When it comes to interpreting the Bible accurately and thus beneficially, there is an unavoidable preliminary interpretive tool we make use of before getting into the nitty gritty of syntax, historical and literary context etc etc. That interpretive tool is the Bible translation that we choose to read.
The fact that we are reading an English translation of an originally Greek text means that the interpretation process has begun before we even begin to read. A (most likely) large group of scholars has decided that this is how the Greek text should be read in English. Of course these groups have different goals in mind: some want to translate the text word for word, some want to aid their readership by expressing what they perceive to be the overall thought of the passage in understandable English. The former group aren't too concerned with what the passage means as much as they are with saying what the biblical writer said. The latter try to tap into the meaning of the text, thus the interpretative process is well under way before you even read one such translation.
But whatever way we look at it, our reading of the New Testament -- a Greek text originally -- is the result of biblical interpretation. We are in one sense at our translation of choice's mercy, which is why it is recommended that we use multiple translations when studying the Bible.
To illustrate this pre-interpretation that we often miss, here is Romans 1:17 as it is written in numerous translations, moving from the formal (literal) to the functional (understandable):
What the Apostle Paul Wrote
dikaiosune gar theou en auto apokaluptetai ek pisteos eis pistin kathos gegraptai o de dikaios ek pisteos zesetai
(The "therein" or "in it" in the following translations refers to the gospel)
King James Bible
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
American Standard Version
For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
Young's Literal Translation
For the righteousness of God in it is revealed from faith to faith, according as it hath been written, 'And the righteous one by faith shall live,'
New American Standard Bible
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
English Revised Version
For therein is revealed a righteousness of God by faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
English Standard Version
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."
International Standard Version
For in the gospel God's righteousness is being revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, "The righteous will live by faith."
New International Version
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
New Living Translation
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
The Message
God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: "The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives."
There are numerous issues that could be examined, but one will suffice; perhaps one of the most debated issues in biblical scholarship. What does "righteousness of God" mean?
All of the literal translations translate dikaiosune theou as righteousness of God, but by doing so the meaning remains ambiguous. Is Paul talking about the gospel revealing the righteous character of God? Is he talking about God's own righteousness being made available to us? Is the righteousness of God His commitment to uphold His own glory? Is it God's covenantal faithfulness? What is being revealed in the gospel!?
The International Standard Version says that "God's righteousness" is revealed in the gospel. The righteousness possessed by God is made known through the proclamation of the gospel. In it His righteousness is unveiled. The question then becomes, Why is the revelation of God's righteousness good news? To answer that, "God's righteousness" would need further interpretation.
The NIV says that in the gospel "a righteousness from God" is revealed. There is give and take implied here, with God being the giver of righteousness (what ever that is!) and others being the recipients. Some people get this righteousness from God. The gospel is basically the proclamation that God is handing out righteousness. Though still unclear in meaning, this already sounds like good news.
The New Living Translation nail their colours to the mast. The righteousness of God is "how God makes us right in His sight". In the gospel we hear how we can stand before God and not only be declared right, but made right. Thus the righteousness of God is an act of God, an act of making people right. We could go a step further and say with John Stott that it is "God's righteous way of righteous-ing the unrighteous".
The Message echoes the sentiments of the NLT, translating (or interpreting) dikaiosune theou as "God's way of putting people right".
Of course we're never going to unearth the meaning of "righteousness of God" based on one verse. The boring, tedious point being made here is that in the translation we choose to read, interpretation has already occurred, especially if we use a translation such as the NLT or The Message. There's not much ambiguity (relatively speaking) when we read that "This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight". The problem, however, is precisely this: Is that what Paul is talking about? Is that what he means when he writes dikaiosune theou? If it is, then the good people involved in the NLT have done us a massive favour. If it's not, or if they have missed the main force of what Paul intends by these two words, then we're not quite hearing what we should be hearing. To get uber-dramatic, we're not being exposed to what is contained in the gospel, for that is what is at stake in this profound verse.
Do I think that the NLT has gotten it right? Well, that's not the point, but if you want to know just ask. The point is that even reading the Bible is a complicated procedure, so don't bother. Just get N.T. Wright to explain the Christian message to you.
The fact that we are reading an English translation of an originally Greek text means that the interpretation process has begun before we even begin to read. A (most likely) large group of scholars has decided that this is how the Greek text should be read in English. Of course these groups have different goals in mind: some want to translate the text word for word, some want to aid their readership by expressing what they perceive to be the overall thought of the passage in understandable English. The former group aren't too concerned with what the passage means as much as they are with saying what the biblical writer said. The latter try to tap into the meaning of the text, thus the interpretative process is well under way before you even read one such translation.
But whatever way we look at it, our reading of the New Testament -- a Greek text originally -- is the result of biblical interpretation. We are in one sense at our translation of choice's mercy, which is why it is recommended that we use multiple translations when studying the Bible.
To illustrate this pre-interpretation that we often miss, here is Romans 1:17 as it is written in numerous translations, moving from the formal (literal) to the functional (understandable):
What the Apostle Paul Wrote
dikaiosune gar theou en auto apokaluptetai ek pisteos eis pistin kathos gegraptai o de dikaios ek pisteos zesetai
(The "therein" or "in it" in the following translations refers to the gospel)
King James Bible
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
American Standard Version
For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
Young's Literal Translation
For the righteousness of God in it is revealed from faith to faith, according as it hath been written, 'And the righteous one by faith shall live,'
New American Standard Bible
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
English Revised Version
For therein is revealed a righteousness of God by faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
English Standard Version
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."
International Standard Version
For in the gospel God's righteousness is being revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, "The righteous will live by faith."
New International Version
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
New Living Translation
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
The Message
God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: "The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives."
There are numerous issues that could be examined, but one will suffice; perhaps one of the most debated issues in biblical scholarship. What does "righteousness of God" mean?
All of the literal translations translate dikaiosune theou as righteousness of God, but by doing so the meaning remains ambiguous. Is Paul talking about the gospel revealing the righteous character of God? Is he talking about God's own righteousness being made available to us? Is the righteousness of God His commitment to uphold His own glory? Is it God's covenantal faithfulness? What is being revealed in the gospel!?
The International Standard Version says that "God's righteousness" is revealed in the gospel. The righteousness possessed by God is made known through the proclamation of the gospel. In it His righteousness is unveiled. The question then becomes, Why is the revelation of God's righteousness good news? To answer that, "God's righteousness" would need further interpretation.
The NIV says that in the gospel "a righteousness from God" is revealed. There is give and take implied here, with God being the giver of righteousness (what ever that is!) and others being the recipients. Some people get this righteousness from God. The gospel is basically the proclamation that God is handing out righteousness. Though still unclear in meaning, this already sounds like good news.
The New Living Translation nail their colours to the mast. The righteousness of God is "how God makes us right in His sight". In the gospel we hear how we can stand before God and not only be declared right, but made right. Thus the righteousness of God is an act of God, an act of making people right. We could go a step further and say with John Stott that it is "God's righteous way of righteous-ing the unrighteous".
The Message echoes the sentiments of the NLT, translating (or interpreting) dikaiosune theou as "God's way of putting people right".
Of course we're never going to unearth the meaning of "righteousness of God" based on one verse. The boring, tedious point being made here is that in the translation we choose to read, interpretation has already occurred, especially if we use a translation such as the NLT or The Message. There's not much ambiguity (relatively speaking) when we read that "This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight". The problem, however, is precisely this: Is that what Paul is talking about? Is that what he means when he writes dikaiosune theou? If it is, then the good people involved in the NLT have done us a massive favour. If it's not, or if they have missed the main force of what Paul intends by these two words, then we're not quite hearing what we should be hearing. To get uber-dramatic, we're not being exposed to what is contained in the gospel, for that is what is at stake in this profound verse.
Do I think that the NLT has gotten it right? Well, that's not the point, but if you want to know just ask. The point is that even reading the Bible is a complicated procedure, so don't bother. Just get N.T. Wright to explain the Christian message to you.
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