Versions of the Bible

If Mark 16:9-20 was not in the original Mark, might the other post-resurrection accounts also be added later to the other gospels?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Reliability of the Bible, Resurrection of Jesus, Versions of the Bible .

Question: I have recently been looking through my Bible and have noticed that the gospel of Mark stops at 16:8 with the quote (Early manuscripts end at 16:8) I have researched this and indeed the earliest manuscripts we know of stop at 16:8 . The only problem I have with this is that I know […]

When was the Bible first translated into English from the original languages?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Versions of the Bible .

Question: I’m aware that the KJV was written around 1611 but I am curious as to when the Bible was first translated from ancient Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic into English? Belinda: The Old and New Testaments were first translated into English (actually Middle English) by the priest/scholar Wyclyffe in the 1380s. However, this translation was from […]

How can we be sure how accurate Bible translations are? How did the church choose the canon? How can it be written by men and God?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Reliability of the Bible, Versions of the Bible .

How do I defend a Bible translation as accurate in comparison to the New World Transation from the Jehovah's Witnesses?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Other Religions, Versions of the Bible .

Question: How would I go about defending the Bible translation as accurate in comparison to the New World Translation that the Jehovah Witnesses use? Answer: First of all, I do not want to discourage you, but I am afraid that the majority of Jehovah’s Witness believers are so well trained to not think or ask […]

What is the best kind of Bible? Which versions are bad ones?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Versions of the Bible .

Question: 1.Can you tell me the name of the twelve tribes of the Israel? 2.What kind of Bible do you use? why? The Bible has a lot of types; which one is the best one? and which ones are very bad? Answer: For the twelve tribes of Israel, just go to Genesis 35:23-26. I use a number of versions of the Bible. I believe […]

My religion professor said Jesus used the word Synagogue rather than church in Matthew 16:18. Is this true? If so what is the significance?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Versions of the Bible .

Question: I have been discussing original texts with my History and Development of Early Christian Thought Professor. He made the point that the original word that Jesus used was synagogue instead of church. For example, "On this rock I will build my synagogue" versus "On this rock I will build my church". What Understanding do […]

Is there any evidence which proves the Book of Enoch is not biblical?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Versions of the Bible .

Question: Has there been any scientific analysis on the Book of Enoch that will prove it is unbiblical? Answer: I am not an expert on the book of Enoch. I doubt science will have anything to offer on the book of Enoch. Science generally has little if anything to offer in analyzing literature. However, scholars […]

Is there any evidence which proves the Book of Enoch is not biblical?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Versions of the Bible .

Question: Has there been any scientific analysis on the Book of Enoch that will prove it is unbiblical? Answer: I am not an expert on the book of Enoch. I doubt science will have anything to offer on the book of Enoch. Science generally has little if anything to offer in analyzing literature. However, scholars […]

What text type or types do the most early church fathers use? If the Byz. type goes no further than the 4th cent. why then do kjv. only people say that church fathers from the 2nd cent used this type?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Versions of the Bible .

Question: What text type or types do the most early church fathers use? If the Byz. type goes no further than the 4th cent. why then do kjv. only people say that church fathers from the 2nd cent usedthis type? My second question is what are the text types for the earliest versions of the […]

How can you disprove Mormonism? Why are there so many different versions of the Bible?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Other Religions, Versions of the Bible .

How can you disprove Mormonism? I am currently a Mormon now. Also, why are there so many diffrent versions of the Bible? I have produced a fair amount of material on Mormonism at the web site. One can consider the validity of this religion from two main perspectives. First of all, are the teachings of […]

What are the different types of Bible translations? Where does "The Message Bible" fit in?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Versions of the Bible .

What are the types of English translations (literal, interpretation, literal+interpretion): Holman (HCSB), King James, Contemporary (CEV), Good News (GNB), God’s Word (GW), The Message (MSG)? We see the MSG translation as interpretation and the KJV as a literal translation. Is that correct? (I am Romanian and my wife is Hungarian) About Bible versions, it is […]

Is the Jerusalem Bible inaccurate about Daniel, Darius, Belshazzar, James and Peter?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Versions of the Bible .

I was reading the introduction of the Jerusalem?s Bible (Biblia de Jerusalem), which is translated and commented by Catholics. I don?t know if this translation exists in English. For me is the best translation for Portuguese. The problem is about the authorship and the dates of some books. The comments say that Daniel was written […]

What does the King James Bible say about the curse on Noah's grandson Canaan?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Versions of the Bible .

What does the King James Bible say about the curse Noah put on his grandson Canaan? and Where in the King James Bible did Noah tell Canaan that his off springs would be dark? First, it is probably better to ask where in the Bible such things are found or not found. The King James […]

What is the difference between the KJV and the NIV?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Versions of the Bible .

What is the difference between the KJV and the NIV? The simple answer is that people make a big deal about the difference between the NIV (New International Version) and the KJV (King James Version) because they are stuck in a tradition. Some people have become so tied into the particular wording used in the […]

Can you explain the differences in Bible translations?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Versions of the Bible .

What are the types of English translations (literal, interpretation, literal+interpretion): Holman (HCSB), King James, Contemporary (CEV), Good News (GNB), God’s Word (GW), The Message (MSG)? We see the MSG translation as interpretation and the KJV as a literal translation. Is that correct? (I am Romanian and my wife is Hungarian) About Bible versions, it is […]

Why do most Bibles not include the apocrypha?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Versions of the Bible .

If one can assume that this question is about the additions to the Old Testament which are included in the Roman Catholic Bible, then the bottom line answer is simple. The canon of the Old Testament was set by the teachers of Judaism. The Old Testament Apocrypha was never accepted by any of the Jewish […]