Martin Luther and Our English Bible Translations

Abstract

Frederic E. Blume examines twentieth-century English Bible translations in light of Martin Luther’s principles of biblical interpretation and translation. He surveys major modern versions—including the RSV, NEB, NASB, and Beck’s translation—highlighting their strengths in readability and idiomatic clarity, but also their theological shortcomings. Blume critiques the tendency to treat New Testament Greek as mere everyday speech, warning that such approaches often strip Scripture of its doctrinal depth and divine authority. He contrasts this with Luther’s reverent method, which prioritized faithfulness to the original text and the centrality of Christ. Blume argues that Luther’s translation succeeded because it preserved the solemnity, simplicity, and theological richness of the biblical message. He calls for renewed appreciation of Luther’s legacy and a return to translations that reflect Scripture’s divine origin and its proclamation of justification by faith. —Abstract generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)