---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Odd, the way the less the Bible is read…"
description: "\"Odd, the way the less the Bible is read the more it is translated\" — C. S. Lewis"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/c-s-lewis-2-132_bible_odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-t_1721910.png"
---

#  Odd, the way the less the Bible is read the more it is…

![“Odd, the way the less the Bible is read the more it is translated” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/c-s-lewis-2-132_bible_odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-t_1721910.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/c-s-lewis-2-132_bible_odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-t_1721910.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/c-s-lewis-2-132_bible_odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-t_1721910.png)

> “Odd, the way the less the Bible is read the more it is translated”

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Reading the Bible less literally leads to more translations, diluting its original meaning.

**In simple terms:** Less literal reading creates many versions.

Key Takeaway

Seek deeper study to grasp core messages.

Themes

interpretation translation faith

Mood

reflective inquisitive

Type

theoretical educational

When to use this quote

- personal study
- church teaching
- academic research

Key Concepts

biblical scholarship linguistics

Questions to Reflect On

- How does translation affect understanding?
- Can you trust a single version?

A Different Perspective

Translations can still mislead without critical analysis.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-read-288658/) [Biblical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biblical/) [Odd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odd/) [Read Translated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-translated-1346173/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Translated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translated/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-bible-612260/)

## Related quotes

> [Jesus is the only way because the Bible says it to be true. Why? Because only He can bridge the gap between God and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-geisler/jesus-is-the-only-way-because-the-bible-says-it-to-be-true-why/)

[Norman Geisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-geisler/)

> [We must sometimes get away from the Authorized Version, if for no other reason, simply because it is so beautiful and so solemn. Beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/we-must-sometimes-get-away-from-the-authorized-version-if-for-no/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [The value of the Old Testament may be dependant on what seems its imperfection. It may repel one use in order that we may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-value-of-the-old-testament-may-be-dependant-on-what-seems-its/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [The human qualities of the raw materials show through. Naivety, error, contradiction, even (as in the cursing Psalms) wickedness are not removed. The total…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-human-qualities-of-the-raw-materials-show-through-naivety-error/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [One of the things I miss most is that I can no longer read, due to age-related macular degeneration. I get regular injections for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/one-of-the-things-i-miss-most-is-that-i-can-no-longer-read-due-to-age/)

[Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/)

> [The Bible:The more you read it,the more you love it,the more you love it,the more you read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bible-the-more-you-read-it-the-more-you-love-it-the-more-you-love/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [But have you ever seen one?…They shook their heads. "Not Physically, no. But if you look at this passage - " Man, she liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/but-have-you-ever-seen-one-they-shook-their-heads-not-physically-no/)

[Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/)

> [“Many people will never read a Bible, but they will read you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-maye/many-people-will-never-read-a-bible-but-they-will-read-you/)

[Ricky Maye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-maye/)

> [I was scared of the Bible - it seemed whenever I read it I got bad luck. Then I befriended a couple of Jesus's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-orton/i-was-scared-of-the-bible-it-seemed-whenever-i-read-it-i-got-bad-luck/)

[Beth Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-orton/)

> [“A Bible not read is like a bulb not lighted. Only insane people will love to work in the darkness with Kings' bulbs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/a-bible-not-read-is-like-a-bulb-not-lighted-only-insane-people-will/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [“The only wrong way to read the Bible is to not read it at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/the-only-wrong-way-to-read-the-bible-is-to-not-read-it-at-all/)

[Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/)

> [“If Christian, we open the Holy Bible. And read, they shall grow in the knowledge of Christ Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/if-christian-we-open-the-holy-bible-and-read-they-shall-grow-in-the/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [That Bible is read best - which is practiced most!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/that-bible-is-read-best-which-is-practiced-most/)

[J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/)

> [That Bible is read best, which is practised most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/that-bible-is-read-best-which-is-practised-most/)

[J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/)

> [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/)

[Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/)

## More by C. S. Lewis

> [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

[Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

## More Bible quotes

> [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/)

[Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/)

> [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/)

[Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/)

> [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/)

[Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/)

> [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/)

[Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/)

> [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/)

[Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/)

> [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/)

[Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/)

> [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/)

[Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/)

> [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/)

[Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/)

> [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/)

[David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/)

> [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/)

[John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/)

[Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Odd, the way the less the Bible is read the more it is translated",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "C. S. Lewis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-the-more-it-is-translated/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bible"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-the-more-it-is-translated/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/c-s-lewis-2-132_bible_odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-t_1721910.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/c-s-lewis-2-132_bible_odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-t_1721910.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/c-s-lewis-2-132_bible_odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-t_1721910.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Odd, the way the less the Bible is read the more it is translated” — C. S. Lewis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "C. S. Lewis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Odd, the way the less the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-the-more-it-is-translated/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/odd-the-way-the-less-the-bible-is-read-the-more-it-is-translated/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
