I hope you don't mind if I use your statement to spark a new discussion, Jelly, but I saw a goldmine in what you wrote.Jelly wrote:From my experience, the language you use to read Scripture doesn't necessarily make a difference unless you're actually learning to read it in different light.
Because I'm a language student (I'm currently studying Spanish and French), I recently purchased a bilingual, Spanish Bible to read, and already I have found a wealth of new treasures. Many of the words have slightly different meanings which provide interesting variations on the mental images that I have always had. I'll give you a few examples to try to illustrate what I mean.One of my favorite chapters is Psalm 91; here's verse one in English:
Here it is in Spanish: "El que habita al abrigo del Altísimo se acoge a la sombra del Todopoderoso." (This is the Nueva Versión Internacional if anybody cares to know.
)Translated back to English: "He that lives in/inhabits the shelter ("abrigo" can also be translated as "coat, overcoat" which is a wonderful picture of God putting his coat around us) of the Highest takes refuge in ("se acoge" also means "has recourse to" in regard to a law) the shadow of the All-Powerful."
Verse 3:
In Spanish: "Sólo él puede librarte de las trampas del cazador y de mortíferas plagas..."
Back to English: "Only He can free you from the traps ("trampas" figuratively means "tricks") of the hunter and from deadly plagues..."
Here's 1 Peter 5: 6-7:
In Spanish: "Humíllense, pues, bajo la poderosa mano de Dios, para que él los exalte a su debido tiempo. Depositen en él toda ansiedad, porque él cuida de ustedes."
Back to English: "Humble yourselves, then, under the powerful hand of God, so that he will promote/raise/exalt you at His own time. Place in Him all anxiety, because He takes care of'/looks after you."
My point is, I think reading the Bible in a different language can make a difference even if you're not deliberately looking for that to happen, simply due to the nuances of language. Have any of you read the Bible in a foreign language? If so, did you find anything like I did?
