What does it actually take to translate the Bible — and is the New Living Translation really just a paraphrase? If you've ever heard that criticism, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Church Around the World, Dan Ehrman sits down with Dr. Andrew Abernethy — professor of Old Testament and assistant dean at Wheaton College's Divinity School, and a member of the New Living Translation Bible committee — to pull back the curtain on the NLT translation process and what it means to make Scripture genuinely accessible without sacrificing accuracy.

Three takeaways for church leaders:

• The NLT is not a paraphrase. It comes from a team of top evangelical scholars wrestling simultaneously with original-language accuracy and understandable English — a rigorous, two-stage process most readers never see.
• Translation is always interpretation. From the word "redeemer" in Ruth to a contested phrase in Matthew 1, every translation choice involves asking: what would this have meant then, and how do we communicate that clearly today?
• Scripture transforms whole families. Dr. Abernethy's own story — from a basketball family with no Bible background to an NLT committee member — is a reminder that God works powerfully through faithful engagement with His Word.

"Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." — Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

This episode is a rich resource for any pastor or ministry leader who wants to understand — and confidently recommend — the New Living Translation Bible to their congregation.

Learn more about Dr. Abernethy and the NLT:
Dr. Andrew Abernethy - Wheaton College
New Living Translation
NLT Scholars
God's Messiah in the Old Testament
Andrew Abernethy - LinkedIn

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