Modern Greek Bibles

[Randa]

Can anyone here recommend a good modern Greek Bible for Orthodox Christians? Has the 1904 Patriarchal text been translated into modern Greek? Has the Septuagint? Is there a modern Greek Bible version that includes the Deuterocanon?

As for any other versions in existence what do you think of them? I've only heard of the Vamvas translation but it's apparently Protestant and was done like 100 years ago so I imagine it must be somewhat archaic by now. Thoughts?

[Orthodox11]

It's quite easy to get hold of the NT and the Psalter with the original Greek on one side and a modern Greek translation/paraphrase on the other. I'm not sure if a complete Bible has been published in that format. Perhaps Apostoliki Diakonia has something?

[psalm110]

Im interested to know also.

[Αριστοκλής]

I just did a Bing search and found several online and pdf versions of the Bible in modern Greek. I have not vetted them but some are "out there".

[Randa]

I just did a Bing search and found several online and pdf versions of the Bible in modern Greek. I have not vetted them but some are "out there".

Hmm interesting cause google hasn't been much help to me for some reason. Perhaps I should do a search in Greek.

[Randa]

It's quite easy to get hold of the NT and the Psalter with the original Greek on one side and a modern Greek translation/paraphrase on the other. I'm not sure if a complete Bible has been published in that format. Perhaps Apostoliki Diakonia has something?

Thanks, a whole Bible would be preferable but that'll do for now. Where can I get one?

[Orthodox11]

The NT Text and Translation - I think this is the version we have at home
http://www.apostoliki-diakonia.gr/bookshop/ItemDetails.aspx?ItemCode=99.01.017

[Randa]

I just found this site: https://www.youversion.com/versions/

Wowza! That is one big ass Bible collection! Multiple versions in practically every language under the sun, including some very recent ones. And they got a free mobile app with all the goods too. Awesome!

Their listings for Greek:

Ελληνικά (3)

Η Καινή Διαθήκη του Κυρίου και Σωτήρος ημών Ιησού Χριστού κατά νεοελληνικήν απόδοσιν (NTV)
Η Αγία Γραφή (Παλαιά και Καινή Διαθήκη) (TGV)
Η Αγία Γραφή με τα Δευτεροκανονικά (Παλαιά και Καινή Διαθήκη) (TGVD)

Ελληνιστική Κοινή (4)

Η ΚΑΙΝΗ ΔΙΑΘΗΚΗ ΕΓΚΡΙΣΕΙ ΤΗΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ (NTPT)
SBL Greek New Testament (SBLG)
Elzevir Textus Receptus 1624 (TR1624)
Scrivener’s Textus Receptus 1894 (TR1894)

The NT Text and Translation - I think this is the version we have at home
http://www.apostoliki-diakonia.gr/bookshop/ItemDetails.aspx?ItemCode=99.01.017

Thank you!

[ialmisry]

It's quite easy to get hold of the NT and the Psalter with the original Greek on one side and a modern Greek translation/paraphrase on the other. I'm not sure if a complete Bible has been published in that format. Perhaps Apostoliki Diakonia has something?

Thanks, a whole Bible would be preferable but that'll do for now. Where can I get one?

The Gideons, or the United Bible Socities.  A lot of them used to be in Katherevousa, it that matters.

[jmbejdl]

I just found this site: https://www.youversion.com/versions/

Wowza! That is one big ass Bible collection! Multiple versions in practically every language under the sun, including some very recent ones. And they got a free mobile app with all the goods too. Awesome!

Their listings for Greek:

Ελληνικά (3)

Η Καινή Διαθήκη του Κυρίου και Σωτήρος ημών Ιησού Χριστού κατά νεοελληνικήν απόδοσιν (NTV)
Η Αγία Γραφή (Παλαιά και Καινή Διαθήκη) (TGV)
Η Αγία Γραφή με τα Δευτεροκανονικά (Παλαιά και Καινή Διαθήκη) (TGVD)

Ελληνιστική Κοινή (4)

Η ΚΑΙΝΗ ΔΙΑΘΗΚΗ ΕΓΚΡΙΣΕΙ ΤΗΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ (NTPT)
SBL Greek New Testament (SBLG)
Elzevir Textus Receptus 1624 (TR1624)
Scrivener’s Textus Receptus 1894 (TR1894)

The NT Text and Translation - I think this is the version we have at home
http://www.apostoliki-diakonia.gr/bookshop/ItemDetails.aspx?ItemCode=99.01.017

Thank you!

I know nothing about the Greek versions but out of curiosity I checked the Romanian ones on there and note that the accepted Orthodox version is not included. I had to look up the NTR version because I've never heard of it, but that appears to be Protestant. The Cornilescu versions likewise are Protestant. Makes me suspicious of the site as a whole.

James

[Randa]

I see this Greek version has the Apocrypha, it appears to be the Catholic Deuterocanon as opposed to the full LXX Deuterocanon though:

https://www.youversion.com/versions/346

Better than nothing I guess. I see this version is the same as the one sold here: http://www.orthodoxmarketplace.com/bibles/greek-modern/ which is endorsed by the church of Greece.

So looks like I found what I'm looking for.

[Randa]

I know nothing about the Greek versions but out of curiosity I checked the Romanian ones on there and note that the accepted Orthodox version is not included. I had to look up the NTR version because I've never heard of it, but that appears to be Protestant. The Cornilescu versions likewise are Protestant. Makes me suspicious of the site as a whole.

James

I don't see any reason to be suspicious. They have the 1904 Patriarchal text, loads of Catholic versions and some Orthodox versions. It seems they just post whichever versions they can get permission to display. Alert them of the Romanian Orthodox versions and I'm sure they'll add them if they can get permission to.

[ialmisry]

I know nothing about the Greek versions but out of curiosity I checked the Romanian ones on there and note that the accepted Orthodox version is not included. I had to look up the NTR version because I've never heard of it, but that appears to be Protestant. The Cornilescu versions likewise are Protestant. Makes me suspicious of the site as a whole.

James

I don't see any reason to be suspicious. They have the 1904 Patriarchal text, loads of Catholic versions and some Orthodox versions. It seems they just post whichever versions they can get permission to display. Alert them of the Romanian Orthodox versions and I'm sure they'll add them if they can get permission to.

The edition of the Holy Synod was published in conjunction with the United Bible Society IIRC.  It's here:
http://www.bibliaortodoxa.ro/

[Randa]

Nice, I'll alert YouVersion when I have time so they can add it to their database. Makes no sense not to have a Romanian Orthodox Bible on there as the majority of Romanians are Orthodox aren't they? But those 19th century Protestant public domain translations are the easiest to obtain in electronic format, so I'm not surprised there's still a lack of Orthodox representation on these Bible database sites.

[psalm110]

How does the orthodox church view the Apocryphia ? Is it considered holy scripture ?

[Randa]

Yes it is.

[psalm110]

This is going to sound silly but which version of the modern Greek bible is translated from the Septuagint ? Or are they all translated from the Septuagint and approved by the orthodox church ?

Thanks

[Orthodox11]

This is going to sound silly but which version of the modern Greek bible is translated from the Septuagint ? Or are they all translated from the Septuagint and approved by the orthodox church ?

A lot of modern Greek Bibles don't include the Deuterocanonical books, but I'm not sure if that means it's translated from the Hebrew. I'm guessing even Protestant translations make use of the LXX, at least as a primary source.

[Randa]

Looking again at YouVersion I see that there's 2 versions of "Today's Greek Version", one without deuterocanon:

Η Αγία Γραφή (Παλαιά και Καινή Διαθήκη) (TGV)

and one with deuterocanon:

Η Αγία Γραφή με τα Δευτεροκανονικά (Παλαιά και Καινή Διαθήκη) (TGVD)

It's the one with deuterocanon that is approved by the Church of Greece. However this probably means that the books of the protocanon were translated from Hebrew while only the books of the deuterocanon were translated from the LXX. Looking at the Book of Psalms of TGVD I don't see Psalm 151 for example:

https://www.youversion.com/bible/346/psa.1.tgvd

Someone with a better grasp of modern Greek can take a look and confirm for us. And I'm guessing that the NT is translated from the critical Nestle-Aland UBS text instead of the Byzantine text. So what it really looks like to me is a Catholic edition of the TGV, much like the Catholic editions of the RSV & NRSV. Not ideal but better than nothing.

[Randa]

This is going to sound silly but which version of the modern Greek bible is translated from the Septuagint ? Or are they all translated from the Septuagint and approved by the orthodox church ?

A lot of modern Greek Bibles don't include the Deuterocanonical books, but I'm not sure if that means it's translated from the Hebrew. I'm guessing even Protestant translations make use of the LXX, at least as a primary source.

Protestant scholars and translators do consult the LXX although they translate from the Hebrew, they will sometimes document variant readings from the LXX in the footnotes.

[Cyrillic]

This is going to sound silly but which version of the modern Greek bible is translated from the Septuagint ? Or are they all translated from the Septuagint and approved by the orthodox church ?

A lot of modern Greek Bibles don't include the Deuterocanonical books, but I'm not sure if that means it's translated from the Hebrew. I'm guessing even Protestant translations make use of the LXX, at least as a primary source.

Protestant scholars and translators do consult the LXX although they translate from the Hebrew, they will sometimes document variant readings from the LXX in the footnotes.

This. Almost all Bible version use the LXX in Psalm 22:16/22:17 where it says "they pierced my hands and my feet."

[psalm110]

are even the modern greek versions of the Old Testament translated from the Masoretic Text ?

[Randa]

Depends who's doing the translating, Orthodox or Protestant scholars. Apostoliki Diakonia is an Orthodox institution so I they would only used the Church's texts, but it looks like they've only translated the NT and Psalter to date, not the entire OT yet. The Hellenic Bible Society which publishes most modern Greek Bibles is a branch of the United Bible Societies which is a Protestant institution made up mostly of Protestant or Catholic scholars who adhere to modern textual criticism: Masoretic Hebrew text for the OT and critical Greek text for the NT (the Orthodox Church uses the Byzantine Greek text for their NT). It doesn't appear that the entire LXX has been translated into modern Greek by anyone yet. That's bummer IMO as the majority of Greeks today are still Orthodox.

[psalm110]

What about the bibles used in church by the priests ? Are they koine Greek ?

[Randa]

Yes Koine. I think that most of the liturgical books have been translated into modern Greek though.

[Orthodox11]

I think that most of the liturgical books have been translated into modern Greek though.

Have they? Other than Holy Scripture, I don't think I've ever seen a liturgical book in modern Greek. The Divine Liturgy, perhaps.

[Cyrillic]

What about the bibles used in church by the priests ? Are they koine Greek ?

Yes.

[psalm110]

Is koine Greek hard to learn/understand if you know modern Greek ?

[Cyrillic]

Is koine Greek hard to learn/understand if you know modern Greek ?

It's easier to learn, I heard, since some words are similiar and you won't have to learn a new alphabet.

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