To ask how people bible translate is to ask a question central to the history of Christianity itself. For two millennia, scholars, linguists, and theologians have undertaken the monumental task of rendering the sacred texts into the languages of common people. The process is far more complex than simply substituting words from one language for another. It involves deep dives into ancient cultures, careful study of textual sources, and a foundational philosophy about what a translation should even be. It is an act of stewardship, aiming to carry meaning across the vast chasms of time, culture, and language.
Why Translation is Necessary
The Bible was not originally written in English. The books of the Old Testament were written primarily in Hebrew, with a few sections in Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Koine Greek, the common language of the Mediterranean world in the first century. Unless a person is fluent in these ancient languages, they must rely on a translation to access the texts.
The goal of every Bible translation is to bridge this language gap. It is a work of profound importance, allowing the words of prophets, apostles, and Jesus himself to speak to new generations and different cultures. Without translation, the Bible would remain a closed book, accessible only to a small class of linguistic experts.
A Brief History of Bible Translation
The need for translation was felt even in ancient times. As languages and cultures shifted, communities of faith responded by creating new versions of the scriptures.
The Septuagint: The First Major Translation
The first major translation project in the Bible’s history occurred a few centuries before the birth of Christ. Many Jews lived in Alexandria, Egypt, and other parts of the Greek-speaking world and no longer spoke Hebrew fluently. Tradition holds that 72 Jewish scholars translated the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) into Greek. This translation became known as the Septuagint, from the Latin word for seventy. It was the Bible of the early Christians and is frequently quoted by the New Testament writers. [Link: learn more about the Septuagint]
The Vulgate: A Common Language for the West
As the Roman Empire grew, Latin eventually replaced Greek as the common language of the western world. In the late fourth century A.D., a scholar named Jerome undertook the task of translating the entire Bible into Latin. Working for more than 20 years, he translated the Old Testament directly from the Hebrew and revised existing Latin versions of the New Testament. His work, known as the Vulgate, became the standard Bible for the Western church for over a thousand years.
The Reformation and Translation for the People
For much of the Middle Ages, the Bible was accessible only in Latin, a language few ordinary people could read. Figures of the Protestant Reformation, like Martin Luther in Germany and William Tyndale in England, were driven by the conviction that everyone should be able to read the Word of God in their own tongue. Tyndale’s work was particularly foundational for the English Bible. He was famously pursued by authorities for his illegal translation efforts. His dying prayer was, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” Shortly thereafter, King Henry VIII authorized the production of an English Bible. Tyndale’s masterful work formed the basis for nearly every English translation that followed, including the celebrated King James Version. [Link: the story of William Tyndale]
How is the Bible Translated Today?
Modern translation is a rigorous, collaborative process that benefits from manuscript discoveries and scholarly advances that were unavailable to earlier translators.
The Translation Committee
No single person produces a major modern Bible translation. Instead, a committee of scholars is assembled. These committees often include dozens of men and women from various denominations and academic institutions. This team approach provides accountability and ensures that no single individual’s theological bias or interpretive preference dominates the text. They check and recheck one another’s work over a period of years.
Working from the Source Texts
Modern translators work directly from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. For the Old Testament, the primary source is the Masoretic Text, the traditional Hebrew Bible. But translators also consult other ancient versions, like the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls, which sometimes preserve older readings. [Link: what are the Dead Sea Scrolls] For the New Testament, scholars rely on a critically established Greek text that collates and evaluates thousands of manuscripts to get as close as possible to the original writings.
Translation Philosophies
Every translation team must decide on their core philosophy. How will they handle the transfer of meaning from one language to another? The approaches exist on a spectrum.
On one end is formal equivalence, often called a “word for word” translation. The goal here is to replicate the form and structure of the original language as much as possible. This approach is excellent for close study, as it preserves original idioms, ambiguities, and wordplay. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) is a good example of this philosophy.
On the other end is dynamic equivalence, or “thought for thought” translation. Here, the primary goal is to convey the original meaning and intent of the text in natural, readable language for the modern reader. The New International Version (NIV) is a well-known example of this approach. It does not seek to translate each word literally but to transfer the meaning of the original phrases and sentences.
In the middle are translations that blend these two philosophies, like the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). Farther along the spectrum are paraphrases, such as The Message, which are not strictly translations but retellings of the biblical text in contemporary idiom, intended to make the content immediately accessible to a broad modern audience.