"Why not publish your own Bible?"
Letter to the Editor:
PASUGO, March 1996, p.2
YOUR PREACHERS USE different translations of the Bible in delivering a sermon. I was thinking that you do this to suit your own set of reasoning. But upon speaking to a member of your Church I was informed that it is necessary to use different translations of the Bible for there are Bible translations that contain mistranslated verses. If this is true, Why don’t you publish your own Bible and put all the correct translation of the verses in it? And given the premise that there are translations that contain errors, how are we to know which one is right?
Carlos Reyes
Dagupan City, Philippines
Editor’s Reply:
Your suggestion that the Iglesia ni Cristo publish her own Bible with all the correct translations of mistranslated verses is both well-meaning and appealing. It would be truly convenient and handy to have just one Bible with all the verses that we cite or quote from different translations gathered in one compendium.
By publishing her own Bible, the Iglesia ni Cristo will in effect have a “sanitized” version of the Scriptures — tailor made for her teachings. This is the very thing that the Iglesia ni Cristo avoids, that is, to be accused of manipulating the Scriptures to suit her doctrines.
How, then, are we to know which particular translation of the Bible to use, for example in delivering a sermon? Apostle Paul states the guiding principle to the doctrines of the Bible, thus:
“This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” (I Cor.2:13, New International version)
Therefore, there must be no contradiction between the different version of the Bible because spiritual things are compared to spiritual truths. But one may ask, “Who is in a position to compare spiritual things to spiritual truths?” Are all preachers that we see and hear nowadays are qualified to compare spiritual things with spiritual truths, more so preach the gospel? Apostle Paul answers us, thus:
“And how shall they preach unless they are sent?…” (Rom. 10:15, New King James Version)
A preacher of the Gospel, therefore, must be sent by God. Why must he be sent by God? Apostle John states thus:
“The one whom God has send speaks God’s words, because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit. (John 3:34, Today’s English Version)
Moreover, the messenger sent by God is entrusted with the ministry and message of reconciliation (cf. II Cor. 5:18-20)
Therefore, even if there are translations of the Bible that contain mistranslated verses, the commissioned preachers of God can identify them because they have been given God’s spirit for them to understand His will written in the Bible (cf. I Cor. 2:12).
Note: Some words and phrases are in bold & italics for emphasis.
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“Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].”
(Eph. 4:29, Amplified Bible)
“Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.”
(1 Corinthians 13:4-5, Amplified Bible)