A Biblical Argument for Meaning Based Translation

Throughout the ages, and relevant today, the major point of discussion and even disagreement in Bible translation theory and practice has been meaning-based vs. literal translation. Basically, should a Bible translation have as its sole goal to communicate the thoughts, emotions, and motivations expressed through the original manuscripts, or should the skopos also include exhibiting aspects of the structural traits of the source language? This paper examines how the New Testament translates Old Testament Scripture to shed light on this question.