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What is The Lamsa Bible?
#1
(Thanks to Mr. Otto G. Raabe for this explanation)

George Marmisho Lamsa was an Aramaic-speaking Christian who was born in northern Iraq in 1890. Lamsa was a brilliant linguist whose native language was Aramaic and adopted language was English. He was a pioneer in defense of the Peshitta who effectively introduced the existence and primacy of Aramaic scriptures to America beginning in 1933. Lamsa wrote: "Not a word of the Scripture was originally written in Greek." Those were fighting words to some people!

In the early 20th Century the King James or Authorized Version of the Bible was truly king and used almost exclusively by all protestant denominations in the U.S. A native, Aramaic-speaking, Assyrian Christian, Lamsa's innate intelligence eventually led him to Anglican schools in the Middle East through High School and College. He received a degree said to be equivalent Doctor of Theology from an Anglican School in Turkey. When he eventually immigrated to the U.S. he also attended the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School, and the Episcopal Virginia Theological Seminary.

Lamsa really appreciated the beautiful style of the King James or Authorized Version (KJV) but was shocked by the numerous errors that he saw in contrast to his beloved Peshitta. In addition, he truly believed that his calling from God was to translate the Peshitta into English in light of semitic cultural understandings. To this cause he single-handedly dedicated his life with little resources and the charity of many people. Although he sought financial help in his work from many churches and remained neutral, he somewhat favored the conservative and liturgical Episcopal Church having attended Anglican and Episcopal seminaries.

Recognizing the strength of the Authorized Version tradition, Lamsa merged the Peshitta, the wording style of the KJV, and modern 20th Century English to produce his "Four Gospels" in 1933, the "New Testament According to the Eastern Text" in 1940, and the entire "Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts" in 1956 including both the New and Old Testaments and the non-Peshitta New Testament books of Jude, 2nd Peter, 2nd and 3rd John, and Revelation. His was one of the first easily understood modern-English Bible translations, which contributed, in part, to its early popularity. Lamsa also wrote several books including four Bible commentaries describing the customs and life-style of early Aramaic-speaking Christians.

But was Lamsa praised for his remarkable ground-breaking work? No, he was and is still attacked and criticized from all sides. To the traditional Aramaic speaker his work in English is swayed too much by the KJV, or doesn't agree with their reading of the Aramaic text, or some of his cultural interpretations are viewed as anti-supernatural, or some of his wordings are swayed too much by his personal views. Also, the fact that Lamsa included the non-Peshitta New Testament books is considered unacceptable by some since they are not considered to be canonical by the Assyrian Christians.

To Protestant and Roman Catholic theologians Lamsa's work is viewed as an assault on the accuracy of their honored translations and sanctified "original Greek New Testament" or on the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy. (We can readily believe in the inerrancy of the original autographs, but those no longer exist. We study the oldest scriptures to better understand the original message.) In some circles Lamsa's commentaries are described as heretical while to Lamsa they were intended to be based on the underlying semitic culture of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures.
+Shamasha Paul bar-Shimun de'Beth-Younan
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#2
So, what was the source for the W5 he used? Greek or Peshitto?
Edit: Seems like he just used the KJV and updated the language??
Jesus is the one true God of the Bible.
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#3
Does the bible speak of someone praising themselves and putting others down? I have a friend that does this and he keeps telling me what a wonderful christian he is so I was wondering is there anything in the bible that talks about this. Also is there anything that talks about needing to be the center of attention and believing that it is ok to yell at scream at others. Please can someone help me on this.
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#4
banthee Wrote:Does the bible speak of someone praising themselves and putting others down? I have a friend that does this and he keeps telling me what a wonderful christian he is so I was wondering is there anything in the bible that talks about this. Also is there anything that talks about needing to be the center of attention and believing that it is ok to yell at scream at others. Please can someone help me on this.
Jesus said "i am humble", and he was speaking against scribes, pharisees,and priests. Paul was kind of praising himself, and he also criticised Peter at least once. He also said he laboured more than all the 12 apostles.
But, obviously, boasting is not christian behaviour, and Jesus and Paul both showed on very many occasions, where they humbled themselves. It seems to me, that Jesus and Paul both only said what really needed to be said, that's it. Your "friend" sounds strange to me. Ask him what's the purpose behind him telling people how awesome he is. Since he's proud, his given purpose won't fit his statements (like, he could say, "so that people know how good Jesus is", but if his words are not focused on how JESUS made him so great and awesome, that's obviously not true.
Jesus is the one true God of the Bible.
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#5
I was reading Lamsa translation and it looks to me
too liberal. My preference is Murdock.
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#6
The Lamsa Translation is a breath of Holy Spirit and is an easy read ? so much so that an 8-year-old child could read from Genesis to Revelation and understand it with little to no help from others, other than the Holy Spirit of God.

I am aware that there are more than 250 translations of the Bible, more than that number of world languages and probably the same or more in Christian?s interpretations of the translations of the Bible.

But, Why? You would have to ask yourself, are there so many translations when there is only One God, who is ?God the Father, God the Son-Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit.

I have been a Christian or should I more true to Bible say a ?Son of God? since 1977 and have seen and heard Christians, the body of Christ with all the division, bickering, arguing and fussing over ?their? doctrines.

Jesus said His Doctrine was not His but His that sent Him ? God?s ? Right!
And many such things did Jesus say of the Words He spoke and the things He did. It was the Father doing it and giving Him what to say.
It is also said of the Holy Spirit that He would not say His own but only what He hears ? from God ? right?

Doctrine is teaching by use of words ? in this instance we are speaking specifically of God?s Word that is what man is to live by. (Truly only by way of the new birth)

Now, there is one who does speak his own (make them up) and is a liar because he can?t speak the truth because there is no truth in him ? that is the devil-satan.

You should be able to find in most any translation where God says ? Let God be true and every man a liar ? can you see why God said that?

Now those who might not agree with the Lamsa Translation ? where are you getting your doctrine from, considering there is only one source for truth.
Who (or whom) besides the Holy Spirit is giving you your interpretation of God?s Word ?

And if you are having trouble with that, it just tells me you are having trouble hearing God?s voice, the voice of the Good Shepherd, the voice of the Holy Spirit.

If you can?t hear God ? how can you get into agreement with what He is actually saying and meaning?

Man! (and I mean that literally) let God interpret His own Word ? He does know what He is Saying.

So on what authority can you disqualify this translation over others.

I highly recommend the Lamsa Translation of the Holy Bible to any and all who are serious students of the Bible, God?s Word and want to grow truly up to be like the Jesus of the Gospels Sons of God of the Epistles.
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#7
Hi Brother,

Glad you like Lamsa translation about which exist a lot of different opinions at this forum.
Christians who argue about doctrines miss an important point and might show a lack of spirit.
But even the first age christians argued about doctrines, e.g. Paul argued about false doctrines that already existed in his age.

Finally 2 Corinthians 3:6 'scripture kills, but spirit makes alive'.

What I understand here, that even if a translation is flawed or not, it is the spirit that discerns the truth.
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#8
I was wondering which English translation of the Peshitta does the CoE most recommend to their church members and if there are any that they strongly do not recommend?
Thanks,
Monalisa
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