Versi Alkitab Terbaik

Saya menggunakan Alkitab Bahasa Indonesia versi Terjemahan Baru selama saya ingat.  Mungkin karena terjemahan dari Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia itu yang tersedia cukup banyak dan cukup mudah ditemukan.

Versi Alkitab yang saya punya kemudian adalah KJV (King James Version) dan NIV (New International Version).

Alkitab versi-versi ini sangat membantu saya dalam memahami sisi lain dari penerjemahan.

Mengapa banyak versi?

Bahasa asli Alkitab  Ibrani , Aram dan Yunani.  Bahasa tersebut masih digunakan sampai sekarang, walaupun seperti bahasa Aram yang hanya segelintir saja yang memakainya. (Bunyi bahasa Aram seperti apa, tontonlah The Passion of Christ).

Bahasa yang tidak begitu dipahami oleh banyak orang membuat Alkitab tidak tersedia untuk banyak orang.  Padahal kerinduan orang untuk membaca Alkitab sangat tinggi.  Mulailah proyek menerjemahkan Alkitab ke bahasa penggunanya.

Saya menemukan beberapa masalah dalam menerjemahkan teks bahasa Inggris ke bahasa Indonesia untuk beberapa proyek pribadi saya.  Kalau dikategorikan, masalah penerjemahan bisa dikelompokkan menjadi tiga :

1. Terjemahan literal (kata ke kata)
2. Terjemahan konteks (makna kalimat ke makna kalimat)
3. Terjemahan bebas (kalimat A menjadi kalimat B)

Demikian juga masalah yang ditemukan dalam menerjemahkan Alkitab.

Kata ke Kata

Versi Alkitab yang cukup terkenal untuk jenis terjemahan ini adalah King James Version (KJV) dan versi modern-nya New King James Version (NKJV).

Bagi saya, KJV sangat sulit dimengerti karena menggunakan Bahasa Inggris yang cukup lama.  Ini juga dialami bahkan oleh penutur asli Bahasa Inggris modern.  Itu sebabnya New King James Version lahir.  Mereka mengganti kata jadul dengan kata modern.

Para pakar Alkitab membandingkan KJV dengan kumpulan teks asli dan menemukan bahwa KJV 98,33% murni (Norman Geisler and William Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible, 1974, p. 263)

Makna ke Makna

Jenis versi ini lahir karena banyak orang sulit mengerti makna dari kata-kata jaman dahulu.  Bayangkan jarak kita dari teks asli.  Perbedaannya sekitar 2000 tahun.  

Jangankan yang berbeda 2000 tahun.  Saya saja melihat Bahasa Indonesia berkembang dengan luar biasa.  Kata Hebring mungkin sudah tidak dimengerti oleh anak-anak pada tahun 2015 ini.  Atau untuk mengambil contoh di Alkitab, kata Pemburit. Saya tidak mengerti sama sekali arti kata itu.  Bahkan baru dengar pertama kali ketika membaca di Alkitab.

Para ahli Alkitab akhirnya menggunakan pendekatan Alkitab melalui penerjemahan makna.  Makna yang paling dekat dengan arti kata aslinya.

NIV masuk kategori ini.

Terjemahan Bebas

Versi ini yang benar-benar versi paling bebas.  Terjemahan yang digunakan adalah untuk menjelaskan maksud dengan kalimat sebebasnya.  Karena bebas, maka akan banyak ditemukan kalimat yang sebenarnya tidak ada di dalam teks asli.  

Apakah versi ini menjadi versi ngawur?  Tentu saja tidak.  

Saya akan menggunakan perbandingan ini.

Kata ke kata : Dia marah

Terjemahan Bebas : Dia memerah dan mengepulkan asap dari kepalanya.

Salah satu versi yang termasuk kategori ini adalah The Message.

Pilih yang mana?

Jadi kita harus menggunakan versi yang mana?  Saya masih menggunakan versi Terjemahan Baru, NKJV, NIV, dan The Message.

Mengapa sebanyak itu? Karena saya senang memperkaya sudut pandang saya terhadap Alkitab.

Tetapi untuk rujukan saja :

Kata ke Kata - sangat bagus untuk mengerti doktrin 

Makna ke Makna - sangat bagus untuk pengertian konteks

Terjemahan Bebas - sangat bagus untuk memahami cerita keseluruhan

Versi mana yang Anda gunakan?  Bagikan di komentar bawah

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Berikut ini beberapa perbedaan dari versi-versi Alkitab :

(saya ambil dari http://www.apbrown2.net/web/TranslationComparisonChart.htm) 

Translation Comparison Chart from Zondervan

(with their spin, slightly modified)

Version	Reading Level	Readability	Number of Translators	Translation Philosophy	Example Verse
NASB [apb1]New American Standard Bible (1995)	11.00	Formal style in modern English but more readable than the King James Version.	54	Word-for-word	But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB)
AMP [apb2]Amplified	NA	Expanded and "amplified" by means of a system of brackets and parentheses, which sometimes make for fragmented reading	Frances E. Siewert, plus 12 others	Word-for-word plus additional amplification of word meanings.	We, on the other hand, will not boast beyond our legitimate province and proper limit, but will keep within the limits [of our commission which] God has allotted us as our measuring line and which reaches and includes even you.2 Corinthians 10:13 (AMP)
ESV [apb3]English Standard Version	8.0	Literal style, but more readable than the King James Version	100	Word-for-word	But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
KJV [apb4]King James Version	12.00	Difficult to read due to 17th-century English vocabulary and word order	54	Word-for-word	But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV)
NKJV [apb5]New King James Version	9.0	Easier word usage, but somewhat choppy because it maintains 17th century sentence structure	119	Authors used the original KJV as a benchmark, while working to produce an accurate and modern word-for-word translation	We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us--a sphere which especially includes you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
HCSB [apb6]Holman Christian Standard Bible	N/A	A highly readable, accurate translation written in modern English	90	Balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought	We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned to us, which reaches even you.2 Corinthians 10:13 (HCSB)
NRSV [apb7]New Revised Standard Version	10.40	Contemporary, dignified with generic language in reference to humans	30	Attempts a balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought	We, however, will not boast beyond limits, but will keep within the field that God has assigned to us, to reach out even as far as you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (NRSV)
NAB [apb8]New American Bible (Roman Catholic)	6.60	A clear and straightforward translation that reads smoothly. Written in basic American English.	55	Word-for-word	But we will not boast beyond measure but will keep to the limits God has apportioned us, namely, to reach even you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (NAB)
NJB [apb9]New Jerusalem Bible (Roman Catholic)	7.4	A highly readable, accurate translation written in modern English	36	Balance between word translation and meaning	By contrast we do not intend to boast beyond measure, but will measure ourselves by the standard which God laid down for us, namely that of having come all the way to you.2 Corinthians 10:13 (NJB)
NIV[apb10] New International Version	7.80	an accurate and smooth-reading version in modern English	115	Attempts to balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought	We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you.2 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
TNIV [apb11]Today's New International Version	N/A	same as NIV	115	Balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought. Deliberate attempt to be gender neutral	We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (TNIV)
NLT [apb12]New Living Translation	6.3	A readable translation; uses vocabulary and language structures commonly used by the average person	90	Translators were involved in bringing the classic Living Bible from its status as a paraphrase to a thought-for-thought translation of Scripture.	But we will not boast of authority we do not have. Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God's plan for us, and this plan includes our working there with you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)
CEV [apb13]Contemporary English Version	5.40	Clear, simple English that a child can understand, but with a mature style that adults can appreciate	100	Thought-for-thought	We don't brag about something we don't have a right to brag about. We will only brag about the work that God has sent us to do, and you are part of that work. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (CEV)
NIrV[apb14] New International Reader's Version	2.90	easy to read and understand; uses simple, short words and sentence	11	Balance between word translation and meaning, with an emphasis on meaning where necessary for simplification	But I won't brag more than I should. Instead, I will brag only about what I have done in the area God has given me. It is an area that reaches all the way to you.  2 Corinthians 10:13 (NIrV)
GNT [apb15]Good News Translation, formerly Today's English Version (TEV) and Good News Bible (GNB)	6.0	Very simple, readable version without jargon. Uses a limited vocabulary.	R. Bratcher (NT); Bratcher plus six others (OT)	Thought-for-thought	As for us, however, our boasting will not go beyond certain limits; it will stay within the limits of the work which God has set for us, and this includes our work among you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (GNT)
The Message[apb16]	4.8	An easy-to-read, modern-language paraphrase	Eugene H. Peterson	Thought-for-thought. Converts the original languages into the tone and the rhythms of modern-day American speech while retaining the idioms and meaning of the original languages.	We're not, understand, putting ourselves in a league with those who boast that they're our superiors. We wouldn't dare do that. But in all this comparing and grading and competing, the quite miss the point. We aren't making outrageous claims here. We're sticking to the limits of what God has set for us. But there can be no question that those limits reach to and include you. 2 Corinthians 10:13 (The Message)

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 [apb1]A highly respected formal translation of the Bible. Purpose of the work was to update the American Standard Version into more current English. Published in 1971. Updated in 1995. The most literal is now more readable.

 [apb2]A popular translation used to understand the hidden meaning of Greek and Hebrew words. Published in 1964 (updated in 1987). Break through the language barrier.

 [apb3]A literal update of the Revised Standard Version, seeks to produce word-for-word correspondence. Published in 2001.

 [apb4]Traditionally loved and accepted by all Christians. Purpose in translation was "to deliver God's book unto God's people in a tongue which they can understand." Published in 1611. Timeless treasure.

 [apb5]A modern language update of the original KJV. Purpose was to update and modernize the original KJV but preserve the KJV as much as possible. Published in 1982.

 [apb6]A new translation that attempts to combine both formal and dynamic equivalence. Published in 2004.

 [apb7]A widely accepted translation in the tradition of the King James Version. Purpose was to "make a good one better." Published in 1990.

 [apb8]Published under the direction of Pope Pius XII, this Catholic version of the Bible represents more than 25 years of effort by the Catholic Biblical Association of America. All editions include the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books. Published in 1970.

 [apb9]An updated version of the 1966 Jerusalem Bible. The New Jerusalem Bible is the official English language text used in Catholic liturgy outside the United States.

 [apb10]A best-selling translation, widely accepted by evangelical Christians. Purpose in translation was to "produce an accurate translation, suitable for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing, and liturgical use." Published in 1978.

 [apb11]Based on the NIV, the most read and most trusted translation. Combines uncompromising accuracy with the clarity of contemporary language. New Testament published in 2001; Old Testament published in 2005. The classic translation in today's language.

 [apb12]The New Living Translation is a dynamic equivalence translation based on the work of 90 Bible scholars and a smaller team of English stylists. These scholars and stylists went back to the original languages and sought to produce the closest natural equivalent of the message in natural, contemporary English. Published in 1996.

 [apb13]Written at an elementary-school reading level, the CEV is readable and understandable for the modern reader. Published in 1995.

 [apb14]A thorough, scholarly simplification of the NIV, the NIrV was specifically designed to help young children and new readers understand the Bible for themselves and create an easy stepping-stone from a children's Bible to an adult Bible. Published in 1994. Updated in 1998

 [apb15]"A translation intended for people everywhere for whom English is either their mother tongue or an acquired language." Published in 1976. The Good Book that reads like a good book.

 [apb16]This paraphrase was translated using the rhythms and tone of contemporary English to communicate to the modern reader. New Testament published in 1993, Old Testament in 2002.