Why are most bibles writting in olde-speak?

[NeilC]

Why are most modern bibles still written in olde-english?

Eg. "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God"

Why would modern people want to read that rather than: "Whoever doesn't abide by Christ's doctrine does not have a God"?

The language used in the book and in churches, wedding etc is no the original aramaic, it's not herbrew and it's not English as we use it today. So what use is it to anyone? It clearly doesn't impart additional meaning.

Anyone?

[CFLarsen]

Are you kiddingth? Becauseth soundeht groovyeth!

Why "kick somebody in the nuts", when you can "smite" them?

Why do you think Shakespeare is so popular? Because he wrote good plays? Nah. Because he wroteth liketh thiseht!

Behold, compare:

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady, O, it is my love!

to this:

Yo, Julie, ho! Dig da moon? Howsa bouta quickie?

Which do you think is going to get you laid?

[geni]

Can you provide evidence for your claim?

[wollery]

Originally posted by CFLarsen
Are you kiddingth? Becauseth soundeht groovyeth!

Why "kick somebody in the nuts", when you can "smite" them?

Why do you think Shakespeare is so popular? Because he wrote good plays? Nah. Because he wroteth liketh thiseht! If it's just the language that makes old Will's plays so good then how come Troilus and Cressida, or Timon of Athens are such piles of crap? Same language, written at the same time and generally credited to the same author as Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, etc.

[NeilC]

I think he's write though. I think, in the minds of many people, it adds a sense of history and therefore gravity to the words.

It's a bit like weddings - we are stuck in Edwardian England as far as wedding clothing is concerned. I've always thought that odd too.

[Ian Osborne]

The olde worlde writing you describe is usually quoted from the King James Bible, AKA Authorised Version, of 1611. Modern translations such as the Good News Bible or New International Version are much more up to date in their language.

[hgc]

Your holy scripture is writ down just how Jesus spoke it. Modern language bibles is apostate.

[wollery]

Originally posted by hgc
Your holy scripture is writ down just how Jesus spoke it. Modern language bibles is apostate. KJV is not how Jesus spoke. He would have spoken Aramaic.

[hgc]

Originally posted by wollery
KJV is not how Jesus spoke. He would have spoken Aramaic. The sweet baby Jesus weren't raised on no arab talk. He spoke English same as Adam and Eve.

[sackett]

Hey, you keep you hands offa da Bible!

Specifically, I mean the King James Version. It’s one of the great works of world literature, all the more remarkable for not one word of it being original; it’s not even the first Bible in English, come to that. You say its language is archaic? Damn right it is! If you must perpetuate these Bronze Age bedtime stories, then DO IT IN A HIGH AND NOBLE SPEECH, GODDAMMIT!

Don’t underestimate the degree of literary polish displayed in the KJV, either. Those grave scholars pretended that accuracy was their only concern, but they by God knew a good sentence from a bad one, and they weren’t about to spoil their work with poor cadences. Hast thou given the horse his strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as the grasshopper? He paweth in the valley and rejoiceth in his strength; he goeth on to meet the armed men. He sayeth among the trumpets Ha ha! And he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains and the shouting. Neither turneth he back from the sword’s point, the glittering spear and the arrow.

Whoosh. Somebody pop me a cold one. That Job feller, he gets the sperrit a-moving.

[Moon-Spinner]

I believe the previous posters who made comments about Jesus speaking Ye Olde English were being sarcastic, but I have actually talked to some people who believe that Jesus really did talk this way (have I mentioned how much my eyes hurt from rolling them so often?). I wonder what kind of credentials their Bible Study teacher has?!

Excuse me, I mean: "I wondereth what kindeth of crendentialeths thou Bible Study teacher haseth?!"

[sackett]

I wonder much how this man the multitude do call rabbi, rabbi can speak thus. He knoweth not the law, yay, not the littlest letter thereof, and his tongue is like unto a dry banner in the wind.

[c4ts]

Originally posted by Splossy
Why are most modern bibles still written in olde-english?

Eg. "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God"

Why would modern people want to read that rather than: "Whoever doesn't abide by Christ's doctrine does not have a God"?

The language used in the book and in churches, wedding etc is no the original aramaic, it's not herbrew and it's not English as we use it today. So what use is it to anyone? It clearly doesn't impart additional meaning.

Anyone?

"A lot of bibles?" The only Old English translation I've seen so far is the King James Version. Most newer translations are in regular English.

[TragicMonkey]

The archaic style adds exactly that: style. They think it sounds nice, and adds a dimension of antiquity. It's theater.

Check out using Latin until the frickin' 1960s, when nobody's been speaking it vernacularly since what, the 500's?

How much of religion is purely theater, anyway? Robes and stained glass windows and statues and reliquaries and ceremony for Catholics, and all that music for Protestants (the lucky ones. The nonmusical denominations seem severely shortchanged. The times I've suffered through those services made me appreciate the Catholic services of my youth, since it might all be nonsense but at least there's plenty of stuff going on and lots to look at).

[c4ts]

It's all very boroque, and speaking in other languages is always a bit impressive, like the Latin spells in Harry Potter.

[Jon.]

If the masses could understand the Bible, they wouldn't need the priests/ministers/whatever. So those with control over the means of worship have a vested interest in keeping it at least a bit mysterious.

[Moon-Spinner]

The King James version is the most prolific and probably still the most popular. It's definitely more poetic, but I think a lot of people are also unwilling to accept any other version out of principle, and there are always protests whenever a new translation is about to be published. I wouldn't doubt that a lot of people imagine that the Olde English writing was the language of the ancients (I kid you not, I have met these kinds of people). Probably 90% of the people insisting on the King James version have never even read the book anyway...

New translated versions also wreak havoc on what people use to believe the Bible said, when it changes some of the meanings. Heavens, we don't want accuracy, we want miracles!

Or am I being too cynical?

Aaarrgghhh...

On the lighter side, my mother has one of the modern translations of the Bible, and I got quite a chuckle from reading some of it: 'Then God said "Look, you better do what I say, or I'm going to kill you!"' No poetry – just the facts.

[sackett]

Originally posted by Moon-Spinner
The King James version is . . . definitely more poetic. . .
Aaarrgghhh...

Poetic? I'll give you Christian poetry!


HOLY JUMPED-UP JESUS ROCK

Jumped-up Jesus on the mountaintop,
He said, “Hey, disciples, we’re a-gone ta rock!�
Then he turned the wine to water
And the water into wine,
And he said, “Hey, man, dig that crazy moonshine!�

Chorus:

Oh Jesus!
Yes yes yes yes Jesus!
Oh jumped-up
Jumped-up Jesus!
Yass, jumped-up Jeeeeeeeeee
zuss Christ!

Then he preached him a sermon
And he did real well,
A-stompin’ and a-snortin’
And a-goin’ like Hell!
He said, “You better listen what I say unto you,
OR MY OLE MAN’LL GETCHA ‘FORE YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!�

Chorus and drum solo ad libidum


I wrote that in high school. There’s more, mostly about Mary Magdalene, but it’s too naughty for a middle-class forum.

[Timble]

The Kings James version is in Modern English...Modern for 1611.

[sackett]

Originally posted by Timble
The Kings James version is in Modern English...Modern for 1611.

Correct. This is Old English:

No hwæðre ælmihtig ealra wolde Adame and Euan
arna ofteon, fæder æt frymðe, þeah þe hie him from
swice, ac he him to frofre let hwæðere forð wesan
hyrstedne hrof halgum tunglum and him grundwe-
lan ginne sealde; het þam sinhiwum sæs and eorðan
tuddorteondra teohha gehwilcre to woruldnytte
wæstmas fedan. Gesæton þa æfter synne sorgful-
re land, eard and eðyl unspedigran fremena gehwilcre
þonne se frumstol wæs þe hie æfter dæde of adrif-
en wurdon. Ongunnon hie þa be godes hæse bearn
astrienan, swa him metod bebead.

As Moon-Spinner said, "Aaarrgghhh!"

[jan]

Originally posted by wollery
If it's just the language that makes old Will's plays so good then how come Troilus and Cressida, or Timon of Athens are such piles of crap? Same language, written at the same time and generally credited to the same author as Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, etc.

[ derail ]
I don't think that "Troilus and Cressida" is a pile of crap. Quite contrary, I think it is an excellent play. Where else do you get bleakness and horror like in the fifth act?
[/ derail ]

[Phrenolo]

I have an aunt, a “full-faith� style Christian, who read to me some of her own prophesy. (Prophesy is what she and her pastor believed to be her spiritual “gift.�) After hearing quite a bit, my one question was, “Since you speak modern English, why did God give you prophesy in King James English?� She had no answer, other than to forego reading the rest of her prophesy.

[Ian Osborne]

Originally posted by Moon-Spinner
The King James version is the most prolific and probably still the most popular.

That's because it's long out of copyright and therefore incredibly cheap to produce.

[geni]

The catholic church doesn't use the KJB. This menas you are liekly to run acoss more modern lange in thier bibles.