Better Bibles Blog

I’ve wondered for quite a long time whether 2 Peter 3:16 means what we think it means. The Greek word (“hard to understand”, δυσνόητος) is unusual; Peter, curiously enough, could have used a simpler to understand expression. The verse is very often used to support an objection to clear translation. I’ve come to the opinion […]

You’re a translator, and you have been given the following statement in Estonian (with an English literal translation), how do you think it should be translated into English? Sääsest elevanti tegema To make an elephant out of a gnat Similarly, you’ve also been given a statement in Finnish. What is your guess for an English […]

What does ζητέω (ZHTEW) mean? Matthew 6:33 says, “ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν” An elementary Greek, wooden translation is, “And/But seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness of him and these all will be added to you.” I’ve often wondered what seeking […]

Recently we had some discussion regarding N.T. Wright’s translation. Here is his views of translation presented at the SBL in London, July 2011. I’m glad to report he makes many of the points that BBB has tried to make. See: The Monarchs and the Message, Reflections on Bible Translation from the Sixteenth to the Twenty-First […]