Dear Logos ... a plea for Bible translations

Yes, I know I am a bit compulsive about wanting to be able to see the context in the translation quoted, but I really wish you would make a concerted effort to expand the availability of translations important to research. I suggest that you:

start with you best selling commentaries and monographs and scan for the Bible translations used ... I know this is possible because I have done it on my own collection, although admittedly imperfectly
rank the translations translations in order of times used
try to obtain the rights and release an additional translation - say twice a year?

This procedure would pick up items such as Moffatt, Phillips, Confraternity ... Parallel to this I would like to see the apocrypha/deuterocanonicals added to all translations that contain them but are not in Logos.

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Comments

Jack Hairston

Wow, MJ!

You are a red-hot Bible student to want so much input. Studying the Bible with Logos is my regular day job, and trying to use all the resources already in my library are like trying to take a sip from a fire hose.

DMB

I would place MJ's suggestion considerably in front of more stacks of datasets. First, I wonder who wants those datasets (actual use). And second, from a competitive aspect (mainly Accordance these days), her idea would help Logos considerably.

The problem:

- Biblical interpretation splits out into doctrine, or do-your-own-digging (original languages, commentaries, etc)

- A fast-track during Bible study, is simply to look at translations. They exhibit either expansions of meaning, or variances of MSS's

- Standard Bible translations tend to survive, by looking like previous translations (social-acceptance). Limited value.

- Most useful translations are buried in the commentaries, the fathers, journals, etc.

- Current summaries (Logos tools, etc) deal in tidbits. Not readings.

Ergo, the importance of MJ's suggestion.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1065753#Comment_1065753

You are a red-hot Bible student to want so much input.

I look at it as intellectual honesty - if I and the author are working off different texts, it is obvious that we may have different results. If a commentator/author chooses to specify a translation, I want to know why by seeing that translation - easily. The inability to do that hampers my understanding of the author. I consider this the biggest failure of Logos ... they don't encourage me to actually study i.e. truly understand whomever I am reading, they encourage me to go through the motions and delude myself into thinking I've studied because I've skated over the surface without fear of challenging my beliefs. Yeh, I'm feeling harsh on the topic today.

And thank you Denise for your thoughtful argument for why the translations are important.

Jack Hairston

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1065823#Comment_1065823

You are a red-hot Bible student to want so much input.

Yeh, I'm feeling harsh on the topic today.

Go for it, MJ.