Advice appreciated
_______________________________________________________
Today I have been asked the question, “How can the Bible be trustworthy when it has been translated so many times?” Here is an illustration to keep in mind. Most of us have probably played the game telephone, where you have a phrase in your mind then you pass it on by whispering it to your neighbor and they pass it on in the same way and so on until it reaches the end and the phrases is usually different from when it started. This game is similar to what might happen when we translate the Bible through many different people over many generations. But is that so? I would say no! As I will show in my 3 points today, I believe that God’s word remains true in spite of human intervention. (Thesis)My three points will prove that the Bible is trustworthy after being translated so many times.
My first point is that God inspires the Word for His purpose. 2 Timothy 3:16 says; “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” In this passage the word ‘inspired’ according to Strong’s concordance is not only something God does but is who God is. The Greek word theosebeia (theh-os-eb-i-ah) meaning ‘deity’ therefore God is not just doing something as a verb but is also being used as a way to describe Himself in this passage.
Clearly, in this verse we can see that even though man has translated the Bible so many times, God has still been able to use His Word in our lives.
My second point is that the Holy Spirit illuminates the Word. 2 Peter 1:21 says; “for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke God.” In this verse God is saying that when the Bible was written it was not just some men and women who were like let’s go write a book about God, NO, the Holy Spirit moved in all their hearts to want to write the Bible. Therefore, the Bible was written by God who was put in man to write.
My third and final point is that Jesus protects the Word an IS the Word. Matthew 5:18 says; “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from Law until all is accomplished.” In this verse we can see the Jesus is the word, is watching over it, and sees it to its end. Here again we see that Jesus IS the word. Hebrews 13:8 says; “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Therefore, if Jesus is the word, and if Hebrews 13:8 says that will never change, then His word will NEVER change.
In conclusion, I have presented my side of the case that the Bible is trustworthy no matter how many times it has been translated. I have shown that God inspires man and that He Himself is inspiration, that the Holy Spirit illuminates the Word, and that Jesus Himself is the Word and stays the same. Thou man may make mistakes with the Word, we can trust that God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus will keep it pure.
________________________________________________