www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Scripture and Patristic Writings Orthodox Bible Translations

Why do the Eastern Orthodox Churches accept the Protestant Bible translations such as KJV, NKJV, Good News Bible, so on and so forth? Why don't the Orthodox have their own translations like we do with the RSV, Jerusalem Bible, and Douy-Rhiems? I just found it odd the Orthodox would recommend Protestant translations.

IgnatiusBenedict

If anyone doesn't mind explaining in your free time, I will appreciate it. Thanks.

I'm just saying "in your free time" because I understand people do not live on this forum and have professional lives. Just looking for some insight. Thanks.

My guess is that it probably all goes back to Isabel Hapgood. She did the first translations of the texts of the Byzantine Divine Services into English (1906), and used the KJV and what many call the literary style of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. The style stuck throughout much of Orthodoxy and continues to this day. You can even find a small number of Eastern Catholics who prefer this British language style of the 16th century.

There is an Orthodox Study Bible but it uses the NKJV as its basis, with the OT corrected to the LXX.

The D-R was probably not used simply because the KJV was used originally and became the norm. Today you can find liturgical books that use the KJV, the RSV and others (with several Eastern Catholic editions of these books using the older NAB).

There are those who feel that they’d rather a Protestant translation over a Catholic one because they feel it would be more accurate. Such fears are generally unfounded and this probably describes only a small number of Orthodox.

Or maybe the reason the Orthodox don’t have their own Bibles is simply the economy of numbers, and ethnicity. Until recent years English was not a huge issue and the number of people to support a fresh translation is small relatively speaking (and Bible translations cost money!).

So, no major reason. It just happened that way.

Thank you!

I hope the English speaking Orthodox get their own translation in the future!

Pax Christi
IB

I was just reminded the new Military New Testament w/Psalms and Devotional Prayers for Orthodox Christians is RSV based.

I don't expect a new translation by the Orthodox Church anytime soon. There really is no need for one as there are excellent editions already in existence. If anything, I might expect Orthodox involvement in an update to the RSV, but we already have an excellent update in the ESV (and I understand an edition with all the OT books is in the works). The ESV is not perfect but it is excellent compared to paraphrases like the NRSV or the ARA-NAB.

JOHN:

Christ is in our midst!!

Where can one find a copy of the older NAB? I've tried and can't seem to find one.

Thanks.

BOB

Try Amazon.com used books. I found this [amazon.com] but there are several editons to choose from.

Also, someone in England has reprinted the original Jerusalem Bible. I can dig out that information if anyone wants it.

Check this out

http://www.orthodox-church.info/eob/index.asp

The NRSV and RNAB are not paraphrases that would be the Living Bible. I was comparing the RNAB to my other translations and behold the RNAB actually returns to many translation choices of the Confraternity Version, some passages were almost identical.

Father Deacon,

We will have to agree to disagree on this. The improper use of gender alone is enough to make it a paraphrase. The change in promise of "Blessed is the man" from the individual who does not "walk with the ungodly" to some idea of a collective makes it a paraphrase, despite the parts they left alone.

John

JOHN:

Christ is in our midst!!

Many thanks. Problem is that they can't confirm whether this is the original NAB or the RNAB.

BOB

The Orthodox Study Bible uses the NKJV because it was instigated by Fr. Peter Gilquist and the former evangelicals who entered into Orthodoxy over the last 20 years. Also, an Orthodox deacon runs Thomas Nelson Publishers, which produces the NKJV. The NKJV has the "flow" of the KJV which (as earlier posts mention) is the language of earlier English service books.

I have a spare old NAB, whomever needs it PM me and I'll mail it to ya...

Anybody have a copy going-begging of Msgr. Ronald Knox's translation from the Latin Vulgate either of the entire Bible or just the Gospels?