“That’s a Mistranslation!"

One of my pet peeves is people trying to dismiss a Bible truth by repeating the trite, worn-out excuse “That’s a mistranslation.”

No Bible translation is 100% perfect, because the full meaning of any Hebrew or Greek or Aramaic word, and all the nuances of that particular word and its connection to other words, cannot be fully conveyed with a single English word. That is a linguistic fact that exists in the translation of any document from one language to another. But this does not mean that every translation that you do not like is a mistranslation. It only means that every translation has limitations. A translation can convey only a limited amount of all the meaning that is embedded in the text in its original language. Limitation and mistranslation are two entirely different things.

When people say “That’s a mistranslation,” oftentimes what they really mean is: “That translation contradicts what I want to believe. That translation does not match up with my personal theological preferences and wishes.”

They think they can dismiss Bible truth by simply saying “That’s a mistranslation.” But God is not fooled, and neither am I.

The next time I hear someone say “That’s a mistranslation,” I want to ask three questions.

QUESTION 1: Do you know Hebrew (or Greek or Aramaic) well enough to explain to me WHY that is a mistranslation? And don’t just give me a vocabulary number from the lexicon of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Explain to me why that verse is a mistranslation by using your knowledge of Hebrew (or Greek or Aramaic) grammar, morphology, syntax, orthography, semantics, phonology, verb conjugation, case, etc. Use your knowledge of the original language to explain to me in your own words why that particular verse is a mistranslation. Can you do this?

Check one: Yes | No

QUESTION 2: Do you know Hebrew (or Greek or Aramaic) well enough to actually read and understand the text in its original language? And I don’t mean just being able to pronounce the words. I mean are you able to understand the words and the reasons those words appear in whatever particular form they appear in this particular verse? Can you do this?

Check one: Yes | No

QUESTION 3: Have you read through the entire Bible in its original languages at least one time? This is an important question, because if you have not done this, then you have never truly read through the entire inspired text of the Bible. You have only read through translations of the inspired text. And if you have only read through translations of the inspired text, and not the inspired text itself, then what business do you have claiming “That’s a mistranslation”? Have you ever read the entire Bible in its original languages?

Check one: Yes | No

If you answered “No” to one or more of those three questions, then please do not tell me “That’s a mistranslation.” That claim is being made by too many people who know little or nothing about translating the text from the original languages.

If you insist on telling me that something is a mistranslation, at least find someone else who can use their knowledge of the original languages to explain to me why the verse is a mistranslation.

| DB