Examples of Changes in Translation

51 “delivered up” has no definite meaning for the English reader. In Luke 8 : 45, 46 the E. V. has introduced no less than nineteen changes into 34 words; and in 2 Peter 1 : 5-7 thirty changes have been made in a passage containing only swords. These are extreme examples of the extraordinary propensity of the Revisers for making uncalled for changes. Concerning the former of these two passages Dean Burgon writes : “I challenge any competent scholar in Great Britain to say whether every one of these changes be not absolutely useless, or else decidedly a change for the worse; six of them being downright errors.” His comment on the other passage is : “To ourselves it appears that every one of these changes is a change for the worse, and that one of the most exquisite passages in the N. T. has been hopelessly spoiled — rendered in fact well-nigh un intelligible — by the pedantic officiousness of the Revisers.”

Paul Before King Agrippa

In Acts 26 : 24 the words of Festus to Paul, “much learning hath made thee mad,” are changed in the R. V. to “thy much learning doth turn thee to madness.” Concerning this novel and uncouth expression Sir E. Beckett says :

“We have heard of men being naturally inclined to madness, or being driven to madness by despair, and of being turned mad; and of wisdom being turned to madness ; but never before have we heard of a man being turned to madness. It is idle to say the Greek required it; for the literal sense would be nonsense ; and they have not given even the literal sense. What they have given us is a translation neither literal, nor sensible, nor idiomatic, nor harmonious, nor anything but an absurd and cacophonous piece of pedantry for nothing.”

Concerning 2 Timothy 3 : 16

Of all the changes introduced into the Text of the R. V., that which has raised the greatest storm of protest is the alteration of the words, ‘’All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable,” so as to make the passage read, “Every Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable.” This apparently slight change gives a very different turn to the sense of the verse; for it suggests that there are Scriptures “ which are not given by inspiration of God. Inasmuch as it has been often pointed out by competent scholars that there is no warrant whatever for this alteration, we do not dwell upon it.

The Testimony of the Version of 1911

As to the merits (or demerits) of the myriads of changes of translation