What Bible version?

[WorkingForChrist]

I have recently came to Christianity after being into New Age beliefs and started going to a Salvation Army church in my town and the priest (?) uses the NIV, is this a version the entire Salvation Army uses or is it just my Church?

I use the King James as it is the literal translation.

Looking forwards to everyone's responses.

 

[ebia]

NIV is certainly a commonly used one in the salvos down here.

The KJ is a fairly formal (but very archaic) translation. One cannot properly say that it's "the literal translation".
It's language is not a language used any more (early modern English), scholarship has learned a lot more about the original language texts and the original languages since it was translated, and it was always written with an agenda - that of the Church of England of that time.

 

[detachment]

KJ is hard for me to understand but when I go to Bible study I bring my Scolfield study Bible red letter edition.NLT is good to I don't know if that all the salvation army uses.

 

[Rawtheran]

I have recently came to Christianity after being into New Age beliefs and started going to a Salvation Army church in my town and the priest (?) uses the NIV, is this a version the entire Salvation Army uses or is it just my Church?

I use the King James as it is the literal translation.

Looking forwards to everyone's responses.

Personally I like to use a number of different translations like the NLT, and the NIV, but I also own a Bible called the One New Man Bible which is a Hebrew Roots Bible, and I use that whenever I want to know what the original Hebrew is saying. Honestly most Bible translations are great to use depending on which one really speaks out to you. The only translations I would say to never get are The Mirror Bible, and The Message because they are just paraphrases, and are terrible ones at that.

 

[aChildOfMary]

I highly recommend for you to try reading the New Jerusalem Bible it's my favorite one.
Yes it is Catholic, but why don't try it out anyway?
Remember that even Luther referred to the deutercanonical books as books that nourish ones spiritual life even though he himself didn't count them into his canon

Good luck in choosing a bible and take my advice spend a great amount of time deciding which one you will stick with as it's a ferely important choice to make.
I strongly discourage the KJV however as it is poorly translated and one could suspect certain agendas of the authors...



Pax Christi
aChildOfMary

 

[ArmenianJohn]

For English-language Bibles, I have found KJV and NIV to be the best available. I think KJV is the better of the two; however, KJV may not be better for everyone.

KJV is written in Jacobean English (akin to Elizabethan, which was used by Shakespeare). Having studied Shakespeare in-depth and getting used to the Elizabethan English, I find the Jacobean English language of the KJV to be very rich and in that sense more "accurate" than the NIV. In other words, the older English language is more rich than today's and therefore the older KJV is more rich than the NIV.

However, to people who are not comfortable with the older Jacobean and Elizabethan English it doesn't matter that it is "rich" because it is unfamiliar to them. So, if you either do not have familiarity with Jacobean/Elizabethan English or are not willing to become familiar with it, then the NIV will clearly be easier for you to understand.

I would advocate for anyone to go out of their way to learn the older variations of the English language just to be able to enjoy God's Word more (as well as the added bonus of enjoying Shakespeare!), but I realize this isn't possible for many... I think the easy/safe way to go is just use NIV, but those who use KJV and work at understanding the older English in it will be rewarded, just as anyone who reads an original Shakespearean play or sonnet and learns the language rather than reading the cliff notes or an interpretation of the play or sonnet is rewarded by the beauty of that original language.

 

[ebia]

For English-language Bibles, I have found KJV and NIV to be the best available. I think KJV is the better of the two; however, KJV may not be better for everyone.

KJV is written in Jacobean English (akin to Elizabethan, which was used by Shakespeare). Having studied Shakespeare in-depth and getting used to the Elizabethan English, I find the Jacobean English language of the KJV to be very rich and in that sense more "accurate" than the NIV. In other words, the older English language is more rich than today's and therefore the older KJV is more rich than the NIV.

However, to people who are not comfortable with the older Jacobean and Elizabethan English it doesn't matter that it is "rich" because it is unfamiliar to them. So, if you either do not have familiarity with Jacobean/Elizabethan English or are not willing to become familiar with it, then the NIV will clearly be easier for you to understand.

I would advocate for anyone to go out of their way to learn the older variations of the English language just to be able to enjoy God's Word more (as well as the added bonus of enjoying Shakespeare!), but I realize this isn't possible for many... I think the easy/safe way to go is just use NIV, but those who use KJV and work at understanding the older English in it will be rewarded, just as anyone who reads an original Shakespearean play or sonnet and learns the language rather than reading the cliff notes or an interpretation of the play or sonnet is rewarded by the beauty of that original language.

If what you want to appreciate is Jacobean literature that makes some sense.

But the bible was written in the vernacular of its day, and it's a basic principle of the reformation to continue to do so. Or to learn the original languages. In the case of koine greek, a language that is very work-a-day and not very rich at all.

 

[The Fundamentalist]

Which Bible? There is only One, the King James Bible. See for yourself - [Link]

 

[Niblo]

I highly recommend for you to try reading the New Jerusalem Bible it's my favorite one.
Yes it is Catholic, but why don't try it out anyway?
Remember that even Luther referred to the deutercanonical books as books that nourish ones spiritual life even though he himself didn't count them into his canon

Good luck in choosing a bible and take my advice spend a great amount of time deciding which one you will stick with as it's a ferely important choice to make.
I strongly discourage the KJV however as it is poorly translated and one could suspect certain agendas of the authors...



Pax Christi
aChildOfMary

First class Bible. Excellent and honest scholarship. Very well presented.

 

[Andy Broadley]

For my daily reading I use the NIV, and usually that's what we use for Sunday worship too.

On the rare occasions that I'm called upon to preach (when there is nobody else left to ask) I like The Message as a back up to NIV, although will often dip into the New Living Version, Contempory English and others.

God can say the same thing in many different ways and I'm sure he gave us different translations of the Bible for just that reason.

However, and it's a great big however too.....there are times when none of them can pack the same punch as the good old Authorised/KJV version.

An example? Ok, my personal favourite verse of Scripture...Joshua Ch1 v9

Here's how it is written in the KJV

Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage. Be not dismayed, neither be though afraid; For the Lord, thy God, is with thee withersoever thou goest.

I have yet to find a 'modern' translation that can say it with more power. So lets not dismiss the KJV as having had it's day, because that would be a serious error. It's still , IMHO, up there with the best of the newer translations.

 

[Gen X]

Our Corps in Fresno uses the NIV. I use the King James Bible for my own study, and when I read Scripture at Holiness, I read from the King James as well. During our men's Bible study; Our Officer reads from the NIV, but does ask other men to read from their own translations....King James, New King James, New Living Translation.........

 

[daleksteve]

My salvation army corps in England uses NIV. I however prefer the street bible or youth bible myself. KJV is just full of old English.

 

[shortygreyhere]

For those who want to stick with translations in the Textus Receptus tradition, the Modern English Version came out about two years ago.

Here is the description from Amazon:

The new Modern English Version (MEV) heralds a new day for Bibles with the most modern translation ever produced in the King James tradition, providing fresh clarity for Bible readers everywhere with an updated language that doesn’t compromise the truth of the original texts. This parallel Bible lets readers experience the history, poetry and beauty of the King James Bible side by side with the clarity and readability that the new Modern English Version brings.​

https://www.amazon.com/Passio/e/B00NGSBOTY/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

I do not work for this company, or make anything from the sale of this translation.

 

[Pamelav]

For those who want to stick with translations in the Textus Receptus tradition, the Modern English Version came out about two years ago.

Here is the description from Amazon:

The new Modern English Version (MEV) heralds a new day for Bibles with the most modern translation ever produced in the King James tradition, providing fresh clarity for Bible readers everywhere with an updated language that doesn’t compromise the truth of the original texts. This parallel Bible lets readers experience the history, poetry and beauty of the King James Bible side by side with the clarity and readability that the new Modern English Version brings.​

https://www.amazon.com/Passio/e/B00NGSBOTY/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

I do not work for this company, or make anything from the sale of this translation.

That's really interesting. I read the nasb version, tho, as God led me too it because the commentator had such awesome things to say that spoke directly to me, the things I needed to hear and know.
My core, and apparantly all English speaking ones have the old NIV. I started with the niv.
I tried the KJV, too, but it was very difficult to read. Good thing they came out with the NKJV, I know many people read that one instead.

 

[musicalpilgrim]

I use the King James as it is the literal translation.

But the bible was written in the vernacular of its day, and it's a basic principle of the reformation to continue to do so. Or to learn the original languages. In the case of koine greek, a language that is very work-a-day and not very rich at all.

WorkingForChrist, it is so good to meet you, welcome to the forum...it is a great place to be.

I have really enjoyed reading all the different view points; when I first became a Christian, many years ago, I was young and the Living Bible spoke so clearly to me. Within a short space of time I had added the NIV, then the Jerusalem Bible, (I already had KJV) then the Good News Bible...I love the line drawings... next was the Amplified Bible...wow...this is a great version for study, great for me with an interest in words and their meanings, certainly not for reading out loud. The Message...(well, maybe I am getting too old for this, they use it at my Church sometimes). Altogether, they all have their own special place and I refer to them all at various times.

At the moment I am using the The New Living Translation Study Bible; it is so good, with lots of help and notes and background information slotted in on every page, special features, maps...so much. Yes it is rather a large book, but one I wouldn't be without.

As you will no doubt want to memorize bible verses, this is when you need to find a version that speaks to you in the language you are comfortable with.

 

[crixus]

Use NIV at church, and I like to read as many versions as I can to compare and contrast. I've got KJ, NKJ, NIV, ESV, NLT, RSV, NASB and others in my home library.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

I forget which of the hundreds I still have.

 

[John G.]

My (Presbyterian) church uses the NIV but, at home, I always use the Good News Translation (formerly TEV).