Page 199 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCY

It is important to emphasize that we are not arguing Israel’s culture; Israel’s culture was created by that
for a wooden literalness, but for an unwavering Revelation!
commitment to the actual wording of the Bible text. The same is true for the things of the Church. These
From these few examples, you see how far-removed were given as revelations from heaven, and the Gentile
the “dynamic equivalency” rendering is from the and Jewish converts became conformed to these
original text of Scripture. Dynamic equivalency allows revelations. The people of the first century knew no
translators this strange liberty to change, delete from, more about N.T. salvation, propitiation, justification,
and add to the Word of God to such an extent that it no sanctification, or any other church term and service
longer even can be called the Word of God. than people of the world do today. They had to learn the
DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCY ROBS MEN OF GOD’S meaning of these foreign, heavenly things after they
WORDS. were saved, just as men do now.
Consider the following Scriptures: Lk. 4:4; Mt. These Bible matters are foreign to all earthly
22:45; Ga. 3:16; Jn. 10:34. These and many other cultures, as these were formed by rebellious men who
passages show the importance of each word of the have turned from the truth and from the Living God.
Bible. Yet the liberties taken with the method of Truth has been lost from man’s cultures and only exists
dynamic equivalency leaves the readers of the Common in the form of dimly perceived shadows. It is not a
Language versions without access to the very words of strange thing that much of the Bible is obscure to the
God. They have the general thoughts of the original in people of this world, for “our conversation is in heaven;
many passages, but the very words have been stolen from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord
from them! The reader of the Common Language Jesus Christ” (Ph. 3:20). And again, “We know that we
versions cannot meditate over each word and detail of are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1
Scripture because he does not have a detail translation. Jn. 5:19). Again, Jesus said of Christians, “…they are
This fact becomes even more frightful when we not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (Jn.
consider the fact that dynamic equivalency is not just a 17:14, 16).
technique being used in translations of Bible portions Dynamic equivalency ignores the fact that much of
for distribution among the unsaved in evangelistic work. the Bible’s language and meaning has always been
This method of corruption is rapidly replacing the difficult, even obscure. This is stated plainly by Peter in
earlier concept of literal translation, and new dynamic 2 Pe. 3:16 in referring to “things hard to be understood”
equivalency versions being produced by the United Bible in the epistles of Scripture written by the Apostle Paul.
Societies, Wycliffe, and others are often intended to Again in 1 Pe. 1:10 we read that even the prophets who
REPLACE the old literal versions. penned the O.T. Scriptures did not understand all that
Many of those who use dynamic equivalency think they wrote. The Lord Jesus Christ said in Mt. 13:10-13
they are helping people by bringing the Word of God that he spoke parables to hide truth from those who
down to their level. Actually they are thieves who are would not believe. Christ purposely designed the
dooming people never to have the very words of God. parables to be obscure to some of his hearers!
DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCY IGNORES THE FACT THAT The Bible has great variety of style and doctrine—
MUCH OF THE BIBLE’S LANGUAGE IS NOT OF ANY some simple enough for children to understand, some
EARTHLY CULTURE, BUT IS HEAVENLY IN IDIOM AND difficult even for the most educated adult; some simple
LANGUAGE. enough for the unsaved to grasp, some difficult even for
Some examples are (1) The Law given on Mt. Sinai. the most mature saint. First year Greek students soon
learn that the language style of the New Testament
This came down from God to man. (2) The Priesthood holds great variety. Many first year Greek students can
and the Tabernacle. He. 9:23 says these are “patterns of translate portions of the Gospel of John with
things in heaven.” (3) The Church. Ep. 3:1-5,9-10 calls considerable accuracy, while to the same students Paul’s
these “mysteries,” meaning heavenly revelations never epistles remain mostly obscure because of the greater
before revealed to man. difficulty in language style and content.
Much of the Bible’s language and form has always Man is not free to simplify that which God has not
been strange to man because this is a heavenly Book; it simplified! The translator who produces a version of the
is a Revelation from God. The O.T. contains “patterns of Bible in which the Pauline epistles is as easy to read as
things in heaven,” things which were strange even to the Gospel of John has corrupted God’s Word. I know
the people who were living at the time those patterns that such an idea sounds like heresy to a follower of
were revealed. The details relating to the Law, the dynamic equivalency. Many ask, Isn’t it always good to
Priesthood, and the Tabernacle were not adapted to
make the Bible simple enough for people to understand?
I say no, not if in so doing we have changed God’s Holy

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 199