The Bible

In one of my classes here at BYUI we have been learning more about the bible. The official stance of the LDS church is that "we believe the bible as far as it is translated correctly. We learned about a version of the bible that is called the breeches bible. in this translation Heavenly Father instead of making coats of skin for Adam and Eve he made Breeches. That part just happens to be super funny. another part of the translation is pretty weird also in the 10 commandments it states "Thou shalt commit adultery" I bet that that translation was pretty popular.....Another interesting thing that we Learned was that the Bible was originally written at a 5th grade reading level but when translated, the translators were concerned with the way that the text sounded for instance in Acts 8:9-24 KJV it reads

" 9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used ^asorcery, and ^bbewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some ^cgreat one:

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

12 But when they believed Philip ^apreaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the ^bname of Jesus Christ, they were ^cbaptized, both men and women.

13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and ^awondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the ^aword of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17 Then ^alaid they their hands on them, and they received the ^bHoly Ghost.

18 And when Simon saw that through ^alaying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19 Saying, Give me also this ^apower, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the ^agift of God may be ^bpurchased with money.

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not ^aright in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy ^awickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the ^bthought of thine ^cheart may be forgiven thee.

23 For I perceive that thou art in the ^agall of bitterness, and in the ^bbond of iniquity.

24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me."

In the original Greek 20-24 Peter says to Simon Magus "to hell with you and your money"

Now that is simple enough I guess. Perhaps not for some. It is interesting to me that this much effort would go into making an already holy book holier. The added words don't really change the meaning or the doctrine in the passage but, In my opinion it changes the way that I look at Peter. I do believe that he was an apostle and martyr for the early Christian church and that he was a man of God. On the other hand Peter was a fisherman I am sure that he told it how it was. I like it better that way. In my mind he is more approachable. Also it seems that Heavenly father could call anyone to be his apostle he knows us and knows what we will do. Well that is enough from the book of Acts for today. For me I like the origional greek I bet that Peter was not to be reckoned with.