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C.R.E Lesson 1 Notes... THE BIBLE.

The document outlines the history of Bible translations from original languages to local languages, starting with the Old Testament's Hebrew origins and its Greek translation known as the Septuagint. It highlights significant translations, including Jerome's Latin Vulgate and various translations into Kenyan languages, totaling 42 by 2010. Additionally, it discusses the literary styles and forms used in the Bible, such as poetry, prose, and narratives.

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Simon Peter
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32 views

C.R.E Lesson 1 Notes... THE BIBLE.

The document outlines the history of Bible translations from original languages to local languages, starting with the Old Testament's Hebrew origins and its Greek translation known as the Septuagint. It highlights significant translations, including Jerome's Latin Vulgate and various translations into Kenyan languages, totaling 42 by 2010. Additionally, it discusses the literary styles and forms used in the Bible, such as poetry, prose, and narratives.

Uploaded by

Simon Peter
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Major Bible Translations From the Original Languages To Local Languages

These books of the Bible are accepted as the Canon of the Bible.

The term Canon means Standard or guidance or rule.

Translation means expression of books by words and pictures, poems and songs from one
language to another.

The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, the language of the Israelites.

Then between 250 – 100 BC, it was translated to the Greek language. The Greek translation of
the Bible was known as Septuagint.

This term refers to 70 translators.

The Jews in dispersion or Diaspora used this translation.

These were the Jews living outside Palestine.

Between 386 – 420 A.D. Jerome, a great Christian Scholar, translated the entire bible from
Greek into Latin, the language of the Romans.

This translation was called Vulgate.

Christians used the Latin translation of the Bible up to the 16th century.

During the reformation in the 16th Century, Christians were encouraged to use their own native
languages in worship.

From that time, the Bible was translated into English and German.

As Christianity spread to different parts of the world, there was the need for translations of the
Holy Bible into various languages.

In 1804, the British formed the Foreign Bible Society, which translated the Bible into many
languages.

Johann Ludwig Krapf translated the New Testament into Kiswahili.

This was the first Bible translation in East Africa.

Since that time, the Bible Society of Kenya has translated the Bible into other languages such as
Kikuyu in 1951, Kikamba in 1956, Kimeru in 1964, Kalenjin in 1968, and Luhya in 1974.
By 1980 the Bible had been translated into 29 Kenyan languages. To date (2010) the Bible has
been translated into 42 languages of Kenya.

Translation and versions used in Kenya today

Besides bible translation into several languages, there are many English translation versions,
which are commonly used in Kenya.

These are

(i) King James Version

(ii) Jerusalem Bible

(iii) New International version

(iv) English Bible

(v) The Authorized Version

(vi) Good News

(vii) Revised Standard Version

(viii) New King James Version

(ix) Amplified Bible

(x) The living Bible

(xi) The African Bible

(xii) Common Bible

(xiii) Today’s English Bible

(xiv) American version among others.

Writing of the Bible

By 2010, the Bible Society of Kenya had translated the Bible into 42 Kenyan languages.

The need to read the Bible led to writing of Bible reading materials to teach literacy in local
languages.
Those who wrote the Bible used different styles, and figures of speech to make their message
vivid and clear.

Several literary forms were used in the writing of the Bible.

These are:

a. Poetry in Psalms

Other literary forms that are used in the Bible are:

i) Prose in Leviticus, which is a Legislative text

ii) Wise sayings in Proverbs

iii) Prophetic speeches by Jeremiah

iv) Prayers by Nehemiah

v) Love Songs, for example, the Songs of Solomon

vi) Letters. Here see Pauline Epistles (Romans)

vii) Gospels, for example, Mark’s Gospel

viii) Religious events, for example, Exodus

ix) Narratives, for example, Genesis

x) Philosophical essays, for example, the book of Job.

Here note the use of metaphors and similes in philosophical essays.

EXERCISE

Activity

a) Read Psalms and notice the poetry used by David when he wrote psalms

b) Read Job. Notice the rhythm of the words

c) Read any Psalm and any verse from Job. What do you notice?

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