Your graph is awesome brother, im so happy to see the NKJV in such a good spot😉 Have you watched Randy Whites video evaluation of the ESV? I don't agree with some of his views but he sure brought up a lot of funny business in the ESV. The ESV is a good reader but I'm pretty stuck on my NKJV/kJV, I always find myself reaching for them the most. The Allan print still has that dingy news print look about it, its like they actually have an ink cartridge color called "Crossway Dingy Gray"😂 I would love to hear you're opinion of the NLT if you ever find time to familiarize yourself with the text, my daughter has been so blessed by it that's been adoubke blessing for me. Nothing warms my heart more than walking past her room and seeing her reading the bible. She has been using the NKJV for about two years but now is using my NLT Study bible all the time....I love it, praise Jesus! Great video again.
Craig L. Blomberg stated the following...... "I relished the chance to work on the NLT (New Living Translation) team to convert the LBP into a truly dynamic-equivalent translation, but I never recommend it to anyone except to supplement the reading of a more literal translation to generate freshness and new insights, unless they are kids or very poor adult readers. My sixteen- and twelve-year old daughters have been weaned on the NLT and have loved it, but both already on their own are now frequently turning to the NIV." (11) The ESV is a spectacular literal word for word translation. The NASB is word for word. The KJV which I have and study and believe to be the word of God has it's short comings though. Erasmus translated the NT from 7 PRINTED copies of Greek and in Revelation he translated the Latin into Greek then from Greek into English. Marginal notes were used as the Word of God in the end of Revelation for the KJV translators. The preface in the KJV states that they themselves wouldn't hold to just their translation. Thus it's wise to learn Hebrew or Koine Greek or study with a strong's and Vine's expository dictionary. Since 1611 or 1769 many more actual manuscripts have been discovered which leads to a more accurate and original rendering. I suggest reading up on Erasmus, the Textus Receptus, Byzantine text, Alexandrian text and textual criticism. The NLT in my opinion shouldn't have the T on the end of it. The fact that manuscripts have been found dating much much older than what the KJV translators had reveals how God has preserved His word.
I've been watching all your reviews, and have enjoyed them greatly! I'm curious to know, given your extensive investigation into the literalness of different translations, which translation do you personally use the majority of the time? I'm after the most literal translation that I can find, but also one that reflects the latest in textual scholarship (not that I have anything against the KJV/TR!). Unfortunately, I'm finding that balance hard to find. I know you're not a big NASB fan, which is what I was leaning towards, so would you have any advice regarding such a translation? Thanks!
If I'm at church, or listening to the radio or to an internet stream, I tend to use whatever translation the speaker is using -- if I can identify it and have a copy, that is. Otherwise, I frequently use the KJV with a good commentary, the Cambridge Interlinear (so I can see the RV readings), and the NKJV (not just because it's a good literal translation, but also because of the notes that often -- but far from always -- describe textual variants). If you want a modern literal translation with a New Testament based on a critical Greek text, your options appear to be the NASB and the ESV. (There may be other choices I'm not aware of.) I'm not very happy with the NASB in a few places, and I've mentioned some of those in a few of these videos. But it's a good translation nevertheless, and it has the advantage of including translator-supplied words in oblique characters. Also, its translation notes (included in most editions) show the literal reading even where the translators chose to include something else in the text. I like the '77 better than the '95, and I think I'll like the '95 better than the '19 or '20 -- whenever the next update is published. The editors seem to be letting a concern for popularity override the genius of the translation, which was to present a readable English version that is as close as possible to the original languages. The ESV reads better, in my opinion, and it isn't a great deal less literal than the NASB. If it were revised to return to the Geneva Bible/KJV/RV/ASV practice of distinguishing translator-supplied words, I'd consider it superior to the NASB. We also have to consider the quality of the Bibles published in each translation, and I think the ESV may have the edge there at the moment.
Thanks for the very detailed response! I came to similar conclusions about the ESV and NASB. I'm pretty happy with my current ESV and NASB95, but for the sake of completeness I think now my challenge is going to be tracking down a good NASB77. I might also have to keep an eye on the RV Interlinear too!
Thanks for your translation continuum, that was really interesting.
Your graph is awesome brother, im so happy to see the NKJV in such a good spot😉
Have you watched Randy Whites video evaluation of the ESV? I don't agree with some of his views but he sure brought up a lot of funny business in the ESV. The ESV is a good reader but I'm pretty stuck on my NKJV/kJV, I always find myself reaching for them the most. The Allan print still has that dingy news print look about it, its like they actually have an ink cartridge color called "Crossway Dingy Gray"😂
I would love to hear you're opinion of the NLT if you ever find time to familiarize yourself with the text, my daughter has been so blessed by it that's been adoubke blessing for me. Nothing warms my heart more than walking past her room and seeing her reading the bible. She has been using the NKJV for about two years but now is using my NLT Study bible all the time....I love it, praise Jesus!
Great video again.
Craig L. Blomberg stated the following......
"I relished the chance to work on the NLT (New Living Translation) team to convert the LBP into a truly dynamic-equivalent translation, but I never recommend it to anyone except to supplement the reading of a more literal translation to generate freshness and new insights, unless they are kids or very poor adult readers. My sixteen- and twelve-year old daughters have been weaned on the NLT and have loved it, but both already on their own are now frequently turning to the NIV." (11)
The ESV is a spectacular literal word for word translation. The NASB is word for word. The KJV which I have and study and believe to be the word of God has it's short comings though. Erasmus translated the NT from 7 PRINTED copies of Greek and in Revelation he translated the Latin into Greek then from Greek into English. Marginal notes were used as the Word of God in the end of Revelation for the KJV translators. The preface in the KJV states that they themselves wouldn't hold to just their translation. Thus it's wise to learn Hebrew or Koine Greek or study with a strong's and Vine's expository dictionary. Since 1611 or 1769 many more actual manuscripts have been discovered which leads to a more accurate and original rendering. I suggest reading up on Erasmus, the Textus Receptus, Byzantine text, Alexandrian text and textual criticism. The NLT in my opinion shouldn't have the T on the end of it. The fact that manuscripts have been found dating much much older than what the KJV translators had reveals how God has preserved His word.
www.bible-researcher.com/nlt.html
I've been watching all your reviews, and have enjoyed them greatly! I'm curious to know, given your extensive investigation into the literalness of different translations, which translation do you personally use the majority of the time? I'm after the most literal translation that I can find, but also one that reflects the latest in textual scholarship (not that I have anything against the KJV/TR!). Unfortunately, I'm finding that balance hard to find. I know you're not a big NASB fan, which is what I was leaning towards, so would you have any advice regarding such a translation? Thanks!
If I'm at church, or listening to the radio or to an internet stream, I tend to use whatever translation the speaker is using -- if I can identify it and have a copy, that is. Otherwise, I frequently use the KJV with a good commentary, the Cambridge Interlinear (so I can see the RV readings), and the NKJV (not just because it's a good literal translation, but also because of the notes that often -- but far from always -- describe textual variants). If you want a modern literal translation with a New Testament based on a critical Greek text, your options appear to be the NASB and the ESV. (There may be other choices I'm not aware of.) I'm not very happy with the NASB in a few places, and I've mentioned some of those in a few of these videos. But it's a good translation nevertheless, and it has the advantage of including translator-supplied words in oblique characters. Also, its translation notes (included in most editions) show the literal reading even where the translators chose to include something else in the text. I like the '77 better than the '95, and I think I'll like the '95 better than the '19 or '20 -- whenever the next update is published. The editors seem to be letting a concern for popularity override the genius of the translation, which was to present a readable English version that is as close as possible to the original languages. The ESV reads better, in my opinion, and it isn't a great deal less literal than the NASB. If it were revised to return to the Geneva Bible/KJV/RV/ASV practice of distinguishing translator-supplied words, I'd consider it superior to the NASB. We also have to consider the quality of the Bibles published in each translation, and I think the ESV may have the edge there at the moment.
Thanks for the very detailed response! I came to similar conclusions about the ESV and NASB. I'm pretty happy with my current ESV and NASB95, but for the sake of completeness I think now my challenge is going to be tracking down a good NASB77. I might also have to keep an eye on the RV Interlinear too!
I have the esv1 limited red edition for sale if your interested, only 50 copies ever made.