In this introductory sermon to our series ‘Reading the Bible for all its Worth’, we begin to unpack the reality that all readers are interpreters - that is, whenever we read we seek to understand the purpose of the writer and also to discern what the relevance or meaning might be for the reader. In the case of the Bible, this involves translation - not only in language - but also from an ancient culture(s) into our modern (or other) culture(s). This will begin to answer the question ‘Why are there so many Bible translations?’ (at least in English). We will consider this through the window of the ‘occasional’ letters of the New Testament - and especially through the lens of Philippians 1:27-2:18 by asking how the Apostle Paul’s ‘unity’ might apply today - and also to how we interpret the Bible!
Philippians 1:27-2:18
