It's not just the New Testament that is misunderstood in translation either. The Old Testament is also mistranslated in parts. Thou shalt not kill for example in the ten commandments really reads 'Thou shalt not murder' which is completely different. To put it in context if someone comes at you with a knife and your only choice is to shoot them or be killed yourself that's ok but if you shoot someone who you encounter on the street and they weren't a threat to your own life that's murder. The first is allowable but the second isn't, but the translation into English leads one to think that it's never ok to kill the other person even if your own life is in danger. Of course the translators were using other editions of the Bible as a basis of their own work so it's not surprising that the distinction could be lost. In other works I imagine sometimes it's just a matter of not having exactly the right words to use in place of the original text's words as well.
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Originally Posted by Fbone
It has been said that the ancient languages are more advanced and developed than modern ones. We've retrogressed. More words isn't necessarily better.
I believe that's one reason why the Bible is easily misunderstood or not understood at all. Low quality translations and supplemental publications.
Ancient Greek has four different words for "love" all with distinct differences.
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