Anyone downloaded something from Rapidshare?

[Freeshadow]

as already stated somwhere here their best use is to save oneself the scanning. I usually look for "dark" copies of stuff I own in paper because I know then, that half of the work is already done :P

[Falcao]

Originally Posted by lionel47

Does anyone really hold copyright on the Bible? I would have thought it ran out years ago.

The translations can be copyrighted. In fact, the Bible I'm holding now is copyrighted by the "Confraternity of Christian Doctrine" and the "Catholic Book Publishing Co."

[lionel47]

Originally Posted by Falcao

The translations can be copyrighted. In fact, the Bible I'm holding now is copyrighted by the "Confraternity of Christian Doctrine" and the "Catholic Book Publishing Co."

I see.

This brings another question to mind (and please don't take it the wrong way). If translations are different than each other, is there one that is accepted as the baseline translation? The one closest to the original text?

Also, now that I think about it, can a translation also be an interpretation?

[Ryan_Phx]

Originally Posted by lionel47

I see.

This brings another question to mind (and please don't take it the wrong way). If translations are different than each other, is there one that is accepted as the baseline translation? The one closest to the original text?

Also, now that I think about it, can a translation also be an interpretation?

All translations are interpretations, and nuances are often lost in translation. As for the closest translation, many will claim that. The Douay-Rheims is closest to the Latin used throughout the Middle Ages and still in Catholic Latin masses. However, it is widely known to have errors. If you're really asking about the most accurate, it's in the eye of the beholder. The version a Catholic might chose will probably not be the same as the one a Baptist would use. Ask you priest, minister, etc.

[Falcao]

Originally Posted by lionel47

This brings another question to mind (and please don't take it the wrong way). If translations are different than each other, is there one that is accepted as the baseline translation? The one closest to the original text?

Also, now that I think about it, can a translation also be an interpretation?

For the New Testament I think the one closest to the original text is the "Novum Testamentum Graece", also known as the Nestle-Aland's New Testament. One needs to remember that the New Testament was written originally in Greek.

Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novum_Testamentum_Graece

About the Old Testament, there is an interesting history in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Testament#History

[Falcao]

And about the translations being interpretations the Italians summarize it as "traduttore, tradittore" (translator, traitor).

[lionel47]

I'm always curious about religious texts. They are literally a matter of life and death...on a couple of levels...yet open to interpretation.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by tiniree

As the person who started this post, let me just say that, no, I did not know that this site was considered "illegal". Nor did I, or would I, knowingly download something illegally (music, books, files, etc.).

The site itself is legitimate enough. Unfortunately, though, it is widely used for the distribution of copyright-infringing material. It certainly also has its legitimate uses.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Falcao

For the New Testament I think the one closest to the original text is the "Novum Testamentum Graece", also known as the Nestle-Aland's New Testament. One needs to remember that the New Testament was written originally in Greek.

Yes, the 4th Revised Edition of the UBS "Greek New Testament", which is based on the 26th edition of the Nestle-Aland "Novum Testamentum Graece", is regarded as the "definitive" scholarly New Testament source. It gives a "standard" text, together with all the variant readings from the major manuscript sources (almost 6000 Greek NT manuscripts, ranging from the 2nd to the 16th centuries, are now known to exist, all of which differ from one another to a greater or lesser extent).

The UBS/NA Greek New Testament is the starting point for all modern NT translations, in whatever language.

[mopping five]

Originally Posted by Falcao

And about the translations being interpretations the Italians summarize it as "traduttore, tradittore" (translator, traitor).

This is too delightful. I'm stealing it and plan to shoehorn it into any even remotely tangential discussion.

[jbcohen]

You might not be able to get the NLT, however I would venture to guess that there would be other versions of the Christian bible that you can get free. The Jewish Takanah is freely available for nothing. You know the Takanah as the Torah, same thing different language.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

You might not be able to get the NLT, however I would venture to guess that there would be other versions of the Christian bible that you can get free. The Jewish Takanah is freely available for nothing. You know the Takanah as the Torah, same thing different language.

Sorry to disagree, but the Torah is most certainly not the same thing as the Tanakh.

The Torah is the five "books of Moses". The Tanank is the Hebrew Bible, and consists of the Torah (Teachings), the Nevi'im (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings).

[Falcao]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

You might not be able to get the NLT, however I would venture to guess that there would be other versions of the Christian bible that you can get free.

You can get the Catholic New Testament from the Gutenberg Project. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1582

Addenda: And also the complete Bible: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1581