Saints,
These online discussions are not for arguing back and forth and defending the rights of onesself to post what you want. We ask all believers who participate on the forums seek to be selfless, serve others, be teachable and grow together with other believers. The thread started with the desire to explore this new translation asking saints who have had prior time reading it particularly.
What is of current interest to me is that it is one of only a few translations (I am not sure which other one except the KJV) that is based off the Textus Recptus manuscript.
Here are some interesting FAQ's from their website:
Why was the MEV dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II?
The MEV was dedicated to Her Majesty Elizabeth II because it is an update of the Authorized Version, commonly known as the King James Version, which was dedicated to His Royal Highness James I.
What is the MEV?
The Modern English Version (MEV) is a modern literal translation of the Holy Bible, published by Passio.
What texts were used in the translation?
The Modern English Version is a translation of the Textus Receptus and the Jacob ben Hayyim edition of the Masoretic Text, using the King James Version as the base manuscript.
What is the purpose of the MEV?
The purpose of the MEV is to make a good translation better. Realizing the need to update the King James Version for the twenty-first century, forty-seven scholars serving as professors, or chaplains to the Armed Forces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and to the United States Armed Forces, comprising the Committee on Bible Translation under the leadership of the senior editorial advisor Dr. Stanley M. Horton and the chief editor Dr. James F. Linzey, have joined forces to produce a more updated edition of the King James Version called the Modern English Version, which is based on a modern English vernacular.
What is the philosophical foundation of the MEV?
The Committee on Bible Translation adhered to the principle of formal equivalence, the meaning of which is to be as literal as proper English syntax and grammar will allow.
How is the MEV more modern than the KJV and other KJV updates?
At times it is impossible to translate every word or thought from Greek into English with a proper syntax or a modern English vernacular. In such instances it is important to realize certain words may go untranslated. For example, the Semitism in Matthew 11:4 transliterated as, "kai apokritheis Ho Iesous eipen autois,” but translated in the King James Version as "Jesus answered and said unto them,” is not an effective rendition in the modern English vernacular due to the redundant speech, nor is it translated literally in the King James Version. So, to translate the Greek into the modern English vernacular, the phrase is translated as "Jesus answered them.” Even the original translators of the King James Version did not translate the Greek "kai,” usually translated as "and,” nor did they translate the term "Ho,” meaning "the,” nor did they translate "apokritheis” literally as "answering.” Their goal was to use proper English syntax in the modern English vernacular of their day.
How else does the MEV differ from the KJV or KJV updates?
Since by leaving certain terms untranslated in this update, it may appear that a Greek text other than the Textus Receptus was used. Such is not the case. A different English rendering is being used to retranslate the Textus Receptus while updating the King James Version manuscript.
When using the Textus Receptus as the base text for a contemporary English translation, the translators cannot use archaic, non-standard, purely literalistic English, nor fail to use what is known today about linguistics and ancient literary and cultural understandings in contemporary English translations.
What are some of the commonalities the MEV shares with the KJV?
The KJV and the MEV used current research about linguistics and ancient literary and cultural understandings in contemporary English translations. Both used the Textus Receptus and the Jacob ben Hayyim edition of the Masoretic Text and are based on the formal equivalence philosophy.
What is the target audience of the MEV?
The Modern English Version is a translator’s Bible for missions work and to provide the Word of God to all English-speaking people throughout the world.
When did work begin and end on the MEV?
The translators began their work on June 2, 2005; they completed the New Testament on October 25, 2011, and the Old Testament on May 28, 2014.
What is the ecclesiastical background of the Committee on Bible Translation?
The Committee on Bible Translation, an ecumenical council of forty-seven American and English translators, being in great Christian unity and cooperation, who have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ and who have formed an ecumenical translation committee, represent churches such as the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Charismatic Episcopal Church, Central Church of the Nazarene, Church of Christ, Church of England, Church of God, Elim Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Free Methodist Church of North America, General Council of the Assemblies of God, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Methodist Church of Great Britain, Methodist Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church of America, Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, Southern Baptist Convention, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, and the United Reformed Church. The translators represent a cross section of the English-speaking Church.
What is the academic background of the Committee on Bible Translation?
As professors or graduates of some of the world’s leading colleges, seminaries, and universities, they represent institutions such as the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, the College of William and Mary, Evangel University, Fuller Theological Seminary, Geneva College, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Harvard University, Hebrew Union College, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Oklahoma Baptist University, Oral Roberts University, the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, Pentecostal Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Saint Leo University, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame, Vanguard University of Southern California, Westminster Seminary California, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Yale University.
What was the goal of the forty-seven translators?
The translators were devoted to making a good translation better and ensuring that the Modern English Version is an accurate and responsible update of the King James Version.
What role does the MEV have in missions?
The work of translating Scripture has always been an important part of Christian missions. Due to the work of missionary Bible translators, the complete Bible is available in over four hundred languages today. Missionaries normally have not used ancient Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic texts in translation work. Instead, they usually have relied on the King James Version. In like manner, the Modern English Version is useful to continue translation work on the mission field.
What is a good verse to compare?
Compare the original Tyndale Translation with the updates of the following passage:
For when the worlde thorow wysdome knew not God in ye wysdome of God: it pleased God thorow folisshnes of preachinge to save them yt beleve (1Co 1:21, Tyndale Translation, 1534).
For after that, in the wisedom of God, the world by wisedome knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching, to saue them that beleeue (1Co 1:21, KJV, 1611).
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (1Co 1:21, KJV, 1769).
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe (1Co 1:21, NKJV, 1982).
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe (1Co 1:21, MEV, 2014).
