Bible Translations |
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Here are the Bibles I use in the order of use and why I use them:(1) The Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha 1968. It is one of the very best translations using the best texts (including the Dead Sea Scrolls) and the most recent scholarship up until 1968. It does not seem to be theologically biased. It is out of print, but you can find a lot of these still around.
(2) The New Jerusalem Bible with Apocrypha 1965. This Bible was translated using the best texts and recent scholarship up to 1965, primarily for the use of Roman Catholics. I use it primarily for it’s Old Testament, for instead of using the substitute L ORD for the Divine Name, it correctly translates it as "Yahweh."(3) The New King James Version 1982. It retains the feel of the King James Version, updating the language and translation using the latest scholarship. There is a 1990 version, The Wesley Bible, which actually helps us apply the teachings of the Wesleys. The Wesley Bible is the version that I would suggest you purchase if you are getting a new Bible. For devotional purposes:(1) Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition is based on the American Standard and correctly replaces traditional (and false) names and titles for the original - Yahweh for "the LORD," Yahshua for "Jesus" and Elohim for "God." (2) King James Version - I use this as a concordance and also to listen to nightly on audio tape or CD. (3) The best all around translation is the Institute for Scripture Research Bible - which is known as "The ISR Bible." My opinion on other Bibles:I avoid the following popular Bibles because I have found the translators to have deliberately mistranslated Scriptures to favor their particular denominational affiliations. The New International Version, the New Revised Standard Version (the official Bible of the UMC), the New World Bible and the New American Standard Bible. I never use these.The following are very poor translations . Although they are easy to read, they are completely off: The Living Bible and The New Living Bible, the New Century Bible and The Good News Bible.Regarding the King James or ‘Authorized’ Version of 1611: Although it is the historic Bible of the Church of England and thus the Methodist Church, I do not often use it for these reasons:(1) The language is archaic; many words used therein are either out of use today or mean something significantly different than they did in 1611. (2) Inferior manuscripts were used in it’s translation -- in the ensuing 400 years, many older and more accurate source manuscripts have been found, some over a thousand years older than those used for translating the KJV. For this reason, it is now unreliable in many verses. (3) It was translated for political reasons - to justify the notion that King James of England was the representative of the King of Heaven rather than the Pope. On the other hand, the King James Version is the least expensive, being in the public domain, and has some of the most beautiful and poetic language of all literature every written, like this one:
And therefore, the KJV is well worth reading. But a new Christian or person with less than 12th-grade reading skills will find it very difficult to comprehend. Give your new Christian friend the New King James Version instead. There are also many other translations and specialty Bibles. The best way to find out the origin of yours is to read the Preface and the Translator’s notes. |