The new LDS edition of the Holy Bible is available today from Church Distribution. I ordered my print copy but I was checking it out online and I am downloading the audio recording for my iPod. The new edition is based on the 1909 Reina Valera translation and the church has put years of work into it. It is fully annotated like the English version with cross references to the full LDS cannon of scriptures.
I just did a quick search online (escrituras.lds.org) and it is impressive. When you search for a verb in the scriptures it will search for all the different conjugations of the verb. Super useful!
For example I just searched for “apacienta” and it produced one of my favorite scriptures in Spanish:
Juan 21: 15-17
15 Y cuando hubieron comido, Jesús le dijo a Simón Pedro: Simón hijo de Jonás, ¿me amas más que éstos? Pedro le contestó: Sí, Señor, tú sabes que te amo. Él le dijo: Apacienta mis corderos.
16 Volvió a decirle la segunda vez: Simón hijo de Jonás, ¿me amas? Le respondió: Sí, Señor, tú sabes que te amo. Le dijo: Apacienta mis ovejas.
17 Le dijo la tercera vez: Simón hijo de Jonás, ¿me amas? Se entristeció Pedro de que le dijese por tercera vez: ¿Me amas?, y le dijo: Señor, tú sabes todas las cosas; tú sabes que te amo. Jesús le dijo: Apacienta mis ovejas.
The search also returned verses with “apacienten.”
I was disappointed to see the new translation of this verse however. In English (KJV) the scripture reads:
John 21: 15-17
15 ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
This reflects the same idea as the above translation. The old spanish translation (RV69) was:
15 Y cuando hubieron comido, Jesús le dijo a Simón Pedro: Simón hijo de Jonás, ¿me amas más que éstos? Le respondió: Sí, Señor, tú sabes que te amo. Él le dijo: Apacienta mis corderos.
16 Volvió a decirle la segunda vez: Simón hijo de Jonás, ¿me amas? Pedro le respondió: Sí, Señor, tú sabes que te amo. Le dijo: Pastorea mis ovejas.
17 Le dijo la tercera vez: Simón hijo de Jonás, ¿me amas? Pedro se entristeció de que le dijese la tercera vez: ¿Me amas?, y le respondió: Señor, tú sabes todas las cosas; tú sabes que te amo. Jesús le dijo: Apacienta mis ovejas.
Emphasis added to demonstrate the differences. In the RV69 translation Peter gives three distinct responses. 1. Feed my lambs 2. Take my sheep to pasture 3. Feed my sheep. This is great because it implies that first he should give nourishment to the little ones who may have little knowledge. Second, teach them how to nourish themselves. Third, nourish them still. This middle line (pastorea) is lost in the other two translations, but it is presumed that the Apostles have prayed and fasted over this verse and that the English and new Spanish translations better reflect the original intent of John’s words.
Why do I presume they fasted and prayed over these little tiny words? Story time: While on my mission Elder Oaks shared a story with us. He chaired the translation committee for the Book of Mormon. On one occasion the translators working on a Vietnamese translation of the Book of Mormon approached the leadership of the church and asked them if the Brother of Jared was an older brother or a younger brother. This did not seem important to Elder Oaks, but when the translators explained that in Vietnamese there was one word for younger brother and another for older brother and no generic term for brother he took the problem to the Quorm of the twelve Apostles and they fasted and prayed about it. They received an answer and the correct translation appears in the Vietnamese translation of the Book of Mormon. Every word must be correct.
I’m sure the same effort was put in to this translation of the Bible which is why I am anxious to read it.
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So what was the answer the Quorum received? Was the Brother of Jared in fact, older or younger, than his brother?
jwoodsy, Elder Oaks told us he couldn’t remember because it isn’t really important whether the brother was older or younger, but that it was important that it be translated correctly. If you want to know you’ll have to learn vietnamese and read the Book of Mormon, I guess.
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