Application of the results

The results of this research show that the translational equivalents of the theological concepts used in Bible translations vary greatly, depending on the historical context of the version as well as the theory behind it. Even though there are some theological interpretations seen in them, it cannot be said that these are due to the theological background of the version or its translators. All the translations studied in this research can be said to be mainly Protestant, and their committees have included members from several churches.

How, then, can the results of this research be applied in future Bible translations?

As has been pointed out, the issue of translating theological concepts that are used in various contexts in the Bible and that have a wide range of meanings is a vital one. More and more Bible translations are made around the world. The major issue is whether to use word concordance or not. The problem is that theological concepts usually have a wide range of meanings. When translating a word from one language to another, the semantic fields of the translational equivalents do not necessarily match each other. Therefore, using word concordance does bring difficulties in mediating the message of the original text. On the other hand, as was pointed out by Marlowe, if the words are not mentioned in the Bible translation, it is possible that the language of theology will slowly change, and we will lose these concepts from our theology.

Contexts of Bible translation vary greatly. Translations are made in a missional context, where there may not be a Christian tradition at all, or only on a small scale, and in a Christian context, where there may be several versions available already, and there may be several denominations that may have their own versions, as well. This naturally has an impact on the translation process.

When translating the Bible in a missional context, a situation may vary greatly. The implied readers of a translation may come from an oral culture, when reading may not be easy for the target audience, or people of that language group may be illiterate.

This means that translators may need to think about other means of communication than just a book. These may include audio or video versions of the Bible, or using music, drama, or art in communicating the message of the Bible.

Another point that needs attention is that the implied audience may not have background knowledge of Christian theology. One solution is to use footnotes in the text, to give additional information for a reader. This may not be a perfect solution, since not everyone may be used to reading footnotes. The solution in BB is, in my opinion, a good one: when the book is read in a digital form, the footnotes used in the translation are easy to access with just one click. This means that it does not need much effort to read them, or alternatively, it is easy to pass them by, and they do not disturb the reading of the text. Footnotes contain, for example, short definitions of difficult words or some other historical or cultural background information.

In a missional context, a dynamic version is preferable. In most cases, the message of the Bible in itself is a new one to the implied target audience. That is why the text itself should be easy to understand. As a missionary, Paul himself was, at least partly, writing in this kind of situation, and it can be assumed that he was using language that he thought was clear to his target audience. It has been pointed out, by Koskenniemi, that the phrase e)n Xristw~| was not known to Paul’s implied audience, and he still used the phrase. The question, then, is whether the translation should be clearer than the original text to its audience. According to Nida, there is a historical, cultural, and linguistic gap between the original audience and the implied audience of the translation. That is why, according to him, the Bible translation should be extra clear, in order to reach the same level of clarity as the original text. It is important, especially in a missional context, that the Bible translation is clear. It is also important that the translation is based on a good exegesis, so that this clarity does not lead a reader who is not familiar with the Bible astray by giving a simple solution to a complex problem. In the case of theological concepts, there are words such as ‘righteousness’ that are vital in understanding Christian theology. Consistency in translating them and clarity of the text are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but it is possible to have both. One must emphasise, however, that in a missional context, there is a need for other literature as well, such as educational material, Bible studies, and so on.

Even though a dynamic or communicative version is preferable in a missional context where there is no Christian tradition, I would argue that some level of consistency in using theological concepts is necessary when making a Bible translation in a missional context. It is possible that the terminology of Christian theology is strange or new to the target audience of the translation. When words are used in a Bible version, this gives a foundation for a church and Christian community to build upon. One must say, though, that it is good to be careful when choosing translational equivalents of theological concepts. The first Finnish Bible translator chose the word vanhurskaus to be the translational equivalent of the word ‘righteousness’. This does not clearly hint towards rightness or justice, for modern readers anyway, as do words

for ‘righteousness’ in most European languages. That may be one reason why it is very rarely used in other than religious language.

When translating the Bible in a Christian context, there are most likely plenty of versions available already. It is, then, possible to compare them. There are also other resources available. In this context, a more formal translation of the Bible is advisable.

In the Christian context, there are also Bible colleges and other schools where it is possible to study the Bible more carefully. There are also biblical commentaries and other materials available, which enable an average reader, if so willing, to research the Bible, if studying the Bible in a Bible college or school is not possible. These materials include both scholarly works that demand some level of knowledge of theology, and material targeted at a reader who may not have an academic background.

Another point is that when there are several translations available in one particular language, it is more likely that the readers of the Bible will treat it as a translation and see that there is not only one way of reading the text. There are also translations made for specific groups. For example, the Finnish thoroughly dynamic translation was made for an audience that was not familiar with the church or theology.

In conclusion, the process of translating theological concepts is a complicated one, both theoretically as well as theologically. This is shown in the examples treated above, even though they do not represent the whole richness of the biblical texts. Situations of translation projects vary greatly, depending on the language and culture, as well as a missional context versus a Christian context. It is not possible to have a one and only solution to the translation problem posed by a theological concept, but a certain amount of consistency in translation is advisable.

7 BIBLIOGRAPHY