Final Copy Missing Verses 071515 From PBS
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STATEMENT ON ‘MISSING VERSES’ IN BIBLE TRANSLATION Dear Friends of the Bible Society, The past few days, the social media has been flooded with a post warning every Bible user about how some Bible publishers abroad have deliberately omitted certain passages from the Bible. Although the trending post singled out English translations that were not published by the Philippine Bible Society (PBS), we, the PBS leadership, deem it a service to the Bible-reading communities and individuals in the Philippines to give our comments on the issue. First of all, PBS believes that the Bible is the written Word of God. Because the Bible is the Word of God, PBS is committed to translate and transmit faithfully the very same Bible that the biblical writers inscribed on their manuscripts. PBS exists to serve the Scripture requirements of the churches in the Philippines. This fidelity to the Word of God as transmitted from the time of the early Christians is guided by our deep love for God and His Word. However, since the original biblical manuscripts no longer exist, the safest way to ensure the transmission purity of the Bible is to carefully and critically study surviving biblical manuscripts. These biblical manuscripts now number to thousands. (In the New Testament alone there are 7,584 surviving manuscripts as of November 2013). In this regard, PBS relies heavily on the results of scholarly labor from individuals and institutions that have devoted their entire lives in making sure that the best textual bases for modern translations are founded on the most reliable manuscript attestation. (These specialist scholars are called textual critics and their field as textual criticism). Accordingly, when PBS undertakes translation projects, we use the latest editions of the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (for the Old Testament) and the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament (for the New Testament) as textual bases for our projects. These two critical editions have the broadest scholarly support to date. And it is important to point out that the bases for textual decisions are the Hebrew and Greek texts, not English translations.
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Final Copy Missing Verses 071515 From PBS
Transcript of Final Copy Missing Verses 071515 From PBS
STATEMENTONMISSINGVERSESINBIBLE TRANSLATION Dear Friends of the Bible Society, Thepastfewdays,thesocialmediahasbeenfloodedwithapostwarningevery BibleuserabouthowsomeBiblepublishersabroadhavedeliberatelyomitted certainpassagesfromtheBible.AlthoughthetrendingpostsingledoutEnglish translationsthatwerenotpublishedbythe Philippine Bible Society (PBS), we, the PBSleadership,deemitaservicetotheBible-readingcommunitiesand individualsin the Philippines to giveour comments on the issue. Firstofall,PBSbelievesthattheBibleisthewrittenWordofGod.Becausethe Bible is the Word of God, PBS is committed to translate and transmit faithfully the verysameBiblethatthebiblicalwritersinscribedontheirmanuscripts.PBS exists to serve the Scripture requirements of the churches in the Philippines. ThisfidelitytotheWordofGodastransmittedfromthetimeoftheearly ChristiansisguidedbyourdeeploveforGodandHisWord.However, since the originalbiblicalmanuscriptsnolongerexist,thesafestwaytoensurethe transmissionpurityoftheBibleistocarefullyandcriticallystudysurviving biblicalmanuscripts.Thesebiblicalmanuscriptsnownumbertothousands.(In theNewTestamentalonethereare7,584survivingmanuscriptsasofNovember 2013).Inthisregard,PBSreliesheavilyontheresultsofscholarlylaborfrom individualsandinstitutionsthathavedevotedtheirentirelivesinmakingsurethat thebesttextualbasesformoderntranslationsarefoundedonthemostreliable manuscriptattestation.(Thesespecialistscholarsarecalledtextualcriticsand their field as textual criticism). Accordingly,whenPBSundertakestranslationprojects,weusethelatesteditions of the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (for the Old Testament) and the United Bible SocietiesGreekNewTestament(fortheNew Testament) as textual bases for our projects.Thesetwocriticaleditionshavethebroadestscholarlysupporttodate.Anditisimportanttopoint out that the bases for textual decisionsare the Hebrew andGreek texts, not Englishtranslations. IthappensthatsomeversesoftheBiblearenotincludedinthemaintextofthe Bible,butareonlymentionedinthefootnote.Someofthesepassagesinclude Matt 17.21, 23.14, Mark 9.44, 9.46, Luke 17.36, 23.17, John 5.4 and Acts 8.37.In thesaidverses,thereisabroadconcurrenceamongtextualscholarstoreflectin themaintextthereadingssupportedbythemost reliable manuscripts, and to print thesedisputedpassagesatthemargins,oralsointhemaintextbutmarkedwith some symbols (for instance, a bracket [ ]) to indicate thatthe passageis disputed. Theinclusion or exclusion of a verse/s or portions of a verse in the main text are a majordecisionofthetranslationteam,guidedbythestandardpublishingpolicies andprinciplesoftheorganization,aswellasbythelonghistoryofBible publishingandproduction.Relegatingaversetoafootnoteisamajor considerationbecausetheBibleusersalwaysexpect a Bible with complete verses.Itisnecessary,therefore,toapplysoundprinciplesintextualcriticismtoassure Bible users that their Bibles are reliable. SuchcareandexpertiseisachievedinthemajorEnglishtranslationsthatinclude thesupposedlymissingversesinthefootnoteratherthaninthemaintext.PBS followsthesamepublishingconvention.However,itmustbeemphasized that the intentionofPBSinadoptingthispracticeisnottoaltertheWordofGodbutto ensurethatthecopyoftheBibleweoffertotheChurchreflect snothingbutthe best scholarshipthere is at the moment. TheMagandangBalitaBiblia(MBB),whichispublishedbythePhilippineBible Society,includesthesaidversesinthemaintextbuttheyareenclosedinsquare bracketsandarementionedinthefootnote.TheuseofbracketstellstheBible user thatthe verses are not foundin the ancient andmost reliable manuscripts. ItisourhopethatwewillcontinuetovaluetheBible,theWordofGod,forour dailyspiritualnourishment.Shouldyouhavefurtherquestionsorcomments, pleasedonothesitatetoinformus.Wepraythat the Bible will continue to make animpactinthelivesofourpeople,sothatthePhilippineswillremainunderthe guidinglight of God andHis Word.TheLord be praised! PhilippineBible Society Boardof Trustees andManagement
