Revised Literal Translation History
The Revised Literal Translation (RLT) Bible is a lesser-known modern translation of the Bible that aims to provide a word-for-word (literal) translation of the original texts, while also making them comprehensible in contemporary English. This type of translation strives to balance fidelity to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages with clarity for modern readers. The history of this translation, while not as widely documented as other versions like the NIV or KJV, reflects broader trends in biblical scholarship and translation philosophy.
Origins and Motivation
- Initial Development (Early to Mid-20th Century): The movement toward producing highly literal Bible translations gained traction during the early to mid-20th century. Scholars who were committed to the inerrancy of scripture often expressed dissatisfaction with dynamic equivalence translations (like the Good News Bible or NIV) that sought to express ideas rather than maintaining a strict word-for-word translation. In response, several literal translations were produced to fill this gap. These translations often appealed to those seeking precision in theological study, Bible students, and pastors. The Revised Literal Translation originated in this context as a project led by scholars who valued maintaining the nuances of the original languages.
- Revision and Refinement: Unlike other translations that went through institutional oversight (e.g., RSV under the National Council of Churches), the RLT often came from smaller groups or independent scholars. The original Literal Translation Bible needed revision as language evolved, and new manuscript evidence (such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and advances in textual criticism) became available. Thus, the Revised Literal Translation was created to reflect a more accurate and modern understanding of biblical texts.
- Translation Philosophy: The RLT follows a formal equivalence translation philosophy. The focus is on maintaining the exact grammar, structure, and words of the original texts, even if that results in awkward phrasing in English. Translators sought to avoid introducing interpretive bias by keeping as close to the original languages as possible. While this could sometimes make the text more difficult to read, the goal was to produce a translation that remained faithful to every detail in the original scripture.
- Scholarly Foundations: The RLT relied heavily on the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus for the New Testament, though later revisions would incorporate findings from critical texts like the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament and Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. These textual bases were chosen because of their historical significance and acceptance in conservative scholarly circles.
Key Features of the RLT Bible
- Literal Translation Approach: As the name suggests, the RLT is highly literal. Words are often translated as directly as possible from the original languages. For example, in passages where other translations might smooth out phrasing for readability, the RLT retains the original sentence structure, even if it sounds awkward to modern ears. This is seen as a way to allow readers to “hear” the Bible as closely as possible to its original form.
- Marginal Notes and Cross-References: To aid readers in understanding the sometimes difficult text, the RLT includes extensive marginal notes. These notes often explain Hebrew or Greek idioms, provide alternate translations, and sometimes clarify interpretative options. Cross-references to other biblical passages are also common, helping readers connect themes and teachings throughout the Bible.
- Textual Variants: Given the commitment to scholarly rigor, the RLT includes notations about significant textual variants. For example, where the Textus Receptus and more modern critical editions of the Greek New Testament differ, the RLT often notes the variation, allowing the reader to be aware of possible alternative readings.
Publication and Reception
- First Publication: The RLT was first published in the mid-to-late 20th century, though exact dates vary due to multiple editions and revisions. The translation was typically produced in smaller print runs compared to mainstream Bibles, making it more obscure, particularly outside academic and conservative Christian circles.
- Reception: The RLT has been well-received by certain segments of the Christian community, particularly those who prioritize doctrinal precision and who prefer a highly literal approach to the Bible. It found a niche audience among theological students, pastors, and those interested in deep Bible study. However, it has not achieved widespread popularity due to its sometimes challenging readability, especially when compared to more readable translations like the NIV, ESV, or even the KJV.
- Subsequent Revisions: As biblical scholarship advanced, the RLT underwent revisions to incorporate new discoveries in textual criticism, archaeology, and language studies. Later editions of the RLT made adjustments to archaic language and corrected translation choices based on further research. These revisions were made to ensure that the translation remained as accurate and faithful as possible, even as linguistic and scholarly understandings evolved.
Challenges and Criticisms
- Readability: One of the primary criticisms of the RLT is its difficulty in readability. The strict adherence to a word-for-word translation sometimes makes sentences difficult to understand, especially for those unfamiliar with the original languages or biblical idioms. While the translation is valuable for study, it is less accessible for casual reading or devotional use.
- Niche Appeal: The RLT has a relatively small audience, mainly attracting those interested in theological studies and those who prioritize doctrinal purity. It has not achieved the broad appeal of translations like the NIV or ESV, largely because of its commitment to a literal translation method, which can be seen as overly rigid.
Revised Literal Translation Preface
The Revised Literal Translation (RLT) by Michael W. Jones, Sr. is based upon the King James Version (1769), Textus Receptus, of the Holy Bible. The concept for this translation is II Peter 1:20, that no prophesy of scripture is of private interpretation. With that in mind, the effort is to make minimal changes to improve readability by modifying certain archaic words and phrases to improve accuracy while keeping the language and feel of the King James Bible. The two main motivations were to change “LORD” to “YHWH” and “church” to “Assembly,” both of which are truer to the original text. Other changes were made where deemed necessary for accuracy and/or readability. Overall, a minimalist approach was taken to stay true to the King James language yet improve accuracy, readability, and consistency. The main references, besides Strongs, were other literal translations based upon the Textus Receptus: ACV, ASV, BSB, Darby, GNV, RV, WEB, YLT, etc.. This is not a great scholarly effort delving into the depths of esoterics, but rather a simple approach to a literal, more accurate, yet readable, version of the King James Bible.
The second overarching motivation, in staying true to the original text, is based upon Revelations 22:18-20 which warns against adding to or taking away from God’s Word. Lest one think that this applies only to the book of Revelations or the New Testament, a similar warning is given in Deuteronomy 12:32 – “thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from” the commands given in the Word of God. Again, using the Textus Receptus as the standard, changing the meaning, adding to or diminishing is not acceptable. When we look at Jesus as the Incarnate Word, any change must be prayerfully considered and not based upon a whim or personal predilection. God’s Word is Holy and must be handled with respect, reverence and fear. Changing the text of the King James Version, which has stood the test of time for 250 years, is not trivial and must be done with the utmost sobriety, circumspection and trepidation in order to not mar the original intent of the Holy Scripture.
The embedded Strong’s Numbers is from the KJV2003 Project (KJV2013010915). The rights to the base text are held by the Crown of England. The Strong’s numbers in the Old Testament were obtained from The Bible Foundation: http://www.bf.org. The New Testament Strong’s data was obtained from The KJV2003 Project at CrossWire: http://www.crosswire.org. These mechanisms provide a useful means for looking up the exact original language word in a lexicon that is keyed to Strong’s numbers.
Special thanks to the volunteers at Bible Foundation for keying the Hebrew/English data and of Project KJV2003 for working toward the completion of synchronizing the English phrases to the Stephanas Textus Receptus, and to Dr. Maurice Robinson for providing the base Greek text with Strong’s and Morphology. We are also appreciative of formatting markup that was provided by Michael Paul Johnson at http://www.ebible.org. Their time and generosity to contribute such for the free use of the Body of Christ is a great blessing and this derivitive work could not have been possible without these efforts of so many individuals. It is in this spirit that we in turn offer the Revised Literal Translation (RLT) text freely for any purpose. Any copyright that might be obtained for this effort is held by Michael W. Jones, Sr. who hereby grants a general public license to use this text for any purpose.