[ExcelJockey]

Wow, you've really stirred up the "The Bible says it, I believe it, That settles it." group of posters.
I'm also a believer, but treating a 2,000+ year old philosophical text that has been through multiple translations as literally as an automobile repair manual or calculus textbook definitely reflects a certain want of intellect.

[apackof2]

philosophical text that has been through multiple translations

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16

I'm also a believer

Congrats! Just "believing" puts you in the same category as a demon.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. James 2:19

[plain talk]

I'm also a believer, but treating a 2,000+ year old philosophical text that has been through multiple translations as literally as an automobile repair manual or calculus textbook definitely reflects a certain want of intellect.

A believer of what? Do you accept Jesus Christ, the son of God, came to earth and rose from the dead?

[Elsie]

I'm also a believer, but treating a 2,000+ year old philosophical text that has been through multiple translations as literally as an automobile repair manual or calculus textbook definitely reflects a certain want of intellect.

Not quite: MANY translations; yes.

Multiple seems to imply that Text A was translated to B, which was then translated to C, then D, E and F....

This is not the case at all.

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Text A was COPIED to Text A1, that copied to A2, then to A3... ALL in the SAME language.

A TRANSLATION occurs when a group does not speak or read the ORIGINAL text.