Bible versions

[High Fidelity]

So I was curious about a few things;

1. What is your go-to Bible and why?
2. Do you use multiple versions for a) general use or b) study purposes?
3. Do you feel particular versions fit or accommodate particular denominations better than others? If so, which ones and why?
4. Do you feel a particular version accommodates your own beliefs better than others? If so, which one and why?
5. Are there any versions you would vehemently discourage the use of and why?
6. In your opinion, what do you believe to be the most accurate version to date and why?

I don't have answers or speculations for questions 3, 4, 5 or 6, but my answers for 1 and 2 are as follows;


1 -- ESV. I started out with KJV but ultimately found that despite KJV being beautiful in its own way, the ESV enabled me to understand better and it was generally a more enjoyable and easy going experience.
Not to say the acquisition of knowledge, particularly Biblical knowledge, should be easy, but the KJV was a little taxing and I was glad to change over to the ESV.


2 -- Before I changed over to ESV from KJV, I'd often times read the same verse in the ESV to try and understand it better if it was particularly difficult to understand without labouring too much over it. My current study Bible is an ESV as well.

 

[Inkfingers]

What is your go-to Bible and why?

1. Do you use multiple versions for a) general use or b) study purposes?
2. Do you feel particular versions fit or accommodate particular denominations better than others? If so, which ones and why?
3. Do you feel a particular version accommodates your own beliefs better than others? If so, which one and why?
4. Are there any versions you would vehemently discourage the use of and why?
5. In your opinion, what do you believe to be the most accurate version to date and why?

1: I use the ESV, KJV, and DR, along with the excellent Biblehub and Blue Letter Bible online (the latter because it includes the greek, aramaic and hebrew originals along with links to concordances). My preference for everyday use is the ESV though, as the Shakespearean language of the KJV is very poetic but not exactly clear at times.

2: I do not know.

3: No particularly, which is why I use the ones mentioned above (I also own, but rarely use, a TNIV study bible and a REB)

4: The Message Bible and the Living Bible, as they change the words so much that subtle meaning can easily be missed.

5: I honestly do not know, but I like the fact that the ASV actually attempts to teach God's name rather than "Lord" or such like.

 

[Inkfingers]

*wags finger*

The first thread vanish and you changed the numbering in the second one

 

[High Fidelity]

*wags finger*

The first thread vanish and you changed the numbering in the second one

Sorry bud. I got the 502 error and kept refreshing the session and getting the same error. It posted 5 threads

 

[Inkfingers]

Sorry bud. I got the 502 error and kept refreshing the session and getting the same error. It posted 5 threads

Yes, the forum dies for me every day at 9 o'clock.

 

[ebia]

So I was curious about a few things; [*]What is your go-to Bible and why?

CEB, in electronic form.
I would use Tom Wright's if Logos or Olivetree supported it.

[*]Do you use multiple versions for a) general use or b) study purposes?

Yep

 

[MKJ]

I use the KJV litugically, so it is also what I tend to go to for personal use - poetically it is the strongest English version, and I think for memory it is best to stick to one version. For Bible study I use pretty much any of the more well thought of versions along side - I think as long as there is a little variety that is enough, I am not a huge supporter of laypeople delving into Greek lexicons as if that will give them a better understanding than a selection of experts in Greek - I think it is more likely to lead people astray.

 

[faroukfarouk]

King James; it's proven and sound.

I'm not King James Only, mind you.

 

[dbakerman76]

I tend to use a lot of different translations. Lately, I've been using Tom Wright's translation of the New Testament. I favor the KJV when praying through the psalms (or even studying them). I also favor the KJV when reading aloud in Bible Studies or liturgical settings.

I don't think any version is better for my beliefs than any other (although I certainly would avoid Joseph Smith's translation or the JWs New World Translation).

 

[graceandpeace]

I generally think for memorization & study, it helps to stick with one version. For me, that is the NRSV. It's the version used in my Episcopal Church.

I think the NRSV is a good translation, in that it's generally easy to read & acceptable in scholarship. It is a common choice for Episcopalians/Anglicans, though not the only choice. It is likely acceptable in other mainline bodies as well.

 

[Rhamiel]

I use the New American Standard most of the time but I sometimes use the Douay Rheims because I like the foot notes and some of the poetry better

 

[High Fidelity]

I use the New American Standard most of the time but I sometimes use the Douay Rheims because I like the foot notes and some of the poetry better

I've heard the NASB is an excellent version. I'm definitely going to get one when I can afford it.

 

[hedrick]

NRSV for most purposes. But I use the CEB for junior high kids in Sunday School. I need them to be able to read a fairly large amount of text and understand it. They need all the help they can get. NRSV isn't bad, but it's still a bit Biblish, i.e. not English as we would currently write it. Good News may actually be better for that. Next time I have to get a set of Bibles for the kids that's probably what I'd use.

I'm surprised that most people seem to be using translations done by conservative Protestants. In other threads it doesn't sound like most of us have the same theological orientation. While the differences aren't major, they are there. Of course NIV shows evangelical interpretations most blatantly, and I don't see people citing it.

 

[Rhamiel]

I also use the King James Bible when I look up stuff online

I tend to like the D-R and the KJV bibles better then the newer translations

 

[ebia]

NRSV for most purposes. But I use the CEB for junior high kids in Sunday School. I need them to be able to read a fairly large amount of text and understand it. They need all the help they can get. NRSV isn't bad, but it's still a bit Biblish, i.e. not English as we would currently write it. Good News may actually be better for that. Next time I have to get a set of Bibles for the kids that's probably what I'd use.

I've used good news teaching high school, catholic RE. It doesn't seem to work very well.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I've heard the NASB is an excellent version. I'm definitely going to get one when I can afford it.

It's supposed to translate the Greek articles very accurately.

 

[hedrick]

I've used good news teaching high school, catholic RE. It doesn't seem to work very well.

How so? I'll say that the CEB seems to be working, despite a few reservations about technical accuracy. It's just enough smoother to make a difference, without becoming a paraphrase. I had assumed Good News would be easier to follow and thus would work better.

We use NRSV for high school. I was part of the decision. My feeling is that NRSV is the only real candidate for adults, so we might as well transition the kids to it eventually. But I had cold feet for 12 year olds. If we were just reading a verse or two where Jesus says "love your enemies" it would be one thing. But I just had them read the passage where Nathan rebukes David for the Bathsheba affair, and they needed to understand the way Nathan was using a story to hook David. They got it. I'm not sure they would have in NRSV, but maybe I'm underestimating them.

 

[ebia]

How so? I'll say that the CEB seems to be working, despite a few reservations about technical accuracy. It's just enough smoother to make a difference, without becoming a paraphrase. I had assumed Good News would be easier to follow and thus would work better.

We use NRSV for high school. I was part of the decision. My feeling is that NRSV is the only real candidate for adults, so we might as well transition the kids to it eventually. But I had cold feet for 12 year olds. If we were just reading a verse or two where Jesus says "love your enemies" it would be one thing. But I just had them read the passage where Nathan rebukes David for the Bathsheba affair, and they needed to understand the way Nathan was using a story to hook David. They got it. I'm not sure they would have in NRSV, but maybe I'm underestimating them.

I just found that the Good News didn't overcome their difficulties in making basic sense of the text in the way one would think. Unfortunately I couldnt try CEB.

Just to note that High School here is roughly from age 12 upwards.

 

[Gnarwhal]

1. What is your go-to Bible and why? NIV, I was raised on that translation six days a week for seven years. My church uses it, and my elementary schooling (part of my church) used it by default for bible classes.
2. Do you use multiple versions for a) general use or b) study purposes? Sometimes I like to float around from NIV to NOAB/NRSV to TNIV to NLT.
3. Do you feel particular versions fit or accommodate particular denominations better than others? If so, which ones and why? Not necessarily. I think any denomination can thrive because the essence of scripture is in each translation. It's only when a community is structured around a very rigid way of thinking (KJV-onlism) that other translations don't suffice.
4. Do you feel a particular version accommodates your own beliefs better than others? If so, which one and why? Nah, my beliefs are upheld regardless. I mean obviously a Scofield wouldn't work because I'm not a futurist, and that is heavily bias in favor of the futurist agenda. But in the 23 years I've been a Christian I've used the above mentioned translations as well as NKJV, The Message and a few others.
5. Are there any versions you would vehemently discourage the use of and why? Really anything that was written to further a particular unorthodox theology, like the Scofield bible, I try to give a wide berth.
6. In your opinion, what do you believe to be the most accurate version to date and why? I don't have an opinion on this, in fact, I tend to steer clear of translations that people insist are the "most" accurate.

 

[James Is Back]

I use the NIV84 mostly for scripture lookup but have used other translations like the ESV.