Translating the Book of Enoch - with Kip Farrar, creator of the Modern Standard Version
Weird Stuff in the BibleSummary
Kip Farrah, the creator of the Modern Standard Version (MSV) of the Book of Enoch, shares insights into his translation process and the significance of the text in a recent discussion. Farrah, who has a background in media production and a familial connection to the church, embarked on this project after years of research for his own book, "Demons at the Cross." His goal was to create a modern, accessible version of the Book of Enoch that accurately reflects its biblical connections, as he found existing translations lacking in readability and clarity.
The MSV distinguishes itself by presenting the text in a lyrical format, akin to the poetic style of the Old Testament, which Farrah believes enhances comprehension. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining theological integrity while modernizing the language, aiming to preserve the original intent of the text. Farrah also addresses the historical reliability of the Book of Enoch, acknowledging its mixed reception among scholars but asserting its value for contextual biblical study. He notes that while the Book of Enoch is not considered scripture, it offers significant insights into the cultural and spiritual landscape of the time.
Throughout the conversation, Farrah discusses various themes within the Book of Enoch, including its apocalyptic visions and the portrayal of angels and giants. He highlights the text's relevance in understanding biblical narratives, particularly in relation to the New Testament. The discussion also touches on the Book of Enoch's prophetic elements, including its messianic references, which some believe contributed to its exclusion from the biblical canon. Farrah encourages readers to explore the MSV for its extensive footnotes and cross-references, which provide a deeper understanding of its connections to scripture.
Show Notes
This episode is available to WATCH at this link: https://youtu.be/RgGLWTckm6A Anytime someone tells me they want to read the Book of Enoch, I always recommend the Modern Standard Version. There’s a lot of versions of Enoch out there, and I read a lot of them this year, but the MSV was the most readable and also included the most cross-references with the Bible of any Enoch version I’ve seen. Today I'm joined by a special guest, the creator of the Modern Standard Version of the Book of Enoch, Kip Farrar. Find his version on Amazon by following this link: https://a.co/d/0gZjR3CF Learn more about Kip and his work at: https://www.farrarstories.com —— Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here: https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.... Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com Visit the Weird Stuff store! https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-sp... You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one. If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected] Hosted by Luke Taylor If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
More from Weird Stuff in the Bible
The shocking thing about the Tower of Babel story is not that people were dumb enough to think they could build a tower to heaven. History is full of infamously ridiculous ideas that mankind has come up with. In a world where people made medicine with mercury in it, made Coca-Cola with cocaine in it, and made two more seasons of The Office without Steve Carell in it, clearly we are prone to some bad ideas; it’s no surprise that humanity would also try to make a tower that could reach God’s heavenly domain. The shocking thing is not that they were dumb enough to build a tower to heaven. The shocking thing is that they were smart enough to do it.
Interview today with Will Blesch, author of the 2026 book In the Shadow of Goliath. Will digs deep into history and archaeology, unlocking ancient mysteries by approaching these topics from a biblical framework. He joins me on a video call from where he lives in Israel in this episode. Learn more about his book and his library of work at his website: https://www.williamblesch.com/in-the-shadow-of-goliath/ —— Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here: https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.... Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com Visit the Weird Stuff store! https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-sp... You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one. If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected] Hosted by Luke Taylor If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!
I know the podcast is called Weird Stuff in the Bible, but today, I want to start with something that’s weird in our world: ziggurats. A ziggurat is a pyramid-like structure. It starts with a massive base, and every level going up gets a little bit smaller. They often have steps up the sides so you can climb to the top. You’ve probably seen pictures before of ziggurats in ancient Babylon, Mesopotamia, from the Aztecs, from the Mayans—there’s even one in Collinsville, Illinois. And here’s what’s so weird about it: this structure is replicated in all kinds of societies all around the world. Different nations, different languages, different cultures—and yet we keep seeing ziggurats repeated across the planet. My question is: why? Well, where do all ancient nations, languages and cultures come from? According to the Bible, they all got started at this event called the Tower of Babel. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the Tower of Babel was a ziggurat. I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible. Turn to Genesis 11, and let’s get weird.
Listen here, or watch the interview right here: https://youtu.be/PpolOnhpvvs The interview today is with Derrick Warfel, author of UFOS AND GOD, as well as the creator of a new documentary by the same name. Learn more about the book here: https://ufosandgodbook.com And the documentary here: https://www.ufosandgod.com Derrick Warfel was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor's degree from Princeton, a Master of Theology from Dallas, and an MFA from USC. After eight years on staff with CRU, Derrick spent the next four decades in the film industry, creating and teaching media from a biblical worldview. This interview is part of celebrating the third year anniversary of this podcast! Look for another interview or two to drop this month.
Last fall I did an episode asking “What was the big deal about a tower that reaches to heaven?” And that episode ended up setting records. At the time, it was probably my most popular episode ever, and it held that position for many months. If I were smart, I probably would have followed it up with 10 more episodes right then about the Tower of Babel. There was clearly a lot of interest in this subject to know what exactly was going on there. And yet, for me, that was one of my not-so-favorite episodes. Why? Because I really asked more questions than I provided answers. I was questioning why the builders at Babel thought they could somehow make it to heaven by building a tower all the way up there. Were they really that stupid- or was there something more spiritual going on with this tower? And most puzzling to me of all: what was it about this structure that caused God to say in Genesis 11:6