Psalm 4:4
Be angry and do not sin;
on your bed, reflect in your heart and be still.

Ephesians 4:26
Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,

Ephesians 4:26 – Be ye angry, and sin not – That is, if ye are angry, take heed ye sin not. Anger at sin is not evil; but we should feel only pity to the sinner. If we are angry at the person, as well as the fault, we sin. And how hardly do we avoid it. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath – Reprove your brother, and be reconciled immediately. Lose not one day. A clear, express command. Reader, do you keep it?

–John Wesley

The Septuagint, which is copied by St. Paul, Ephesians 4:26, translate this clause, Οργιζεσθε, και μη ἁμαρτανετε; Be ye angry, and sin not. The Vulgate, Syriac, Ethiopic, and Arabic, give the same reading; and thus the original רגזו rigzu might be translated: If ye be angry, and if ye think ye have cause to be angry; do not let your disaffection carry you to acts of rebellion against both God and your king. Consider the subject deeply before you attempt to act. Do nothing rashly; do not justify one evil act by another: sleep on the business; converse with your oten heart upon your bed; consult your pillow.

–Adam Clarke

Psalms 37:8
Refrain from anger and give up [your] rage;
do not be agitated-it can only bring harm.

Ephesians 4:31
All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness.

Colossians 3:8
But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.

James 1:19-20
My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

This paper has been mentioned many times. These somewhat longer (compared to most blog posts) types of papers are often difficult to read while sitting at the computer. So it’s easy to read about the gender related things near the beginning, and if it isn’t a critical matter to you, move on to something else.

One interesting part of this paper is the listing of many verses where there are changes between the NIV and the TNIV aside from the gender issue. These can be found on pages 4-14. Being very familiar with the NIV, almost every change I’ve noticed in the TNIV on my own even before I looked at this paper, aside from the gender inclusive language is positive as far as I can tell.

TODAY’S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION:
THE UNTOLD STORY OF A GOOD TRANSLATION (PDF file)
by Craig L. Blomberg
Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary

Some quotes:

Approximately 7% of the text is changed from the last American revision of the NIV, published in 1984. A little less than 30% of these changes involve inclusive language for humanity…

In a busy world, it is often easiest just to trust a respected friend and scholar, do a little bit of first-hand examination, and come to a conclusion. On the other hand, I have read every word of the TNIV, rereading my old NIV at the same time, noting and evaluating every change in light of the UBS Greek New Testament, so that the generalizations that I make may be as accurate as possible.

The purpose of my paper, then, is threefold. First, I wish to point out some enormous improvements that the TNIV has made over the previous editions of the NIV in areas unrelated to gender-inclusive language. Second, I wish to respond to some of the most persistent and misguided charges against the TNIV with respect to gender-inclusive language. Finally, I wish to highlight the fact that the most prominent forms of gender-inclusive language changes in the TNIV that “violate” the CSG are forms of translation found within the New Testament itself, so that those who support the CSG, however unwittingly, are therefore impugning the very patterns God adopted in inspiring his Scriptures.

I’m not posting this because the TNIV is my favorite translation or because I’m a champion of gender inclusiveness to this degree, the latter only because I haven’t spent enough time on it. I just think this is very informative, especially for those who are considering using the TNIV regularly or who want to be well informed. Certainly it’s important to consider other sources as well.

Related articles:
THE DEBATE OVER GENDER-INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE (PDF file) by D. A. Carson
A Brief Summary of Concerns About the TNIV by Wayne Grudem
(although the main thrust of my post is the non-gender related changes from the NIV to the TNIV)

I have a new page here of the Belgic Confession. The Scripture plug-in used on this site is especially useful for a page like this as you’ll see.

As with the Heidelberg Catechism, this took some work to format the text in order for it to work with the Scripture plug-in. I put an ad at the top to try to recoup some of my efforts and I hope that doesn’t look too tacky.

Esteban suggested I take a closer look at the Belgic Confession. It’s a beautifully crafted document. I include one of my favorite sections below.

There may be some imperfections. If you see anything that needs correcting please let me know.

ARTICLE 13 – THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

We believe that this good God, after He had created all things, did not abandon them or give them up to fortune or chance,1 but that according to His holy will He so rules and governs them that in this world nothing happens without His direction.2 Yet God is not the Author of the sins which are committed nor can He be charged with them.3 For His power and goodness are so great and beyond understanding that He ordains and executes His work in the most excellent and just manner, even when devils and wicked men act unjustly.4 And as to His actions surpassing human understanding, we will not curiously inquire farther than our capacity allows us. But with the greatest humility and reverence we adore the just judgments of God, which are hidden from us,5 and we content ourselves that we are pupils of Christ, who have only to learn those things which He teaches us in His Word, without transgressing these limits.6

This doctrine gives us unspeakable consolation, for we learn thereby that nothing can happen to us by chance, but only by the direction of our gracious heavenly Father. He watches over us with fatherly care, keeping all creatures so under His power that not one hair of our head – for they are all numbered – nor one sparrow can fall to the ground without the will of our Father (Mat 10:29-30). In this we trust, because we know that He holds in check the devil and all our enemies so that they cannot hurt us without His permission and will.7

We therefore reject the damnable error of the Epicureans, who say that God does not concern Himself with anything but leaves all things to chance.

1. John 5:17; Heb 1:3. 2. Psalm 115:3; Prov 16:1, Prov 16:9, Prov 16:33; Prov 21:1; Eph 1:11-12; James 4:13-15. 3. James 1:13; 1 John 2:16. 4. Job 1:21; Isa 10:5; Isa 15:7; Amos 3:6; Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27-28. 5. 1 Kings 22:19-23; Rom 1:28; 2 Thes 2:11. 6. Deut 29:29; 1 Cor 4:6. 7. Gen 45:8; Gen 50:20; 2 Sam 16:10; Rom 8:28, Rom 8:38-39.

I hope you didn’t think I was going to give you my top ten translations.

My top five reasons for not listing my top ten translations.

1. I don’t think others care or should care what my top ten translations are.
2. I’m not qualified to judge which ones are the best.
3. Related to number 2, it would mainly be my preference, which is what most top ten lists are anyway, which is what Douglas Mangum at Biblia Hebraica asserts.
4. I’m determined not to be a “fan” of any one translation which would be my #1 translation.
5. There are only two translations I’ve read all the way through.

I do think that for someone who is interested in choosing or switching, the top ten lists can be educational. Some that I have seen are:

• “This Lamp” favorite bibles via He Is Sufficient
• My Ranking of English Bible Translations – Biblia Hebraica

Any others?

If you would like free electronic versions of the NASB and NKJV (along with the ESV, KJV and NET which can also be used on e-Sword for free) and a few others, the Berean BerBible software has it available. It’s bare bones and only provides display and searching for now but maybe it will be useful for someone. It’s also good for older computers and systems like PDAs, Palm PCs etc.
www.berbible.org

People say that different translations are for people of different reading levels or are at least at certain reading levels. The CEV would be preschoolers and ESV would be for people going for their PhD. (Hyperbole) But is that really what the translators are targeting?

Shouldn’t there be a term like “Bible comprehension level”?

Mounce gives these examples in Greek for the Rest of Us:

Romans 11:16 RSV
the dough offered as first fruits is holy, so is the whole lump; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

If you were raised in a church and understand the Old Testament background of Abraham and the patriarchs, you could figure it out. The NLT says:

Romans 11:16 NLT
And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.

Apparently I don’t know the Bible as well as I thought. I didn’t grow up with catechisms and Bible teaching; I grew up in the Catholic church which taught us nothing about the Bible.

Another example of this is in Stan’s post entitled The New Living Translation in Ecclesiastes 5.

So that brings me to my next thought and a question: Should we have a Bible for reading and a Bible for studying? And what is reading, other than reading through the Bible and what is studying? Is referring to a Bible when reading a commentary studying, for example?

Do you use one Bible for reading and another for study? I’m wondering if I should “read” the NLT until I become more Bible literate. Although I’m more Bible literate than the vast majority of Christians, I’m not as literate as most of my Bible blogging friends.

Which brings me to one more thought, question and quandry: I like to highlight and take notes in one Bible and I want to keep them forever. I used the NIV for 20 years and when I became a “more serious student of the Bible” 2 1/2 years ago I switched to the NRSV. I copied all my highlighting and notes from the NIV to the NRSV. Then in the last 2 1/2 years I’ve written more in the NRSV than in the previous 20 in the NIV. This helps me to find things via the highlighting and reminds me of the things I’ve learned.

Now that I want to switch again sometime next year, I want to transfer the notes again which would be quite a task.

What do you think about this?

Since this wasn’t a very cohesive post I’ll restate my questions:

• Shouldn’t there be a term like “Bible comprehension level”?
• Should we have a Bible for reading and a Bible for studying and what do those terms mean other than reading through the Bible in a year would be reading and phrasing would be studying?
• What do you think about wanting to keep highlighting and notes in one Bible forever?