How do translators know what punctuation to use when translating the Bible?

what does the bible say?

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek. Hebrew and Aramaic were written without punctuation and without vowels but included spaces between words. The original Greek was written in all uppercase letters with some punctuation, but without spaces. This is known as continuous writing. In English, however, vowels, spaces, and punctuation are required to render a text legible. So how do translators decide what punctuation to use?Translators must underst and both the original language and the target language. English follows certain grammatical rules for structuring sentences as far as syntax (word order) and punctuation. For instance, Matthew 9:4 literally translated word for word from the original Greek would read, “And having known Jesus the thoughts of them he said so that why think you evil in the hearts of you.” Rearranging the words to follow correct syntax, translators render the phrase, “Jesus knowing their thoughts said why do you think evil in your hearts.” Adding correct punctuation, translators then render it, “Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts?’” The grammatical rules for English dictated that commas offset the participial phrase (“knowing their thoughts”), that a comma introduce a direct quotation, that quotation marks surround the quote, that the first word of the quotation be capitalized, and that the interrogative sentence end with a question mark. The translators first had to underst and the original source language to know what was being said, and then they simply followed the grammatical rules of the target language.

from the old testament

• God spoke through Isaiah saying that His Word will always accomplish its goal (Isaiah 55:11). Punctuation is meant to help us reflect God’s truth, which will always accomplish its goal, even if the punctuation differs from culture to culture.

from the new testament

• Jesus said that no “jot or tittle” – small marks in Hebrew letters – would pass away before He fulfilled them (Matthew 5:18). Punctuation is significant to make God’s Word understandable, but they are just markings to make the truth known.

implications for today

Because some amount of editorial choice exists in each version of the Bible, consulting multiple translations helps. Reading different versions of the Bible helps illuminate particular biases among translations and gives a more complete conception of the ways to underst and each passage of Scripture. Modern translations seek to make Scripture accurate, accessible, and understandable to today’s readers; punctuation is important to achieving that goal. Modern translations seek to reflect the original message of the Bible in a way that resonates with contemporary readers, taking into account the evolution of language and culture. Punctuation, for example, plays a crucial role in clarifying meaning. Ancient manuscripts often lacked punctuation marks, which are essential in modern languages for indicating pauses, emphasis, and the relationships between clauses. Translators must, therefore, make informed decisions about how to punctuate the text so that it aligns with the original passages’ intended meaning. Ultimately, while no translation is perfect, translators have worked meticulously in their fields to assure that the versions we have are as close to the original as possible. The variety of translations available today allows believers to approach the Bible with a deeper and more comprehensive understanding. We’re assured that the core truths of Scripture are preserved across versions, even as language and culture change.

Recap

understand

• The original Bible texts had little to no punctuation, so translators must add punctuation based on understanding the original languages and following the grammar rules of the target language.
• Punctuation helps communicate God’s unchanging truth clearly.
• Modern Bible translations aim to accurately reflect the original message.

reflect

• How does knowing the Bible had little punctuation originally affect the way you approach reading Scripture?
• How can you be more intentional about seeking clarity when studying different Bible translations?
• How can you trust God’s truth to remain clear, even when human translation choices are involved?

engage

• Why is it important for us to underst and the challenges translators face when working with ancient texts?
• How can comparing different Bible translations help us better grasp the meaning of a passage?
• What does it teach us about God’s faithfulness that His Word remains trustworthy across different languages and cultures?