Red flags

One "red flag" in the translation of the Bible is a translation that follows another intermediate translation rather than the original.
Such red flags become very apparent when modern Greek translations follow the KJV (King James Version), Luther German, Latin Vulgate, etc., rather than use the original Greek where the spelling and meaning of the original words mean the same thing in modern Greek as in ancient Greek.

This page provides some content on such translation issues and links to additional discussion.

A red flag in the story of Zacchaeus is that modern Greek changes the words for "small age" to "small height" even though both words have the same spelling and meaning as they did at the time of Jesus. Original GNT (Greek New Testament).

Λουκάν 19:3 και εζητει ιδειν τον ιησουν τις εστιν και ουκ ηδυνατο απο του οχλου οτι τη ηλικια μικρος ην [gnt]

Two different modern Greek translations:

... διοτι ητο μικρος το αναστημα. [el]

... γιατί ήταν μικρόσωμος. [el]

… turba … statura pusillus … [v]

The ancient Greek word "μικρός" ≈ "small".
The modern Greek word "μικρός" (mee-KROS) ≈ "little, small".

The ancient Greek word "ἡλικία" ≈ "age, maturity".
The modern Greek word "ηλικία" (ee-lee-KEE-a) ≈ "age, maturity".

The modern Greek word "ανάστημα" (a-NA-stee-ma) ≈ "stature, height".
The modern Greek word "μικρόσωμος" (mee-KRO-so-mos) ≈ "small body".

More: Luke 19:1-11 A short discussion on stature

In Revelation, the Greek word for "quickly" when through Latin and eventually became "shortly". One explanation goes as follows.

The Greek word "ταχύς" for "quickly" and, depending on context, could sometimes mean "soon" was translated to the Latin word "cito" which could mean "quickly" or "soon", more so than the Greek. Other languages used this idea to use the word "soon" rather than "quickly".

More: Come quickly: sooner or later

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [kjv]

οτι ο θεος ο ειπων εκ σκοτους φως λαμψει ος ελαμψεν εν ταις καρδιαις ημων προς φωτισμον της γνωσεως της δοξης του θεου εν προσωπω χριστου [gnt]

Paul uses words for "light" as "lamp" but not in Philippians 2:15.

Philippians 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; [kjv]

ινα γενησθε αμεμπτοι και ακεραιοι τεκνα θεου αμωμα μεσον γενεας σκολιας και διεστραμμενης εν οις φαινεσθε ως φωστηρες εν κοσμω [gnt]

… querella … simplices … lucetis … luminaria … mundo [v]

Are those "bishops" and church leadership a "shining" example of "light" or might they just "appear" as "light" and, instead, be part of a "crooked and perverse" nation? Paul appears to leave both meanings as possible.

2 Corinthians 4:6

All

KJV: For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Greek: οτι ο θεος ο ειπων εκ σκοτους φως λαμψαι λαμψει ος ελαμψεν εν ταις καρδιαις ημων προς φωτισμον της γνωσεως της δοξης του θεου εν προσωπω ιησου χριστου

Latin: quoniam Deus qui dixit de tenebris lucem splendescere qui inluxit in cordibus nostris ad inluminationem scientiae claritatis Dei in facie Christi Iesu

A "red flag" is raised or "appears" here!

Paul uses a Greek word for "light" as "lamp" in 2 Corinthians 4:6.
Paul uses a Greek word for "appear" in Philippians 2:15.

Many modern Greek Bibles, two thousand years later:

Use the same Greek word for "light" as "lamp" in 2 Corinthians 4:6.
Change the same Greek word for "appear" in Philippians 2:15 to "light" as "lamp" (as in 2 Corinthians 4:6)

Why would modern Greek change the Greek word in Philippians 2:15? Both words mean the same in ancient Greek as they do today. Might the translators have been influenced by the Latin Vulgate and Middle Age translations?

More: Philippians 2:15 deceptive appearance of a shining light