Are Modern English Bible Translations IRREVERENT ? @ Pilgrim

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ARE MODERN ENGLISH BIBLE TRANSLATIONS IRREVERANT ?

by BRUCE OYEN

HEARTFELT REVERENCE for God is one of the most important characteristics a believer can have. In fact, it is a miracle of grace to possess such an attitude. It is a fruit of the new birth. It is the result of the Holy Spirit making real to the heart and mind the sovereignty and holiness of the triune God.

Scripture, by teaching and inference, emphasizes the importance of our being reverent toward God. Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."

One of the frequently-used arguments against using any Bible translation but the King James Version is that "modern English translations undermine reverence toward God" because they do not use the words "thee," "thou," and "thine" when addressing the members of the Trinity. [Although it must be acknowledged that at least the NASB uses these words when God is spoken to.]

Although this seems like a substantial reason for using only the KJV, it does not hold up under close scrutiny for a very simple reason: the KJV itself does not use those words to indicate reverence toward the triune Godhead. In fact, "thee," "thou," and "thine" are used in the KJV when people speak to God, when he speaks to them, when people speak to each other, and even when God speaks to the DEVIL himself !

Examples will help readers to see this clearly. Genesis chapter three informs us of the fall of man into sin, and the attempt of Adam and Eve to hide from God. Verse nine of that chapter says, "And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, 'Where are thou?'" Verse thirteen says, "And the LORD God said unto the woman, 'What is this that thou hast done?'"

Even more striking is that fact that we read in Genesis 3:14 and 15 what God said to the devil:

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, 'Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.'

Examples abound in the KJV where the words in question are used in conversation between humans. 2 Samuel 12:13 reads, "And David said unto Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.' And Nathan said unto David, 'The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.'" Acts 16:31 says, "And they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.'"

The foregoing quotations of Scripture are only a few of the literally scores (would hundreds be an exaggeration?) of examples in the KJV which prove that the words "thee," "thou," and "thine" were not used by the highly esteemed translators of the KJV to show reverence to the members of the Holy Trinity. Rather, those words were used in ordinary conversation in England at the time of the translation of the beloved KJV. And, if we may use the KJV as a source of evidence, there was no special language used in prayer during that time.

In Summary, reverence toward the members of the Godhead was shown in prayer by the manner in which the prayer was said, rather than by the words which were used. Humility before God is a matter of the attitude of heart one has, and is not dependent upon special words for its expression. An attentive reading of the great human prayers recorded in Scripture will reveal this to be true. Read 1 Kings 3, Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9, and Daniel 9 for examples. Although the words in question are found in these prayers, it is only because those words were used in conversation and in prayer when the KJV was translated.

The foregoing discussion was raised to point out that modern English Bible translations are not irreverent if they do not use certain words when God is being spoken to. Therefore, Bible translations must be accepted or rejected for more substantial reasons than that one.

Accuracy of translations, usefulness to the general public, the reliability of the manuscripts from which a translation is made, and the theological presuppositions of the translators are factors that should be considered when Bible translations are being discussed, not the presence or absence of the words "thee," "thou," and "thine."

written by Bruce Oyen Pastor, Fellowship Baptist Church, Miles City MT

published in Baptist Biblical Heritage, now called THE PILGRIM Magazine

(Issue #9, Vol 3, No. 1, Spring 1992)

E-Mail: Pilgrimpub@aol.com (1st), E-Mail: Pilgrimp@swbell.net (2nd)

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