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Word-for-Word Literal TR Versions

Information and Review

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

Robert Young, general editor of Young's Concordance published his literal translation in 1862, with two revisions. Young uses the the *Masoretic Hebrew for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus Greek for the New Testament. Young is more literal than some translations in that he respects tense (present, past, future) of the original language, even when it reads strangely in English. He also, like the ASV-1901, appropriately translates the name of God as Jehovah instead of 'Lord' using small-capital letters.

Young's has been my go-to literal translation for many years - often, when I am looking at literal renderings I will check both Young and Green, but at least just as often, I only check Young. The YLT is also always free as a 1862 publication, whereas Greens is still under copyright.

* Young's Masoretic text is not specified per se, but KJV used the Ben Chayyim Rabbinic Bible and Young says in his preface to his first edition, "It has been no part of the Translator's plan to attempt to form a New Hebrew or Greek Text--he has therefore somewhat rigidly adhered to the received ones" (from Christian Classics Ethereal Library CCEL.org). Also, I personally checked a few verses which can vary in other Masoretic source texts (1 Kings 20:38, Zephaniah 3:15) and confirmed that YLT matches the KJV's Ben Chayyim source.

Green's Literal Translation (LITV also KJ3)

Sir Jay P. Green is the general editor and translator for a classic interlinear Bible (1976) using the Masoretic Hebrew for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus Greek for the New Testament. There is word for word translation under Greek and Hebrew (1976) and a very slightly 'more-translated' rendering (1985) in the side column, which is still extemely close to the word for word. For example, In Genesis 1:1, the interlinear text starts, "in-the-beginning (7225) created (1254) God (430)," while the side text starts, with Chapter and verse, "In the beginning God created." The LITV is that side-column rendering of the literal word-for-word, and is also known as the KJ3.

This interlinear is an excellent resource and the transparency of readable side-column right beside the original Greek or Hebrew with direct word for word, also coded with Strong's numbers is extreamly useful. As far a using the LITV in Bible software, apart from the Interlinear, I have a sustained personal preference for the Young's Literal Translation.

Literal Standard Version (LSV)

The LSV (2020) is a very literal translation based directly on Young's Literal Translation (YLT), which I have personally appreciated for many years. The LSV uses the TR for the New Testament, which makes sense as it was based on the YLT, but it specifies that the translators also made use of Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine texts (same critical 'family' as TR, esp. for the Gospels). This makes the LSV an acceptable study resource for pastors and Bible students of King James Only association.

This LSV version has a few unusual renderings. Most notably, it renders the Name of God as "YHWH" without translation/transliteration and translates 'baptism' as 'immersion'. There are other word-translations which use uncommon choices. Two additional examples are the translation of 'Scriptures' as 'Writings', and 'Angels' being translated as 'Messengers.' Both of these are acurate choices, and these and other uncommon word choices (apart from YHWH and immersion) are inherited from the YLT. Those who are, like me, used to using the YLT, may not see a reason to use the LSV instead, but it seems a good alternative.