The Narrow Path Ministries

I'm all for increasing clarity, but I do find word-for-word translation to be more linguistically interesting. As for which method is more accurate, that's hard to say.

In 1 Cor 9:5 "sister woman" is translated as "believing wife" or "Christian wife" by most translations (including the NASB), which I think is a fine, accurate translation. Those other examples seem equally harmless/accurate. (Not to mention all of the added spacing, punctuation, and capitalization.)

I don't see why English translations shouldn't change as the English language and cultures change, provided that the message is not changed. It's not a urination contest (pardon the vulgarity, but I can't think of a better phrase), and I don't' see any right or wrong about it.

However, personally, the NT does specifically refer to "sister(s)" (adelphé, I think) a few times (aside from references to specific females), and I like to know when it is or isn't in the original without having to look it up, although I realize that it doesn't seem to make any difference.

It is a legitimate translation choice, I think. If God had not wanted languages and cultures, then I suppose He would not have confused the languages (Gen 11).

I think we could all agree that "The Message" is not an accurate translation, whatever else it might be.

Thanks for pointing out that passage, Homer. In their translation of this passage, the other versions I mentioned, do not do what "the Message" seems to do, by implying that the problem is absence of love rather than homosexuality.

Thanks for you insight Paidion.

I can't help drawing a loose comparison of the Bible and the US Constitution.

We don't have all of the original manuscripts and over 2,000 years later, we can't agree on what the Bible says or the meaning of most of it. While we do have the original US Constitution, we can't agree on what it says or the meaning of most of it only a little over 200 years later.

There are many people that would print their version of the Constitution if we somehow lost the original document. One more rewrite of the Message and it can be used as authoritative proof of all things left of center.

Translation by intent instead of word for word gives us people like Nancy Polosi that claim to be Catholic but see in the Constitution the words that say it's okay to kill 40 million babies.