I am also working on producing a 8-10 hour seminar on how to Effectively Study and Interpret the Bible, A basic course for Ministers, Bible teachers and serious students of the word of God.
It will include a couple of hours on identifying the key words of a verse and how to correctly translate them - without the need to become a linguist.
For example:
Ps 101:2
Of the 109 occurrences of the word “perfect” (as rendered in KJV edition of the English Bible), they reflect a dazzling array of original language words. There are fourteen different Hebrew words translated as “perfect” and ten different Greek words translated as “perfect”. Each of the original words has different meanings as well as carrying a wide range of possible individual tones, shadings and understandings. Even in one verse, such as
Ps 101:2, we find the word perfect used twice in our KJV editions.
“I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.” KJV
This translation would frequently be interpreted as: I will behave in a way that is without error or flaw, so when will you (God) come to me? My heart will be without defect or blemish: Fully complete, lacking nothing. Or, some such rendering.
However, the first perfect means “whole, sound, healthful”, while the second perfect means “integrity”, which renders
Ps 101:2 from the KJV to:
Considering the content of the entire verse and the context of the specific words, my translation of this same text is as follows:
“I will give heed to and follow the path (the way) of complete wholesomeness; Oh when will You come unto me? Inside my own house I will walk (live) my life in the integrity of my heart.” [AWB]
The interpretation could be something like this: I will give heed to (take not of sin) and walk (live) in the precepts of your (God's) instructions for righteous living (Torah), requiring nothing else beyond your instructions. Therefore, tell me, when will you come unto me in true relationship? Even as I live out my life, within myself, I shall maintain my integrity (moral soundness, a life devoid of sin) before you.
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