Bible

NRSV is my favorite, especially because there is an Apocrypha version.

The NIV is almost a paraphrase. Translating sarx as "sinful nature", for instance. There are other interjections of conservative Reformed theology into the text.

OnlyJesus316 said:

Hey guys! I was wondering which translation(s) of the Bible you guys like. I prefer the NRSV, NAB, and NIV.

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This question has been asked many times around here. For me, there is nothing that equals the AV (i.e. King James Version).

FireDragon76 said:

NRSV is my favorite, especially because there is an Apocrypha version.

The NIV is almost a paraphrase. Translating sarx as "sinful nature", for instance. There are other interjections of conservative Reformed theology into the text.

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^ this or the REB

Niv

OnlyJesus316 said:

Hey guys! I was wondering which translation(s) of the Bible you guys like. I prefer the NRSV, NAB, and NIV.

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CEB

These days, I stick with the NRSV.

I mostly use the NRSV at home. In my Bible study class we mostly use the GNB, NIV and NRSV.

NRSV w/ Apocrypha or the Authorized Version (King James).

For study, I like the NRSV.
For a handy pocket edition, I like the ESV.
For Psalms, and pretty much only for Psalms, I like the KJV.
For casual reading, I favor the NLT, NEB, J.B. Phillips and Wright's Kingdom New Testament.

I love the Jerusalem Bible, the RSV, the KJV, NRSV, NIV and ESV.

I like the NIV, NASB, HCSB, and ESV translations.

NRSV..with Apocrypha

I've used the JB previously (and I still use it for Ps 4) and still have it but have aquired the NJB as well (in Logos). Likewise I have the 2010 Old Testament/1986 New Testament NABRE and it's been a while since I used it the last time, and as an exception I don't have it in Logos, only in Accordance.

But the versions I really use are the 2nd Edition RSV (especially the New Testament), Revised English Bible (REB) - all of which I have in Logos, Accordance and Olivetree as well as the New Testament in print (two copies of the RSV as 66-book Bible: 1st Edition 1952 OT/2nd Edition 1971 NT, plus I have another 66-book Bible copy 2nd Edition which might have the 2nd Edition 1959 OT) and the Deuterocanonicals separately (I don't have the RSV print Deuterocanonicals though). The exception being that I don't have the RSV in Olivetree. Plus for the 38-book Old Testament (excluding Esther) I mostly use the 2008 New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS, it's not at all the same as NET) - and the language in it resembles the NRSV. I have NETS in Accordance and as hardcover. It is available for free as PDF-files on the official homepage of the translation.

I use mostly the NRSV but also the REB plus an eight versions parallel Apocrypha (includes Gk) by John R. Kohlenberger III, for the Deuterocanonicals:

John Shrewsbury said:

I love the Jerusalem Bible, the RSV, the KJV, NRSV, NIV and ESV.

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I have most of the Editions of the GNB, one of them in leather cover with Annie Valloton's classic line-drawings in colour. I recently aquired the NIV84 in Accordance and I have an unused copy of the New Testament in print since before. The NIV is not really a version I use, but additionally it's included (besides the NRSV) in the New Interpreter's Bible (a 12-13 -volume commentary set, very large pages) which I'm pretty sure I want to buy just waiting for a confirmation from the senior lecturer regarding the New Testament part (I want the confirmation by tomorrow). I use the NRSV somewhat little as well - the largest part of my usage of it consists of reading verses from it that are referenced in the Hermeneia commentary set - in Logos that commentary set has a feature that besides that You can look up a verse from Your preferred Bible (my preferred one is usually the REB) You can click on the asterix to look it up in the NRSV. I don't know of any other electronic version of a commentary set that very conveniently lets You choose Bible version like that. If it would require more effort I wouldn't use it (the NRSV that is):

kayfeather said:

I mostly use the NRSV at home. In my Bible study class we mostly use the GNB, NIV and NRSV.

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I have the CEB in an extra Logos account, but I'm trying to sell it right now to anyone at the seminary together with the copy of the New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, the ESV an Hebrew Audio Pronuncations. I have the pronuncations and the dictionary in my own, actual, account as well.

Additionally, I use the 2011 Comprehensive Bible. I have it in Accordance as well as an older New Testament Edition of it in print.

A few years ago (2-3 years ago) I used the Confraternity Version (1960's Old Testament (Genesis 1948)/1941 New Testament) - which was the predecessor (at least for the Old Testament part) of the 1970 1st Edition New American Bible (NAB), and my old eight-translation parallel New Testament (only English versions).

On September 1. 2014 I'm officially entering a Greek class for the first time - distance tuition, although because of my seminary studies and it being in a different uni I won't devote too much time to it. A year from now I'm studying Greek more seriously, classroom tuition and won't be doing any other particular studies meanwhile. I don't know yet whether I will take one or two years of Greek classes, I would prefer two years, but after that I will continue in seminary.

Long ago I've also used the 1865/1866 Common English Version New Testament. If You want to see it available electronically some day, please bid high (at least $80, preferably at least $90) on: https://www.logos.com/product/16808/english-bible-collection ... but even if You bid very high You won't have to pay more than others in the end.

Occasionally I've been using the UPDV versions 2.15 and 2.16. It can be bought cheap (there's usually a coupon-code), at: http://updated.org

For Romans I used the Paideia commentary by Frank J. Matera until 2013. I will probably start using it again when I've had time to make a Personal Book of it (the translation) in my Logos installations so that I will be able to use it more conveniently.

The version I've used for the longest continuous time, has been the REB, I've used it for a decade now.
The versions I use for close study are the 1971 2nd Edition RSV New Testament in Logos, the NETS, the REB an the Greek: https://www.logos.com/product/17840/septuaginta-sesb-edition-with-apparatus-and-alternate-texts with the 1996 Edition LSJ lexicon as well as the forthcoming Göttingen Jeremiah -volume in Accordance, and NA28 (in Accordance) and the fortcoming UBS GNT 5th Edition.

Versions I used to have long ago but don't have anymore are: NJPS (but I've just ordered the Prophets part of it anew in print) and the (R?)NJPS 90's revision of the Psalms, complete Common English Bible New Testament (I only have parts left, consisting of Pauline letters for the most part), and the complete NEB (now I only have the New Testament (included in the old eight-translation parallel New Testament)).

I often use the UBS (Translator's) Handbook series for finding out which version is the best, it deals with the 2nd Edition RSV, 1976/1979 or 1992 GNB (often saying either of those two are right) as well as several other versions. I don't have the complete set, but I have the most crucial parts including the newest volumes: 26 volumes altogether. The full set is 55 volumes but still not complete for the entire Bible.
For Isaiah 1-39 the best source for finding out the right translation, especially regarding how it has been redacted in ancient times, is the Continental Commentary volumes by Wildberger, but I haven't had time to use it almost any, I got a bit interrupted earlier on.

I own a NKJV which I received when I was younger, and have an Oxford Annotated with Apocrypha which is NRSV. When I'm online I tend to use ESV. It seems slightly more familiar to me for some reason.

My translation of choice is the ESV because it's the translation my church uses. I started reading that version when I began attending there and have learned so much from it! I also prefer it because it has meat on it like the KJV but is easier to understand. I started out reading the KJV and while I did learn from it the Elizabethan English made it hard to understand certain passages. I still read from that translation for deep study.

Lately though I've been incredibly busy with school and work so making time to read is difficult. I've started reading the 1984 NIV again because it's quick to read, simple English and straightforward (milk if you will) and at least gets me thinking about God's Word to go back and study later.

Godislove94 said:

I started out reading the KJV and while I did learn from it the Elizabethan English made it hard to understand certain passages. I still read from that translation for deep study.

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There are lots of modern updates to the King James. The NRSV has been mentioned by some of the poster. I believe that there are some even more recent. I would note the NRSV does not have the language issues of the KJV. And, of course, all the poetry of the King James is still there. For most of us, there is only one rhythm for the Psalms, for example, the 23rd. After all, the psalms were written as poetry, to sing. Using the NIV seems so wrong.

And yes, the NIV is a really poor study bible. There are so many simplifications/mistranslations. If I want a paraphrase, I'll red Phillips or The Message.

BTW, The Jerusalem Bible is very readable. And here one does not need to deal with LORD and Lord as two different translations from the OT, as in almost all the rest of translations.

Have barely used the NJB lately (will use it for Ps 127), mostly just for some verses in Mt:

Unix said:

I've used the JB previously (and I still use it for Ps 4) and still have it but have aquired the NJB as well (in Logos).

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Started favouring the 2010 NABRE over the NETS for most of the parts of the 38-book OT for which I previously used NETS. There's a new Samaritan Pentateuch translation in the works which I'm going to use for Ex-Dt: it's by Benyamim Tsedaka. It has come out as printed matter already, but I'm going to wait until it comes out in Accordance.
A new print copy of the RSV New Testament can be bought, $5 + shipping: http://www.orthodoxmarketplace.com/...-testament-and-psalms-leadership-100-rsv.html I think I have it in OliveTree as well now - on my BlackBerry Playbook with PlayBook OS 2. I use the 1971 RSV 2nd Edition New Testament a lot for most parts of the NT:

Unix said:

Likewise I have the 2010 Old Testament/1986 New Testament NABRE and it's been a while since I used it the last time, and as an exception I don't have it in Logos, only in Accordance.

But the versions I really use are the 2nd Edition RSV (especially the New Testament), Revised English Bible (REB) - all of which I have in Logos, Accordance and Olivetree as well as the New Testament in print (two copies of the RSV as 66-book Bible: 1st Edition 1952 OT/2nd Edition 1971 NT, plus I have another 66-book Bible copy 2nd Edition which might have the 2nd Edition 1959 OT) and the Deuterocanonicals separately (I don't have the RSV print Deuterocanonicals though). The exception being that I don't have the RSV in Olivetree. Plus for the 38-book Old Testament (excluding Esther) I mostly use the 2008 New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS, it's not at all the same as NET) - and the language in it resembles the NRSV. I have NETS in Accordance and as hardcover. It is available for free as PDF-files on the official homepage of the translation.

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I'm starting to use the Confraternity Version just a little bit again, but not for many parts. I recently got back my folio two volume 1970 NAB New Testament:

Unix said:

A few years ago (2-3 years ago) I used the Confraternity Version (1960's Old Testament (Genesis 1948)/1941 New Testament) - which was the predecessor (at least for the Old Testament part) of the 1970 1st Edition New American Bible (NAB), and my old eight-translation parallel New Testament (only English versions).

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I have the Paideia set in two softwares now - in one of the softwares (Accordance) it's complete, I use the translations in Ro and 1 Cor:

Unix said:

For Romans I used the Paideia commentary by Frank J. Matera until 2013. I will probably start using it again when I've had time to make a Personal Book of it (the translation) in my Logos installations so that I will be able to use it more conveniently.

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I got back my full 1985 NJPS and '90s Revised NJPS Psalter. I might use the latter for the Psalter for Pss where the Masoretic Text is the one to be used:

Unix said:

Versions I used to have long ago but don't have anymore are: NJPS (but I've just ordered the Prophets part of it anew in print) and the (R?)NJPS 90's revision of the Psalms,

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• For Gn I use the version in Torah - A Modern Commentary in Accordance (the version for Gn is not available as standalone neither in print nor in any Bible Study software).
• For Judges 1-12 I use the translation in Anchor Yale Bible by Sasson.
  
• For 1-2 Kings I'm working when needed verse-by-verse for the most part with the Old Testament Library new series (the author, Marvin A. Sweeney is professor emeritus of Hebrew Bible at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland) and International Critical Commentary (authors: Montgomery and Gehman).
• For 1 Chronicles I use the translation in the Word Biblical Commentary by Hobbs. I have it as printed matter and might get in Accordance as well - would have to decide very soon about that.
  For 2 Chronicles I use the Hermeneia commentary by Klein.
• For Ezra-Nehemiah I'm waiting for the forthcoming Hermeneia commentary by Shemaryahu Talmon to see if I would use the translation in it.
• For Sirach I use the NRSV. But when I will work very seriously with it sometime in the future, I will also for various purposes use the following for it and 1 Mc: https://verbum.com/products/47117/de-gruyter-deuterocanonical-and-cognate-literature-studies ... which is $279.99 on early-bird pre-pub - You don't pay until it ships.
• For Amos I use the translation in the Hermeneia commentary by Paul.
  
• For Habakkuk I use the translation in the Anchor Yale Bible by Andersen.
• For parts of Mt 1-16 I use the Catholic Public Domain Version.
  For Mt 25:1 I use Douay-Rheims.
  For GJn 1 I use the International Critical Commentary (original series) by Bernard from 1929. (GJn stands for the Gospel of John.)
  For GJn 4:35-36 I use James Moffatt New Translation.
  
• For Ro 1:1 I use the 1971 RSV 2nd Edition.
  Ro and 1 Cor: see above about Paideia, those two volumes are by Catholics.
  For 2 Cor 8-13 I will probably at least temporarily use the New Testament Library new series by Matera.
  For Philemon I use the Eerdmans Critical Commentary by Barth.
• For Eph 4:30 I use NRSV.
  I have textual tools to work with what the Greek text from which to translate Ephesians should be, and then choose between translations.
• For 1 Jn 2:5 I use the 2013 and 2015 NLT. This is the only verse where I use that version.
  For 1 Jn 4:14-21 I use the 1972 J. B. Phillips New Testament.
  If I get a discount on it and right to give or sell the license when I need to to anyone, I might now get and use the International Critical Commentary by Brooke, original series, for textual matters and other things. The author was former Fellow, Dean, and Divinity Lecturer, at King’s College.

I'm currently holding an nrsv. I bounce between the nrsv, esv and nasb. All three read well. The nrsv and the esv are both scholarly and in the kjv tradition, but popular primarily with different groups (liberals/conservatives respectively). The nasb is known to be hyper literal and is good when one needs to be exacting.

I sometimes read the KJV because its frankly gorgeous.

When reading the Bible in English:

• In Rite I context, I tend use the KJV.
• In Rite II context I tend to use the NRSV.
• In both contexts, I more often than not use the Great Bible for reading the Psalter.

I am also working on a contemporary language transcription of the Great Bible just for fun.