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Editorial Review:
Which translation do I choose?
In an age when there is a wide choice of English Bible translations, the issues involved in Bible translating are steadily gaining interest. Consumers often wonder what separates one Bible version from another.
The contributors to this book argue that there are significant differences between literal translations and the alternatives. The task of those who employ an essentially literal Bible translation philosophy is to produce a translation that remains faithful to the original languages, preserving as much of the original form and meaning as possible while still communicating effectively and clearly in the receptors’ languages.
Translating Truth advocates essentially literal Bible translation and in an attempt to foster an edifying dialogue concerning translation philosophy. It addresses what constitutes "good" translation, common myths about word-for-word translations, and the importance of preserving the authenticity of the Bible text. The essays in this book offer clear and enlightening insights into the foundational ideas of essentially literal Bible translation.
Translating Truth: The Case for Essentially Literal Bible Translation Reviews:
From Simple to Complex 
2008-10-03 - This is the clearest, most user-friendly explanation of the differences between Bible translations that I have found. I heartily recommend it. Whatever the reader's background and level of experience, an article here will help them understand how Bible translators work and think, and how that process affects the Bible they read. Beginning with the simplest, easiest-to-understand explanation of the difference between essentially literal and dynamic equivalence translations, the book gradually increases in difficulty, with the final article providing details for those who are already familiar and are more analytical. Of special interest is the case study of the translation of 1 John.
The Importance Of Being Truthful
2007-09-25 - Grudem and company, have done us a favor in taking on the issue of correctness and obedience to ethical norms in Bible translations.
The 'dynamic-equivalents', such as The Message: The New Testament in Contemporary Language by Peterson, fall short of the litmus test. They divulge the author's lack of respect for God's inspired Word, and lack of faithfulness to its purity. The literal, word-for-word versions have a strong case for upholding the perfect, completed Word of God.
'And in terms of the history of English Bible translations, dynamic equivalence is almost wholly a modern phenomenon.' pg 63
Bruce Winter lays the same charge against the Corinthian leadership: 'By 1st century reckoning Paul had adopted an anti-rhetorical stance, and, in doing so, had clearly bucked the latest fad. To the fastidiously demanding Corinthians, ignoring the grand style would have been unthinkable, but in 1 Cor 1-4 Paul defends his reasons for it as part of a wider critique of the cult of Christian leadership in Corinth.' pg 142-143 Understanding this rejection as at the heart of Paul's methodology, Winter elsewhere expresses the same conviction: 'To understand this issue in the last four chapters in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, we need to cast our minds back to a critical discussion in 1 Cor 1-4, where Christians themselves had wheeled into the midst of their church in Corinth a Trojan horse that was the cult of secular leadership.' Preach the Word pg 94
Corinthian behavior reveals that they are influenced more by human wisdom than by God's wisdom.
A good argument well made
2007-06-20 - If you are interested in Bible translation then this book will be of great interest. Yes the writers firmly have the ESV in mind but i do not think that in any way clouds their argument.
This puts the case for a literal word for word English Bible translation. They use many examples, argue fairly and make many interesting points. The book reads well for such a technical (at times) discussion. They acknowledge that all English Bibles are in some ways interpretations but their case is; lets try and minimize our input and leave the reader to make their minds up as to meanings and ambiguities.
If you are of the opinion that the Bible is the word of God then by the time you have read this book you may have some strong feelings about such translations such as The Message, the NLT and such like. regardless of what "camp" you may be in this is a challenging read and well worth the effort.
You Might Just Throw Away Your Dynamic Equivalent Bible
2006-07-18 - I long have been a supporter of the literal translation (or as the English Standard Version puts it "essentially literal."). Having been a disciple of Jesus Christ since 1992, I first grew in grace (2 Peter 3:18) using the NIV along with many others. The church I attended, however, used the New King James Version. The NIV and the NKJV were world's apart! Then I attended Bible college where the required Bible was the New American Standard (NASB). Again I found the NIV, the NASB, and the NKJV to be vastly different.
In 1996 the New Living Translation came on the scene. At the time I was a youth pastor and begin to use the NLT to teach the teens. However, I soon found the New Living Transltion to be very free in its translation and it just didn't seem biblical.
Have you felt the way I felt? Many Christians get confused with so many different Bible translations now on the market in the English language. While millions of disciples in China long for one Bible, we have hundreds in many different styles. In fact far too often the Bibles in America represent lifestyles rather than God's truth. We have come a long way from the days of a literal translation such as the King James Version in 1611 to now dynamic equivalent's such as the NIV or the New Living. What we need is some wisdom on what Bible translation is best.
This book is such a book. TRANSLATING TRUTH offers a look not only at the English Standard Version (ESV) but also all literal translations such as the New American Standard, the New English Translation (NET), or the New King James. It helps you to see why an essentially literal Bible is the best. It offers a candid look at the NIV and the New Living and why they simply are not good translations.
Overall this is a solid work and features some great writers such as Wayne Grudem, Leland Ryken, and John Collins. Your knowledge of the Bible will grow and you will won't to purchase a literal translation when you are done.
Too late to be effective. 
2006-06-08 - When demonstrating what they consider the inferior translation methodology (dynamic or functional) the writers zero in on the New Living Translation. The problem is that their criticisms (some of which I heartily agree with) applies to the older edition of the text. The NLT was updated in 2004 and this book was released in 2005!! I understand that when the book was authored the criticism applied, but since its publication, the NLT has been replaced in most stores by the 2004 edition. The newer edition has made a number of improvements in light of the criticism when it first appeared. Therefore this book's arguements are already dated when it was released. They should have relized this and went back and changed the references to the NLT. One wonders how much changing would need to be done in order to make their criticisms applicable to the newer NLT. Maybe because the changes would be so extensive that they went ahead and released this book anyway. It is a moot point, the book's criticism's against the older NLT edition is no longer applicable. People are updating their copy of the NLT with the newer 2004 edition!
