Q&A: Jackals and Sea Monsters in Lamentations 4:3

I subscribe to God Didn't Say That. Not being educated in Greek or Hebrew, I find it very informative. Today's post, "Q&A: Jackals and Sea Monsters in Lamentations 4:3," is no exception. It is this blog's quintessential post, providing insight into the thought processes of translators, and shedding light on why different translations differ. The blog will change the way you look at your own translation; I guarantee it.

Does God let ministers go up in flames? Better Bibles Blog

One of my favorite blogs is the Better Bibles Blog at www.betterbibles.com. Today's article was fortuitously timely considering the fact that Spring Warrior is currently studying Hebrews. The article is entitled: "Does God let ministers go up in flames?," and it is about the passage is Hebrews 1:7, which is translated variously as follows:

KJV: Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
RSV: Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.
NIV: He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire.
TEV: God makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.
NLT: messengers swift as the wind, and servants made of flaming fire.
CEV: I change my angels into wind and my servants into flaming fire.
—————-
NJB: appointing the winds his messengers and flames of fire his servants.

I once only read from "literal" Bibles, but I am now a big fan of the NLTse, the NLT Study Bible, and I can't wait to read the new devotional Mosaic Bible. For more info:

http://www.holybiblemosaic.com/ and bit.ly/8xF3P

Is the ESV Study Bible Calvinistic?

I have read reviews by some who criticize the ESV Study Bible as being Calvinistic. It may be, but consider the following notes from 1 Timothy 2:4, where Paul tells Timothy that God "desires all men to be saved." The notes appear even-handed to me and I am not a Calvinist.

Evangelistic prayer for all people is rooted in the fact that God desires all people to be saved. It appears that Paul is countering an exclusivist tendency in the false teachers or at least their downplaying of the importance of evangelizing the Gentiles (along with their emphasis on the Jewish law). This statement figures prominently in theological disagreements over the extent of the atonement. It cannot be read as suggesting that everyone will be saved (universalism) because the rest of the letter makes it clear that some will not be saved (4:1; 5:24; 6:10; cf. Matt. 25:30, 41, 46; Rev. 14:9–11). Does that mean God desires something (all people being saved) that he cannot fulfill? Both Arminian and Calvinist theologians respond that God “desires” something more than universal salvation. Arminians hold that God's greater desire is to preserve genuine human freedom (which is necessary for genuine love) and therefore he must allow that some may choose to reject his offer of salvation. Calvinists hold that God's greater desire is to display the full range of his glory (Rom. 9:22–23), which results in election depending upon the freedom of his mercy and not upon human choice (Rom. 9:15–18). However one understands the extent of the atonement, this passage clearly teaches the free and universal offer of the gospel to every single human being; “desires” shows that this offer is a bona fide expression of God's good will. Come to the knowledge of the truth highlights the cognitive aspect of conversion, i.e., individuals must come to understand key truths in order to be converted. “The truth” occurs often in the Pastorals as a synonym for the gospel (cf. 1 Tim. 3:15; 4:3; 2 Tim. 2:15, 18, 25; 3:7, 8; 4:4; Titus 1:1, 14).

Changing my mind on the NLT << The Sundry Times

The following quote from Changing my mind on the NLT & The Sundry Times captures my feelings about the second edition of the New Living Translation (NLTse):

The NLT is so clear and easy-to-read, yet it is also quite accurate. It's not without its imperfections, but that's the nature of Bible translation. I am finding more and more lately that when I read a passage in a different translation, I find myself wondering how the NLT puts it, and I go and get my NLT and check it out. .... It's getting so the NLT is the first Bible I pick up.

The NLTse is tied for first for me with the New King James Version (NKJV) and the NLT Study Bible is my first study Bible of choice, while the ESV Study Bible is my handy second choice.

Translating "Christ"

Dan Sindlinger posted an excellent article on Translating "Christ" over at BetterBibles.com.

In the excerpt from the original article appearing below, note the play on words that would be evident to readers of the Greek text:

Luke 23:35b

NKJV “He saved others; let Him save Himself if he is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

BLB “He’s helped others and claims to be the one that God promised would help us enjoy a better life [i.e., Christ -wwb], but he can’t even help himself.”

The Four Translations (author unknown)

There were four clergymen who were discussing the merits of the various translations of the Bible. One liked the King James Version because of its simple, beautiful English. Another liked the American Revised Version best because it is more literal and came nearer to the original Hebrew and Greek. Still another liked Moffat's translation because of its up-to-date vocabulary.
The fourth minister was silent. when asked to express his opinion, he replied, "I like my mother's translation best." The other three expressed surprise. They did not know that his mother had translated the Bible. But he assured them, "She translated it into life, every day of her life, and it was the most convincing translation I ever saw."