Bible Encyclopedias
Translation, Biblical

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(See VERSIONS, TRANSLATION), in ecclesiastical usage, is the removal of a bishop from the charge of one diocese to that of another. After such removal, the bishop, in all his attestations, dates: from the year of his translation (anno translationis nostrae), not from that of his consecration (anno consecrationis nostrae). In the early Church a bishop could not translate himself to another see without the consent and approbation of a provincial council. Some, indeed, thought it absolutely unlawful for a bishop to forsake his first see and betake himself to any other, because they looked upon his consecration to be a sort of marriage to his church, and therefore looked upon his removal to another see as spiritual adultery.

Bibliography Information
McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Translation, Biblical'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​tce/​t/translation-biblical.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.