Sacred Texts

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Sacred Texts

• How do we get them?

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• Sacred Text do not come from nowhere.
• They are shaped by many factors.
• Who wrote the words?
• Why the words were written?
• When was the text written?
• How was it transmitted?
• Under what conditions?

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Methods of Adoption

• Textual Criticism
• Source Criticism
• Form Criticism
• Redaction Criticism
• Literary Criticism

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• Textual Criticism
• Answers questions like Where did this text come
  from? Why is this manuscript different from
  other manuscripts or copies?

http//www.skypoint.com/waltzmn/P13.GIF
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• Source Criticism
• Answers questions like Who wrote this first?
  Who drew the material from whom? Where is the
  material from? It is concerned with the source
  of the material in question.

http//contest2.thinkquest.jp/tqj2003/60079/spell/
aslalpha/q.jpg
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• Form Criticism
• Answers questions like How did we get the
  material? In what form was this material
  originally received? From what language was the
  material? It is concerned with the pre-literary
  aspect of the material.

http//www.nancybowen.net/pages/descriptions/drawi
ngs/humon.html
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• Redaction Criticism
• Answers questions like What was the purpose of
  the person writing the material? What was his or
  her background? What agenda did he or she have?
  Who are the writers or editors?

http//www.allposters.com/IMAGES/AGF/9561.jpg
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• Literary Criticism
• Answers questions like What can we learn from
  the text itself, standing alone and apart from
  other material? Internal evidence.

http//www.hostos.cuny.edu/library/HHCL_New_Web/HH
CL_new_Images/billy.gif
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Translation

• Is it a science or an art?

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Ideal Translation

• The Ideal Translation
• By definition, translation is the accurate
  rendering of a document into another language so
  that it is suitable for its intended purpose.
  Consequently, to be effective a translation must
  not only be complete and accurate, but must also
  reflect the correct use of grammar, appropriate
  writing style, and terminology consistent with
  the subject matter. In other words, the ideal
  translation should be
• accurate - reproducing as exactly as possible the
  meaning of the source text
• natural - using natural forms of the target
  language in a way that is appropriate to the kind
  of text being translated
• communicative - expressing all aspects of the
  meaning in a way that is readily understandable
  to the intended audience
• From http//www.completetranslation.com/principles
  .htm)

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Types of Translations

• Word-for-Word or Literal Translation
• Paraphrase or Idiomatic or Sense for Sense
• Dynamic Equivalent

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Word-for-Word or LiteralJohn 627

• King James Version
• Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for
  that meat which endureth unto everlasting life,
  which the Son of man shall give unto you for him
  hath God the Father sealed.
• New American Standard
• "Do not (A)work for the food which perishes, but
  for the food which endures to eternal life, which
  the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the
  Father, God, has set His seal.
• Youngs Literal Translation
• work not for the food that is perishing, but for
  the food that is remaining to life age-during,
  which the Son of Man will give to you, for him
  did the Father seal -- even God.'

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ParaphraseJohn 627

• New Living Translation
• But dont be so concerned about perishable
  things like food. Spend your energy seeking the
  eternal life that the Son of Mana can give you.
  For God the Father has given me the seal of his
  approval.
• The Message
• "Don't waste your energy striving for perishable
  food like that. Work for the food that sticks
  with you, food that nourishes your lasting life,
  food the Son of Man provides. He and what he does
  are guaranteed by God the Father to last.
• The New Century Version
• Don't work for the food that spoils. Work for
  the food that stays good always and gives eternal
  life. The Son of Man will give you this food,
  because on him God the Father has put his power."
  

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Dynamic EquivalentJohn 627

• New International Version
• Do not work for food that spoils, but for food
  that endures to eternal life, which the Son of
  Man will give you. On him God the Father has
  placed his seal of approval.
• Holman Christian Standard Bible
• Don't work for the food that perishes but for
  the food that lasts for eternal life, which the
  Son of Man will give you, because God the Father
  (D) has set His seal of approval on Him."

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Their own special cases

• Amplified
• Stop toiling and doing and producing for the
  food that perishes and decomposes in the using,
  but strive and work and produce rather for the
  lasting food which endures continually unto
  life eternal the Son of Man will give (furnish)
  you that, for God the Father has authorized and
  certified Him and put His seal of endorsement
  upon Him.
• Dr. Lyons (I am not always sure what I am doing
  version)
• Work not for food that perishes but for the food
  that lasts into eternal life which the son of man
  will give to you, him (has) God the Father
  sealed.