IF YOU STILL READ THE BIBLE WHAT VERSION DO YOU READ?? (page 3)

JimmyPage

The NIV Bible is getting mad props here. I think I'll pick one up myself.

LouBelle

I haven't read the bible in some time - i do have a number of versions: NIV, King james, New english, a hebrew & a greek bible - no JW one though

snowbird

KJV, The Message, ASV.

For sheer beauty of language, the KJV is unparalleled.

I cry every time I read Psalms 23 and 136 in that old, trusty version.

Sylvia

Edited: I meant Psalm 126.

BurnTheShips

I like the Jerusalem Bible and the NRSV. That said, I have most of them and use them all. They all have a place.

BTS

Mad Dawg

I believe that the NKJ and the NIV strike the best balance between readability and faithfulness to the Greek texts.

Chalam

Hi,

For sure, the New International Version is great, nice easy read though slightly looser on the translation stakes.

If you want a great alternative then try the New Century Version

The English Standard Version is tighter on translation but thus can be slightly less quick to comprehend. Has an excellent cross-reference which I use a lot.

I read The Message when I first came to faith a few years ago. Doesn't really qualify as a translation as it is a paraphrase but it is an excellent too.

I like use the parallel version 1-1.htm to compare several versions of the same verse.

Also the Hebrew/Greek here 1-1.htm to get to the bottom of things sometimes and really take the wind out of the "the NWT bible is the most accurate" brigade.

In fact, pretty much any version other than the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures which IMHO should not be called a "bible" or "Holy" at all. I only cross reference it very occasionally these days to see where JWs are coming from.

Anyhow, happy reading the best seller of all time :)

All the best,

Stephen

thomas15

Again, I'm an Evangelical, never been a JW. I have a fairly large Bible collection which contains over 100 Bibles from the Tyndale New Testament 1526, the Geneva Bible 1560 and 1599, the actual 1611 King James and most of the modern versions, updates, translations and paraphrases. There are about 35 "Study Bibles" in my collection.

Having said that, in order I like: New King James Version, New International Version and the New American Standard Bible.

For study notes, my first "go to" is the McArthur Study Bible, then the NIV Study Bible and then depending on what I'm trying to understand, I will look at the ESV Study Bible, the New Living Translation Study Bible or the New King James (Nelson) Study Bible. Since I have a large collection of commentaries, word studies and so forth it is rare that I spend much time using study Bibles.

For someone who is new to the Bible or just escaping the WT, I recommend the NIV. There is also a newer revision of the NIV called the TNIV. The study Bibles I mention above are what I term "theological", they, especally the MacArthur explain the theology of the Scripture passage from a (pre-mil) conservative evangelical perspective. There are also "devotional" study Bibles which I think if a new believer has to have a study Bible would be better off owning. I cannot make a recomendation for a strictly devotional Study Bible.

I also like the "Discover God" (Bill Bright) Study Bible in the New Living Trranslation. It has an ugly cover so I would not take it out of the house but I like the notes. It is good for a beginner or someone looking to understand Evangelical Biblical theology and with a devotional/lifestyle angle but without heavy theology. The NLT Study Bible is also good.

I gave my non-believing brother a text-only NIV for Christmas this year. It is the Zondervan thinline "duo-soft" cover edition, a nice Bible. If I didn't have so many Bibles, I would have got myself one.

IF YOU STILL READ THE BIBLE WHAT VERSION DO YOU READ??