Review of One Bible, Many Versions: Are All Translations Created Equal? By Dave Brunn

Dave Brunn states that the church is divided over which standard is right in Bible translations. Should the translation be “Word for Word” or “Thought for Thought”? For example, a literal, word for word translation of 2 Timothy 2:5 is “is not crowned” in the NKJV and ESV. A thought for thought translation is “does not win the prize” in the NASB which is considered a literal translation. Brunn provides a chart with 93 examples where the NASB gives a “thought for thought” translation and the NKJV, ESV, NIV, and HCSB give a “word for word” translation. This is surprising because the NASB has been called the “Most Literal.”

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