Originally posted by Penguin
My understanding is that "The Bible" was originally a collection of texts, gathered together into one book a few hundred years after events depicted within them. Those texts will have been written in an ancient language. According to [http://www.biblica.com/bibles/faq/11/], the old testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament in ancient Greek.
So ...[text shortened]... tsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/#timeline
Does that clarify things?
--- Penguin
Clear as mud.
My understanding is that "The Bible" was originally a collection of texts, gathered together into one book a few hundred years after events depicted within them.
Sure. The canon of the Scripture (Old and New Testament together) was officially established around the middle of the second century. Just so. However, the books of the OT had been established quite some time before that--- in some cases, around 400 BC--- and the letters of the NT had been circulating since their inception.
Those texts will have been written in an ancient language.
Those texts were written in the language of the time.
According to [http://www.biblica.com/bibles/faq/11/], the old testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament in ancient Greek.
Broadly speaking, of course. They may have forgotten about Chaldean as well as glossed over the types of Greek, but it's pretty close otherwise.
Those translations will not be exact, word for word.
The job of the translator is so grossly under-appreciated, don't you think?
Mistakes will have crept in.
Do tell.
Some phrases would be meaningless if translated literally and would have been interpreted.
Ah! Some concession for the translator!
Politics may have also influenced the translations.
So might an empty stomach, or a crying infant in the other room. Let's be a tad more precise, shall we?
Also, many of those stories (particularly the old testament ones) will already have undergone many translations and interpretations from the originals before being gathered into that first Bible.
We're all ears. Please hold forth on the many translations and interpretations suffered by the original stories.