Theocratic Aid To Kingdom Publishers

Lesson 70

FEATURES OF THE "AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION"

Approaching the day of final vindication, Jehovah God provides improved equipment for his true worshipers. In 1901 the American Standard Version was completed and released to the public. Forty-three years later, in 1944, printing rights of this greatly improved version of the Bible were obtained by the Watchtower Society. This revision of the old King James Version has features that mark it as a definite advance over that Authorized Version, of 1611. It will be profitable for the Theocratic minister to make a brief study of the features of the American Standard Version.

The American Standard Version is a reliable, literal translation, even as was the Authorized Version. It is not a free translation, as are the modern versions of Moffatt, Weymouth, and Smith-Goodspeed. Its literalness is based on the improved Hebrew and Greek texts available at the close of the nineteenth century. The King James Version, for the lack of better manuscripts and recensions of the original texts of the Bible during its preparation, in 1611, contains upward of 120 spurious passages and words. Most of these have been righted in the American Standard Version. Outstanding examples are found at Mark 16: 9-20; Luke 22:43,44; 23:34; John 5:4; 7:53 to 8:11, and 1 John 5: 7, 8.

Living languages such as English are continually undergoing changes and vocabulary expansion. Words and expressions of the King James era do not have identically the same meaning today. Hence one of the principal tasks

of the American revisers was to translate the ancient texts into modern, modest, yet forceful language that would properly convey the meaning of the originals. Nearly a thousand of the obsolete and ambiguous words have been replaced by modern clear-cut words conveying more accurate understanding. For example, "outlandish" has been rendered "strange", "peeled" as "smooth", "purtenance" as "inwards", "reins" as "heart", "damnation" as "condemnation", "leasing" as "falsehood", "spoil" as "plunder" or "ravage", "conversation" as "manner of life", etc. Thus the American Standard Version has greatly modernized the language of the Scriptures. Language changes have also been made in some cases where the revisers considered the expressions offensive to present-day readers. Oftentimes, however, the change brings a loss of forcefulness and even of meaning.

A greater uniformity in the translation of words has been maintained throughout the work. As, for example, the highly controversial word sheol is retained uniformly throughout the Hebrew Scriptures without variously translating it "grave", "pit," or "hell". Likewise throughout the Greek Scriptures hades is retained instead of being translated "hell" or "the grave", as was inconsistently done by the King James translators. The words "stranger", "foreigner," and "sojourner" correspond very well to three distinct Hebrew words. Why not allow these words to retain a consistent translation? The American revisers have done this.

In their objective in rendering a fairly literal translation, the American revisers have exercised care in translating Hebraisms and Hebrew idioms. To illustrate, in Ezekiel 20:17 we read, "mine eye spared them from destroying them," which is rendered in better English as, "mine eye spared them, and I destroyed them not."

Another feature of aid to the student of the Scriptures is the great improvement in the style of typography. Improved and uniform punctuation has been adopted, and assists in making the Scriptures lucid. Adjustments to

suit present-day grammatical standards have been made (as in the distinctions made in the use of "who", "whom," "that," and "which"). The old, arbitrary individual verse arrangement has been abandoned for the modern paragraphing style, retaining, however, the old verse numberings. The narrations and arguments of the Scriptures now stand out clearly, making the whole matter more comprehensible. The text is broken up into paragraphs that correspond to the divisions and subdivisions of the thought content. Thus the American Standard Version reads continuously, like any other present-day book. However, those portions of the Bible written as lyrics or in poetic style, such as Psalms and Proverbs, are still rendered in individual verse. Also quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures made in the Greek Scriptures are ofttimes appropriately set off.

A helpful feature of the American Standard Version is the footnotes. They cover a variety of subjects. Some serve as cross references. At Romans 14:11 the apostle Paul quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures concerning every knee bowing to the Lord and every tongue confessing to God, and the footnote indicates the source of the quotation as Isaiah 45:23. In that text in Romans reference is made to another type of footnote. "Confess to God" is given in the footnote as "Give praise to God". At times the footnotes shed light on the meaning of the original-language term. The footnote on "Comforter" is very enlightening. (John 14: 26) Note "Gentiles" is given as "nations". (Matt. 4:15; 12: 21) Some footnotes define proper names, such as "Eve". (Gen. 3: 20) Others give historical information that serves as background, as at Matthew 5:46, where it refers to "publicans", and the footnote says, "Collectors or renters of Roman taxes." Then there are footnotes that call attention to the variant readings of other manuscripts, references being made to the Vulgate, Syriac, Septuagint, etc. (Lev. 10:6) Information is offered as to the original Hebrew manuscripts, in many cases. (Ex. 8:1 and 8:5) The fore-

going hardly scratches the surface of the footnotes, but. it will show they are a feature not to be overlooked.

Another fine feature of the American Standard Version is its scrapping of the spooky "holy ghost" idea that has misled millions and caused them to miss entirely the import of the original expression. This version never uses the term "holy ghost", but uniformly substitutes therefor "holy spirit"; and, with a proper understanding of Jehovah's spirit or active force, the texts in which the above expression occurs take on their full meaning.

The outstanding feature of merit of the American Standard Version is its consistent use of the memorial name JEHOVAH. This great name appears some 6,600 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, it being uniformly substituted for "LORD" and "GOD" (printed in capital and small capitals) as found in the Authorized Version. Note the following wise decision made by the American revisers: "The American Revisers, after a careful consideration, were brought to the unanimous conviction that a Jewish superstition, which regarded the Divine Name as too sacred to be uttered, ought no longer to dominate in the English or any other version of the Old Testament, as it fortunately does not in the numerous versions made by modern missionaries. . . . This personal name, with its wealth of sacred associations, is now restored to the place in the sacred text to which it has an unquestionable claim." (Taken from the preface to the American Standard Version.) In recent years there has been a Satanic effort afoot to expunge the name "Jehovah" from all English translations to be published in the future. By the grace of the God whose name is JEHOVAH, the Watchtower Society's edition of the American Standard Version will be widely distributed and play its part in keeping alive in the minds of men of good-will this name of the Almighty God.