Originally posted by OdBod
I think you have missed the point,the Bible is held by many to be the truth, I was suggesting that every time the book was updated it might be subtly changed.This could have important ramifications for those who use it as the main source of their information.Your own post refers to"dumbing-down"which requires a change in the original text, let alone the change ...[text shortened]... ence to your post, yes I can understand the King James "Version", but whose words are they?
I have honestly not heard so much nonsense , not from you, but from those professing to be knowledgeable about what constitutes a good translation. The fact of the matter is, there are various types of translation, lexical translation, which is not really a translation at all, but seeks to make a word for word comparison, these are termed interlinears. Then there are what are termed a literal (formal equivalence) translation which seeks to translate the words as accurately as possible, although the danger is that you may lapse into hyper-literalsim. The goal of formal equivalence is to reveal as much of the original form as possible while making room for the idioms and constructs of language. Then there is what is termed a dynamic equivalence translation, which works with larger blocks of language and seeks to render the original text and make it easier to understand than the original rhetorical forms. Then there is what is termed a paraphrase, which like the dynamic equivalence seeks to utilise ideas rather than a strict observance of the original text.
The King James version itself is not really a translation, its a translation of a translation, but shhhhh, those who advocate it don't like you knowing that. The fact of the matter is modern translations are much better for we now have a much greater degree of extant manuscripts available to form a base text than they did in the middle ages. There are essentially two base text on which Bibles are translated, the Westcott and Hort and the Nestle- Aland.
As to your question of textual integrity, the Bible is in better shape that it ever was as new manuscripts come to light and can be cross examined and spurious texts identified.