Use More Than One Bible Translation
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It should go without saying that Christians should read the Bible from many solid Bible translations. Throughout history, scholars have put immense time and effort into producing translations that communicate with precision the intended meaning of God’s word. Nevertheless, due to diverse goals such as word consistency in translation, ease of understanding, and seeking literacy over approachability, we find many examples of where translators have come to different results on their translations. Even so, most translations have the same chief end in mind, namely, to effectively communicate God’s word to the intended audience of a given language.
Today we will examine one portion of Scripture from the Gospel of John using two translations and consider their pros and cons. We will be using the 1995 New American Standard Bible and the recent Legacy Standard Bible which considers itself to be a “translation in the tradition of the NASB.” Let us first read from John 15:1-3 from each translation.
Comparisons
NASB: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.”
LSB: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-grower. 2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He cleans it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.”
Prune
Both translations are considered a formal equivalent style of translation instead of a functional equivalent. This aids in demonstrating the importance of using multiple translations as the differences between these two are so minor but give clear examples of the pros and cons of each. Examining the above translations, you would notice that in LSB the Greek word “καθαίρει” is translated in both verse 2 and 3 as “clean” whereas the NASB translates it in verse 2 as “prune” and in verse 3 as “clean.” I was surprised to find the distinction when studying the translations side by side. The pro of the NASB is that the 21st-century audience typically knows what it means to prune a garden. When the Christian reads that Jesus is the true vine and the Father is the vinedresser pruning the vine itself, our mind creates a clear word picture that is completely fitting for the metaphorical language that Jesus is employing.
We do not have the same mental picture when we insert the word “clean.” Even in the NASB, which is seen by many as a very formal translation (which it is), the translators opted for a less consistent translation of that Greek word in lieu of understandability. I am sure that since the publication of this translation, many have walked away appreciating this word choice in John 15; however, it could be argued that the biggest con of doing this is that the English reader has no word connection between “prune” and “clean” as the original audience that heard the word of Christ did. Although the NASB is more understandable and relatable for the modern audience, it also lacks the theological implications that the original audience would have received.
Clean
In the LSB, the use of “clean” in verses 2 and 3 is a result of the LSB translation team’s approach of consistency over ease of understanding. The pro of this approach is that it aids the reader in making a connection that may have been missed otherwise. This connection is most likely the understanding that the Apostles would have had when Jesus said those things to them. The connection that they would have heard, and that we could miss, is that Jesus is telling the Apostles that they have already been “cleaned” by the Father and thus are ready to bear fruit. This is powerful as they are not being declared as “clean” in the sense of morally uncontaminated, as some could walk away with an understanding from the NASB and other translations; but instead that they are prepared by the Father for ministry work in Jesus Christ. The con of this is that “clean” does not make our minds transition to the metaphorical language that Jesus is using. If our understanding of a word makes it challenging to see the original intent when it was first spoken, then there is a reasonable argument to translate the word for ease of understanding over consistency.
Conclusion
As we examine the verses above, we can see how in English, even between two very similar translations, there exists a tension of pros and cons. Should one always be used in place of the other? Well, no because those cons will still exist. What should be seen in this example is the usefulness of using multiple Bible translations in our study. In John 15:1-3 using both the NASB and the LSB, we would walk away with seeing the metaphor for what it is while also coming to the correct theological implication that Jesus was speaking about when he first told the Apostles they were clean. The use of a multitude of translations brings clarity to the text and should be encouraged for all Christians. If I were to preach on this text this Lord’s day, I would see myself preaching the theological implications seen more clearly in the LSB but most likely read the text from the NASB to assist the congregation in seeing the vinedresser; being assured of the true vine and seeking to be pruned for ministry work. Christians will be greatly blessed in seeing more clearly God’s original intended meaning of his revelation when they use a multitude of trustworthy translations in their study.