One point has been made by several posters, which I suspect is almost the
cardinal rule for use of translations:
COMPARE SEVERAL -- especially ones from divergent theological positions --
AND WHERE THEY DIFFER, TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE GREEK!
It was a delight to see how many made this crucial point.
Oftentimes, the differences are due to theological bias (and of course, if
you share the bias of one, you will think it a good translation).
And oftentimes, the differences are due to uncertainties or ambiguities in
the Greek text.
But also oftentimes, the differences are due to the fact that NO
translation can exhaust the meaning of a significant text, and varying
translations may simply point out various dimensions of the text.
Hence, we must be sure to learn to READ Greek, not to translate it, a quite
distinct skill. (Translators, of course, SHOULD learn to translate it!)
--Edward Hobbs
(who has also published translations from Hebrew, Greek, and German)
(and who thus is himself a traitor)