What Bible version do you prefer?

[Twinky]

Thought it might be interesting to consider what we might be reading nowadays. Does anyone from choice still read KJV? When I first started to recover from TWI, I read The Message, which is about as far away from KJV as you can get. Now, I read other versions, one or two in particular.

This list is from one of the popular Bible study websites, Biblestudytools.com, abridged from a list of their most popular versions. There are, of course, lots of other lists of "most popular" Bibles so apologies if your favorite isn't included.

You might also like to add comments about why you use the version(s) you do - what's good about them.

[excathedra]

i don't know - i was thinking about this recently - can anyone give me advice so that i can have a renewed interest? thank you

[Twinky]

I like Holman Christian Standard, which I happened across at a Christian bookshop. Never seen one before or since, but it's known by others in my church.

Biblestudytools (noted above) describes it thus: "The HCS is a highly readable, accurate translation written in modern English. It is published by Holman Bible Publishers, the oldest Bible publisher in America. word-for-word"

It seems well translated with good nuances, yet it's easy to read.

The Message is so off-the-wall that at times you'll scratch your head wondering what passage you are reading - it's a zillion miles from KJV - yet once you understand what it's saying, you "get it" in Petersen's version.

I had a New Living Translation (NLT) at one time but gave it to a newly-exploring Christian because of its readability: "Using modern English, the translators of the NLT focused on producing clarity in the meaning of the text rather than creating a literal, word-for-word equivalence. Their goal was to create a clear, readable translation while remaining faithful to original texts. thought-for-thought."

Hope you find something that suits you, Excie.

[Rocky]

i don't know - i was thinking about this recently - can anyone give me advice so that i can have a renewed interest? thank you

I don't read the bible much, but when I do, I prefer the New International Version.

[Keith]

I still read the KJV mostly just because I did most of my study in and out of TWI with it so it triggers my memory. Plus it is a beautiful translation, very poetic. But I love so many of the other translation as well. Sometimes if I just want to read for enjoyment and broad meaning I pick up The Message. It is very paraphrase, but it is enjoyable to read.

[OperaBuff]

KJV is my version of choice, but I'm learning to really appreciate the English Standard Version. Crossway produces a fine ESV study Bible that I really like. Most of my Bibles are study Bibles, but when I want to read the text free of footnotes and explanations, I go to the KJV. Thank thee for asking.

[Twinky]

Thou art welcome, Miss Buff.

I find I've read KJV so much that the words often slide past my eyes without registering - or perhaps I'm trying not to acknowledge some sort of teaching around a verse. Anyway, other versions give slightly different insights, nuances, ways of looking at a verse.

Sometimes, too, a few words have been attached to a different phrase, or the punctuation is different, which gives a different emphasis to what is being said.

[Steve Lortz]

I still think (remember) in KJV. If I'm not just reading for fun with the archaic English, but doing research, like we used to do with Young's and Bullinger's, I use Blue Letter Bible and KJV keywords, because that's what I remember. I like reading the NIV for devotional type stuff, to flush my thinking of some of the old TWI associations. We use NRSV at the seminary. It's gender-neutral language trips me up sometimes.

During the past year, we were studying basic Greek, which is like reading the "See Dick and Jane run." books, if you're old enough to remember those. This fall, we began advanced Greek where we can use any references we want to use, and do our own translation of passages from the New Testament. We are currently working on Philippians 2:1-11.

Where KJV has "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy,", I translated it "If therefore what calling in Christ, if what consolation of love, if what fellowship of spirit, if what guts and compassions, top-off my joy,"

Where KJV has "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God," I translated it, "who in form of God beginning did not lead plunder the being equal to God."

So I call my translation "the G&PV", or "the Guts and Plunder Version"

Love,

Steve

Edited September 19, 2012 by Steve Lortz

[WordWolf]

For discussions here, I'll cut and paste in the KJV, because it's here.

For looking things up, I use the KJV and then check another version-I can look things up

faster that way.

For my own use, I use the NASB and recommend it around. It has the italics, clear, modern

language, attempts to translate consistently (word A is rendered word 1 each usage),

and lots of work went into it so it's a lot more accurate to the texts than the KJV.

(I pursue a sort of Zeno's Paradox of accuracy.) It also translates word for word,

which suits me best.

I first heard of it from other ex-twiérs, but reading Neil Lightfoot's "How We Got the Bible"

impressed me about it. Then I went and started using it. Interestingly, Lightfoot never said

it was his favorite there, but it sounded a LOT better than the NKJV and the NIV to hear him

describe each.

I've also used the NIV and Contemporary English Version to make comparisons.

Mind you, I like Shakespeare so I can follow the KJV just fine, but I think 500 years had meant

many other versions exceed it in quality.

[socks]

I use the Amplified bible a lot for reading. I've got a King James, and several others.

The software app's that can load up multiple versions are great. There's several online that are very easy to use. Plus you can make the fonts bigger.

I got a page magnifier too, one that I can lay over the pages and read. The Large Print versions are kind of expensive, but I'll probably get one of those one of these days. Easier on the ol' eyes.

[Twinky]

Socks, I managed to get via Gideons a giant print NIV New Testament & Psalms (they also do large print - smaller than giant). NIV only.

My Mum can now read it with ease and regards this Bible as her most treasured possession. Gideons give their Bibles out free (though donations are probably welcome).

You might want to see if you can get a Bible via them.

I too tend to "think" in KJV, perhaps most of us here do. And to use here, for familiarity's sake. I study using KJV, lots of resources, Amplified, Companion, etc. But for just reading, I prefer to read something a little fresher and more modern.

For those who read New KJV (and isn't there another version too, KJV2000 or some such?) - what do you think of it? There are some subtle and some not so subtle differences in translation, not just updating words and phrases. Why do you like it? Do the differences bother you, do you find them helpful or annoying, do you revert in your thinking back to KJV?

[OperaBuff]

Have any of you tried the paragraphed KJV? Here's a link to a good review of one, with pictures:

http://www.bibledesi...k-goatskin.html

I quite like it. The text is the same as the traditional KJV numbered verse-per-line format, but the paragraphs provide a more natural reading experience.

[GeorgeStGeorge]

What can I say? I'm "old-school," using primarily the KJV and Douay versions. Most of the time, though, I use Kurt Aland's edition of the Greek New Testament. I went to a Jesuit high school, so I took Latin as a freshman, and, having done well in that, was placed in Greek as a sophomore. Greek was taught MWF, with Theology taught at the same time period TuTh, so we all received Greek New Testaments (which we couldn't read until about halfway through the second semester). I dug it out when taking PFAL (in grad school), and have been using it ever since. The binding is a little worn now, but it's held up well for over 40 years!

George

[geisha779]

For everyday use I have the Holman CSB Apologetics bible. . . . they mention TWI several times in the notes. I have an NIV Women's devotional bible that I also use.....there are loads of versions I avoid, but the one I personally can't stand reading anymore is the King James version.

[socks]

Thanks, I'll check that out Twinky!

OperaBuff, that looks cool. I've seen those but never gotten one. That seems like it would facilitate easier reading. I have trouble with the "black page" as Frank Zappa might have called it - the small print with as many words as possible jammed in. Too hard to read.

I had a "good news for modern man" Bible I picked up years ago, soft cover, some kind of woven vinyl or something but it's held up well. It's a larger print and I've used it for years for reading too.

I appreciate the software applications that allow me to look at several versions at once, cross reference the Strong's, get some commentary libraries and read things. Online Bible is one I've used the most, it's a free download, although I think they have a complete version you can get on DVD or disk now. Very cool.

[waysider]

Just curious.

Does anyone use an e-reader version?

[socks]

I do, iPad, ASV.

I like touch screen functionality, it's good for certain kinds of stuff. Whiffing around material onscreen is fast 'n' easy.

Wanted to add, that I encourage others to read the Bibl. I meet many people who read the latest books and through that read verses of the Bible but don't read the Bible itself much. I recommend starting in the Gospels, though the epistles and then backing up to the Old Testament and then read up again through the N.T.

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

NRSV, ESV, NIV, NASBU, LB, NLT, CSB, Contemporary English Bible, Message, Amplified

[rascal]

I love the message. It is still too difficult for me to read kjv without feeling the twi taint. It has taken many years to get to the place where i can even open the bible without getting angry.

[Twinky]

I know that exactly, Rascal. Can't read without feeling angry - or condemned. I used The Message when I first started reading again. About as far from KJV as you can get.

I am really quite surprised at the number who say they read KJV as a preferred reading (not study) Bible, which is the clear preference so far. I thought TWI teaching might have put nearly everyone off and that people might have migrated to NRSV or similar. Though some may use KJV as only one of several versions they read from choice / preference.

[krys]

I like a few of them....I like the Amplified Bible and KJV best.

[johnj]

The problem with KJV is that so many words are meaningless. You might just as well have blanks in many verses, because people are understanding things by context and essentially skipping the word in their minds. For instance, we know that Jon Baptiizer's head wasn't brought on an electrical cord you plug in the socket to charge your phone, so we assume that "charger" must be some kind of a plate. Worthless words.

Worse yet are words that mislead. When people read "conversation" in KJV they usually assume it means talking with people. But in the 1600s conversation meant behavior. So KJV actually deceives people in places (though unintentionally).

Translations like The Message are engaging and easy reading, which is nice for some people. But it's close to impossible to do a serious word study with. So what translation you use depends partly on who you are and what you do with it.

[Twinky]

Can't agree with you on that, John. KJV's words are not "meaningless" and in fact are very meaningful. It's just that the meaning of some words has changed over the years, centuries, and one has to get back in 1600s mind-frame...which is quite difficult for many. If one doesn't have a good grasp of today's English language, it's even more difficult.

We see that word-meaning change constantly in today's life. "It's wicked!" actually means "It's very good!"

Modern versions like The Message, NLT, etc are really easy to read but a bit folksy.

For people without a good grasp of English, old English, English grammar, and the underlying languages (Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, whatever) (and that's probably most of us) it's quite enlightening to read several versions which helps to shade or nuance the meaning of whole passages of the Bible as well as particular words.

i do rather like the more intimate 2nd person singular ("thee" "thou" "thine") in parts of KJV - but then, I grew up using that form of address. It makes some passages so very much more meaningful and intense... stresses one's personal responsibility to do something. Those differences might still be evident in other language versions (French, Spanish, German, ???)

No-one in the poll has so far said they regularly read other-language versions except GSG who reads it in Greek.

[OperaBuff]

This handy line chart is on the EvangelicalBible.com website, showing which of the major English translations are more literal and which are geared more towards capturing the thoughts. I think it's a helpful little chart.

[Human without the bean]

The American Standard version of 1901. In fact when I part of tw, I found a very old copy from the library and I told them that I lost it just so I could have it. (paid the fee, but it was worth it).