Mike,

Thanks for your reply. I have two more questions: How did you know that the ESV’s translation of Psa 119:160 is the most accurate? 2) What Bible translation would you recommend?

L____

Hi L____,

You ask two questions:

I have two more questions: 1) How did you know that the ESV’s translation of Psa 119:160 is the most accurate? 2) What Bible translation would you recommend?

In answer to your first question, I do not consider ESV to be “the most accurate”. ESV is justt one of many translations that realizes that the Hebrew word ‘rosh‘ is better translated ‘sum’ in this particular verse. This translation accords with Peter telling us that no prophecy of the scriptures is of its own interpretation:

2Pe 1:20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture at all is becoming its own explanation.

The word ‘rosh‘ is the word translated as ‘sum’ in all of these verses:

Exo 21:30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.

Exo 30:12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

Exo 38:21 This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.

Num 1:2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;

Num 1:49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:

Most all of the literal versions get this right, including the LITV, CLV, YLT, and Rotherham’s Emphsized Bible, all say “the sum of thy Word”. Many of the non literal translations also say “the sum of thy Word”, including the NRS, ISV, ASV, MSG, the ERR and Darby’s all translate this verse as saying “the sum of thy word is truth”.

So I did not pick the ESV because it “is the most accurate”. I could have picked any of many others that realize that what the holy spirit is telling us is that Truth is only found “line upon line, and precept upon precept” throughout the word of God.

Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Be sure to read Rightly Dividing The Word of God for a much deeper understanding of how the writers of the New Testament used the scriptures in the Old Testament, setting us an example for how we should also handle the Word of God.

Your second question was “What Bible translation would you recommend?”

The answer to that question is that I do not have a favorite translation. I quote the King James Version most simply because that is what I was reared reading and hearing. I think in King James English when it comes to remembering the scriptures. But I certainly do not trust the King James Version to be accurate, and neither do I trust any version of the scriptures to be accurate. I am constantly amazed every day at what I discover in the Word of God, by using my e-sword software with the Strong’s numbers beside each word. The e-sword module is called KJV+, and it stands for King James Version plus Strong’s numbers.

That is what I recommend. When I click on that Strong’s number, I get the Strong’s definition of that word in the dictionary box below the ‘Bibles’ box. Then I go from the KJV+ to the KJC module which is in the dictionaries box just below the Bibles. KJC stands for King James Concordance, and that module gives me everywhere that Hebrew or Greek word appears in scripture.

It is by reading the various entries that appear in that KJC module with any particular Hebrew or Greek word in it that I am made aware of how the holy spirit itself used that word. In that way I am not trusting Mr. Strong or any particular translation to tell me what was meant by that Hebrew or Greek word. It is made clear “in the mouth of two or three witnesses” in scripture. It is made clear with “a multitude of counselors” in scripture, and not by any particular denominational translator who thinks nothing of twisting the Word of God to make it conform to the doctrine of a particular denomination.

In Hebrews 13:17, for example, King James Himself twisted the Greek word ‘peitho‘, G3982, meaning ‘persuade’, into the English word ‘obey’, just to make the scriptures agree with his doctrine of “the divine right of kings”, which has no place in the doctrine of Christ which teaches us all this:

Mat 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

The apostle Paul gives us a second witness to this teaching of our Lord:

2Co 1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

So we submit to no man unless that man is speaking the words of Christ, who said that none of His ministers are to lord it over His flock:

1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

To demonstrate how I determine what the Word of God actually teaches on any subject I will use the King James Version of Heb 13:17 as an example:

Heb 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Now here is the KJV+ of that verse with the Strong’s numbers by each English word:

Heb 13:17 ObeyG3982 them that have the rule overG2233 you,G5216 andG2532 submitG5226 yourselves: forG1063 theyG846 watchG69 forG5228 yourG5216 souls,G5590 asG5613 they that must giveG591 account,G3056 thatG2443 they may doG4160 itG5124 withG3326 joy,G5479 andG2532 notG3361 with grief:G4727 forG1063 thatG5124 is unprofitableG255 for you.G521

The ‘G’ before each word, tells us we are dealing with a Greek word instead of a Hebrew word which would instead have an ‘H’ before each word.

Here now is the KJC, the King James Concordance, which gives us every entry for this particular Greek word, and all of the various English translations for this Greek word ‘peithos‘:

G3982
πείθω
peithō
Total KJV Occurrences: 58
persuaded, 16
Mat_27:20, Luk_16:31, Luk_20:6, Act_13:43, Act_14:19, Act_18:4, Act_19:26, Act_21:14, Act_26:26, Rom_8:38, Rom_15:14 (2), 2Ti_1:5, 2Ti_1:12, Heb_6:9, Heb_11:13
trust, 7
Mar_10:24, 2Co_1:9, 2Co_10:7, Phi_2:24, Phi_3:4, Heb_2:13, Heb_13:18
confidence, 6
2Co_2:3, Gal_5:10, Phi_1:25, Phi_3:3, 2Th_3:4, Phm_1:21
obey, 5
Rom_2:8, Gal_3:1, Gal_5:7, Heb_13:17, Jam_3:3
believed, 3
Act_17:3-4 (2), Act_27:11, Act_28:24
confident, 3
Rom_2:19, Phi_1:6, Phi_1:14
persuade, 3
Mat_28:14 (2), 2Co_5:11, Gal_1:10
trusted, 3
Mat_27:43, Luk_11:22, Luk_18:9
obeyed, 2
Act_5:36-37 (2)
persuading, 2
Act_19:8, Act_28:23
agreed, 1
Act_5:40
assure, 1
1Jo_3:19
friend, 1
Act_12:19-20 (2)
made, 1
Act_12:20 (2)
persuadest, 1
Act_26:28
put, 1
Heb_2:13
waxing, 1
Phi_1:13-14 (2)
yield, 1
Act_23:21

Notice that the most common way of translating this Greek word ‘piethos‘ in the King James Bible, is with the English word ‘persuaded’. It is translated ‘persuaded’ or a form of it 22 of the 58 times it appears in the New Testament.

It is mistranslated as ‘obey’ or ‘obeyed’ only 7 times. Now which is most in line with Christ’s, Paul’s and Peter’s doctrine of not lording it over the Lord’s heritage? Is it King James and his doctrine of “the divine right of Kings” or is Hebrews 13:17 not much better translated…

Heb 13:17 Be persuaded by your leaders, and be deferring to them, for they are vigilant for the sake of your souls, as having to render an account, that they may be doing this with joy, and not with groaning, for this is disadvantageous for you. (CLV)

The fact that I have quoted the CLV here does not mean that I think the CLV is the most accurate translation. I certainly do not think any such thing of a version that translates the Greek word ‘ergon‘ as “ideal acts” when it is used by the apostle Paul, and as “works” when it is used by the apostle James. Again, that is done to prop up their false two-administrations doctrine at the expense of the Truth.

I want to encourage you to be sure to read How To Rightly Divide The Word, at this link:
Rightly Dividing the Word

I hope I have answered your questions, and I sure hope this will inspire you to download e-sword and the KJV+ and the KJC and begin to explore the Word of God for yourself.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike