The Word of God in English: Criteria for Excellence in Bible Translation

Professor Ryken provides a different perspective on the Bible Translations issue-that of the literary scholar. Dr. Ryken is not a theologian or textual critic, but a comparative literature scholar, and this voice has been missing from the Bible Versions debate over the years. The unique perspective that he brings is that of preserving the original intent and style of the author across translation. The modern dynamic translations have often had as their goal to state the Bible in modern language. The fact is, Dr. Ryken points out, the Bible is an ancient book. The authors used literary devices-imagery, poetry, meter, parallelism, etc which are part and parcel of the message. Many Biblical truths are very obviously meant to be grappled with by the reader, as God's truth penetrates the heart. The classic examples that Ryken speaks of are Homer and Shakespeare. The literary world would cry loudly if we passed a modern vernacular version of The Odyssey or Hamlet as the true words of Homer or Shakespeare. Yet we take ancient timeless truth and divorce it from its original form in order to pitch it to an American seventh grade reading level. We do so at the peril of the text itself, and Ryken establishes that fact well. The one criticism I would have of the book (and thus four stars) is not that Ryken sat on the committee that produced the English Standard Version, but that this book at times reads a bit like an infommercial for that very fine translation. I do think Ryken probably limited the objectivity of his work in continually holding the ESV as the new standard.

Dr. Leland Ryken is to be hailed for his work on English translations of the Bible. He does a masterful job of presenting strong arguments for an essentially literal transaltion (ESV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, RSV) versus a dynamic equivalent transation (NIV, NLT, the Message, TNIV, NRSV, CEV, TEV). For years I have read and studied from the NIV but always have my doubts and suspisions about the NIV. Having taken New Testament Greek I was aware of some of the problems I had personally found in the NIV. When the New Living Translation (NLT) came out in 1996, I bought it and instantly rejected it. It was simply too free in its translation, too "dumbed" down for me, and simply ignored much of the Greek text. After reading Dr. Ryken's book, I have found my ammunition for defense of the essentially literal translations. I now enjoy teaching and preaching from the RSV, NKJV, and the NASB. I would encourage you to pray that the evangelical church hears Dr. Ryken's words of wisdom and returns to a solid literal translation in the heritage of the King James Version.

The Word of God in English by Leland Ryken is one of the best books I have ever read. It has left an indelible impression on my spiritual life and my view of scripture. Mr. Ryken's arguments and presentation of why we need to use word-for-word translations as oppossed to though-for-thought translations are solid. His examples are clear and fair although I would loved many more of them. Mr. Ryken does an amazing job of elevating scripture(God's Word/Words) to the level they need to be at in our hearts and minds. This book is not a casual read so be prepared to do some serious thinking about an issue that deserves the utmost attention and reverence. If you are serious about God's word then you must read this book. I don't think I can ever fully trust a dynamic(functional)-equivilent translation ever again. I am not saying I won't use one at some point but after reading this book I will always feel suspicious about whether or not what I am reading is a translation or interpretation. I wanted to be fair so after reading this book I purchased and began to read The Challenge In Bible Tranlsation(ISBN: 0310246857). After reading the arguments/defense that they presented regarding dynamic equivilence translations I am more convinced than ever that the only responsible and sure way to ensure that you are getting what the underlying text actually says as close as possible is to use Formal-Equivilent translations.I wholeheartedly recommend this book and The Challenge In Bible Tranlsation (ISBN: 0310246857) to those that are serious about studying the bible. I am sure that you will never be the same, I know I never will be.

After reading this exceptional and important work and reading some of the "reviews" I felt compelled to write my own review. I hope this helps. Since the middle of the twentieth century there has been an explosion of translations of the Bible into English. Between 1952 and 1990 there were twenty-seven English versions of the entire Bible. Several have been added to this number since 1990. Many are excited about this ever-expanding number; others are contending that there may be some negative unintended consequences due to this development. Most discussions and debates about the "best" translation of the Bible into modern English are rooted in misconceptions about the most reliable original manuscripts, varying philosophies of language, and various translation philosophies. The two main camps are the literal word-for-word, or the dynamic equalevant thought-for-thought. Dr. Leland Ryken, Professor of English at Wheaton College, brings a unique and discerning perspective to this discussion. Due to his expertise as a Biblical literary critic, Ryken is highly qualified to enter this arena. He has written several helpful books that apply the discipline of literary analysis to the Scriptures. In this current book, Ryken places the discussion of the best English version of the Bible translation within a broader context. The majority of books written over the past few decades that examine English Bibles either take a historical approach by examining the development of the numerous versions, or a linguistic comparison of particular words, phrases or ideas from the original languages into English. Ryken poses different questions and examines the discussion from a broader cultural and literary perspective while providing exceptionally perceptive analysis. One of the many keen observations within his work, Ryken explores the shift from the more literal KJV, RSV and NASB to the more parphasistic NIV and NLT. He questions the philosophy behind this shift and highlights the errors inherent with diverse translating philosophies. By placing questions of "thought" translations in a philosophical context (how does one have thoughts without words?) and literary context (are some ways of expressing an idea not better than others?), Ryken makes a tremendous contribution to an extremely important issue. Ryken offers persuasive evidence that there is a substantial difference between a translation of the Bible and an interpretation of the Bible. The book is not a tirade against the KJV for being archaic English or the NIV for being too tolerant by adding words where they are absent, or deleting words where they are present in the original. Ryken is laying the groundwork for dealing with the serious matter of having the best English Bible. Specifically regarding the KJV, Ryken praises the literary quality style of the KJV, while recognizing that it "has become culturally obsolete with its archaic language and deficient scholarsh

Since it's still January, 2003 I know it won't impress you much to say that The Word of God in English by Leland Ryken is the most important book I've read this year. Even to call it my most important read of the century ?or, for that matter, of the millennium?may be, in the year 2003, to damn it with faint praise.But you get the point. If the Bible itself is the most important book ever to confront the human race, I will argue that the Ryken volume may do more to change how you view the Bible (and how you read it) than any book, preacher, professor, or other influence you have ever had.The Word of God in English focuses on translation theory. It features the debate between so-called "literal" translation on the one hand, and "dynamic equivalent" translation on the other. Author Ryken comes down unambiguously on the side of the literalists. But his is not merely a technical treatment. It's possible (but not likely!) that you could read this book and end up disagreeing with the author's main thesis. What I don't think is possible is that you'd read this book and end up with a lower view of the Bible than you had before.Leland Ryken has taught literature at Wheaton College for many years, and he holds a very high view of the Bible. He thinks God chose the Bible's words, and not just its ideas, in a very purposeful way. And he thinks the Bible's very message is altered?and usually diminished?when people tinker and tamper with the words.Ironically, of course, dynamic-equivalence translators argue the issue the other way. They claim that by asking the question, What was the main idea the author intended? and then expressing that idea in the idiom of the "receptor language," the reader will have a richer experience of the author's intention.Leland Ryken devastates the dynamic-equivalent position. Systematically, comprehensively, repetitively, he argues in such convincing fashion that I predict you will never again be satisfied with a translation of the Bible that is even mildly "dynamic." You will know that any such "translation" denies you much of what is rightly yours. It does that by first denying you what is rightly God's.Indeed, the core of the Ryken argument is that the dynamic-equivalence folks, thinking of and picturing themselves as those who democratically offer the Bible to the masses, in fact end up condescending to those very masses by decreeing what parts of God's Word they will get and what parts they won't. Repeatedly, by interpreting the original rather than translating it, they rob the reader of the right to wrestle with the words. The wrestling is over by the time the reader gets there.Also gone, very often, he says, are the beauty, the rhythm, the cadence, the mystery, the wonder, and the ambiguity of God's Word. In a well-meaning effort to reach "down to the people," those very people have been insulted and demeaned as the exalted and elegant expression of God Himself is often reduced, defoliated, and gutted to the point of trivial