Scripture Text Was Circulating During Jesus’ Time?

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, several versions of the Scriptures were in use:

  1. Hebrew Scriptures (Masoretic Text prototypes): The Old Testament in Hebrew, particularly in synagogue worship.
  2. Greek Septuagint (LXX): A Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures made in the 3rd–2nd centuries BC in Alexandria, widely used in the Hellenistic Jewish world.
  3. Targums: Aramaic paraphrases and interpretations of the Hebrew Bible used by Jews who no longer understood Hebrew well.
  4. Various textual traditions: At Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls), we find evidence of multiple versions of Old Testament texts, including proto-Masoretic, Septuagintal, and Samaritan traditions.

There was not one single uniform text, and certainly not one "authorized version."


2. Did Jesus Criticize Those Texts or Translations?

No. Jesus never criticized the use of different versions of Scripture. In fact, He and the Apostles often quoted from the Septuagint, the Greek version, even when it differed slightly from the Hebrew text. For example:

Isaiah 7:14 in Matthew 1:23 quotes the Septuagint’s "virgin" rather than the Hebrew "young woman."

Psalm 8:2, quoted in Matthew 21:16, follows the Septuagint, not the Hebrew.

This shows that Jesus endorsed the message and authority of Scripture, regardless of exact wording or translation. Jesus criticized hypocrisy and rigid legalism, not the Scriptures or their translations.


3. Was Jesus Silent on Bible Translations? Should We Be?

Yes, Jesus was effectively "silent" in the sense of not condemning or favoring one translation over another.

His concern was not which version people read, but whether they understood and obeyed the Scriptures. He often said:

“Have you not read...?” (e.g., Matthew 12:3, 19:4)

If Jesus did not reject the Septuagint or Aramaic paraphrases, neither should we be dogmatic about one English version. Jesus’ lack of explicit commentary on translation methods does not mean He opposed it. 


4. Why Accept NIV and ESV Alongside KJV?

  1. Clarity: NIV and ESV use contemporary English that most readers can understand today. The KJV, while majestic, uses 17th-century English, which is no longer natural to modern readers.
  2. Scholarship: ESV and NIV are based on better manuscript discoveries, like the Dead Sea Scrolls and older Greek manuscripts not available in 1611 when the KJV was translated.
  3. Faithfulness: Both NIV and ESV were created by teams of faithful evangelical scholars committed to the authority of Scripture.

Comparing translations highlights nuances. For example, the KJV’s “charity” (1 Corinthians 13) is more precisely rendered “love” in NIV/ESV, avoiding confusion with modern connotations.


5. Apostolic Principle: Understandable Language

Paul said:

“If you speak in a tongue that people don’t understand, how will they be edified?” (1 Corinthians 14:9)

By principle, Scripture should be understandable to the people. A modern translation serves this mission.


6. Conclusion: We Follow Christ, Not a Translation

Jesus upheld Scripture’s authority while endorsing its accessibility through translation (via the LXX). His silence on translation methods is not a call for rigidity but an invitation to prioritize the Gospel’s clarity and truth. Modern translations like the NIV and ESV, grounded in older manuscripts and clearer language, honor this mission. To reject them would risk perpetuating the very legalism Jesus opposed—elevating tradition over the transformative power of God’s Word (Mark 7:13). We should embrace translations that faithfully convey Scripture’s message to all people.

While the KJV is a historic and beautiful translation, insisting on only one version may elevate a human translation above God’s living Word. Christ did not do this. He used available texts, quoted from translations, and never condemned those who did the same.

Therefore, it is not only biblically consistent but spiritually wise to accept and use faithful modern translations like the NIV and ESV, as long as they faithfully convey God’s truth.

When Jesus was silent on scriptural texts, we should also be silent! 

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