Answer 1
The Bible was originally written in different languages, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek predominately.
Different people and groups have re-translated the original texts over the years to try to make it more simple to understand by the people of it's day. Have you ever tried to read part of a king James version? So many haths and thous and old English words that it makes it rather difficult to understand for today's regular person.
Answer 2
Basically all of the versions say the same thing, they just use slightly newer words and grammar.
Interpreting language is a tricky because word for word translation doesn't generally work due to different grammar rules and different uses of the same word. If you know any bi-lingual people they can explain this better. There are computer translators on the web you can search for that do word by word translations. Try this: Put a few sentences into one of them, translate it to another language, then cut and paste and have it translate it back to English... Chances are the words will be quite different and perhaps won't even make any sense.
Colloquialisms make it even tougher. If I asked you "what's up?" you probably know I mean "tell me what's happening". If you literally say "what's up" in another language people will look up at the sky or ceiling to see.
So if the bible says something in Hebrew like "what's up" one interpretation might say "what's happening?" and another one might say "what's going on?" and another one might say "how's it going?". Some literalists may even write "what is above?". See? I just made 3 versions that are all the same but slightly different and one direct translation which makes little sense in context.
Answer 3
The bible in its original form was written in the Hebrew and Greek languages (with smatterings of Aramaic in there as well). When translating from one language to another, the process of translating is never an exact, mathematical equation. A given Greek word cannot always be given the same English word every time, since words always have nuances which depend on context, historical and cultural usage, and the like. For example, consider the English word "ran". That word may convey the physical act of running using one's legs (I ran to the store), it may convey the task that machinery performs (My car ran fine until it ran out of gas), or it may convey the motion of an object (My car ran down the hill after I forgot to set the parking brake).
Furthermore, the Hebrew and Greek languages have forms and tenses that may require a few English words to properly convey their meaning. For example, there is a Greek form called the 'participle' which can come in present and aorist tenses. Although only one word in Greek, English may need to supply words to properly convey its meaning. The present tense of the word "run" as a participle may be translated adverbially, "While he was running the car struck him." or adjectivally, "He is going to the store, running the whole way." In that same way, the aorist tense of the word "run" as a participle may be translated adverbially, "After he ran he went home." or adjectivally, "Yesterday he went to the store, running the whole way." Whether it is translated adverbially or adjectivally depends on the context in which the word is used.
All of that to say this: translation is an art, and different translators emphasize different aspects of that art. Generally speaking, there are two different ways to translate. The first is to translate as literally as possible, using word-for-word translations whenever possible and supplying only extra English words when absolutely necessary. The second is to translate the meanings of the phrases as accurately as possible, using what is known about the language during the time and location of its usage to properly translate its meaning. The difference can be seen using a common Hebrew expression. The most literal translation would be "The men feared a great fear" while a meaning-based translation would be "The men were greatly afraid." Both carry the same meaning, but use different translating approaches.
All bible translations fall somewhere along this scale of "word-for-word" or "thought-for-thought" translation. Some are very literal, sacrificing readability for accuracy, while some are very readable, sacrificing accuracy for readability, and all degrees in between. However, when comparing such different versions side-by-side, you will find that all communicate the same message, just using different styles to do so.
there was 700 versions printed in 2007
As so many different language translations exist, and as, within those languages, so many different versions exist, and as, within those versions, so many printings exist.... this number is unknown and unknowable.
There are no specific number of pages , because the pages differ from bible to bible as there are different versions and types of bible.
There are many sites that you may refer to for getting Arabic versions of the Bible and Audio versions also. A link below is an example.
It wasn't. Essentially it is largely unchanged, but there are so many "versions" that it is impossible to say it has been 'preserved'.
It does not. The Bible has been changed and altered so many times and so many different versions are available that it is difficult to know which is the correct Bible, and there are lots of contradictions.
There are many other versions of the bible other than the English Standard Version. These include The New World Translation and The King James Version.
This is a question that can not be answered here, because you are probably referring to a Bible. There are many different versions of the Bible, not just one - so it depends on the kind of Bible you have. Remember, all Bibles are translations - The people who wrote the passages in the Bible did not speak English!
Not in its entirety but you will read verses of Scripture. Here is a link for you that has many 'versions' of the Bible for your reading pleasure:
Henry Barker has written: 'English Bible versions' -- subject(s): Bible, Versions
The Bible can be read online at Bible Gateway or the Blue Letter Bible, where many different versions are available and can be accessed through the Related Links below. There are also many software programmes available.
Yes indeed. I have not only one in front of me right now; I have many Bibles. There are different 'translations' or 'versions'.In the link below, is a picture of a Bible.
They are called 'simple to read' versions. If you are young, there are children's versions.
Lewis Frederick Lupton has written: 'The quarrel' -- subject(s): Bible, History, Versions 'Bethlehem to Lindisfarne' -- subject(s): Bible, Septuagint, Versions 'Love' -- subject(s): Bible, Biography, Geneva, Nobility, Versions 'Faith' -- subject(s): Bible 'Truth' -- subject(s): Bible, History 'Wyclif's wicket' 'Reform' -- subject(s): Bible, History 'Miles Coverdale' -- subject(s): Bible 'Endurance' -- subject(s): Bible, Biography, Bishops, Church of England, Geneva, Versions 'Welcome joy' -- subject(s): Bible, History 'Tyndale, the martyr' -- subject(s): Bible, Biography, History, Reformation, Versions
You can find data concerning various bible versions at the American bible society
You can find a complete Bible reference by searching online. For example, www.biblegateway.com has the Bible in many different versions, both English and other languages.
G. A. Riplinger has written: 'New Age Bible versions' -- subject(s): Accessible book 'Which Bible is God's word?' -- subject(s): Authorized, Bible, Criticism, interpretation, Versions