What version of the Bible do you use?

[aisling7]

What version/s do you use and why?

What do you think of The Message?

Please answer both questions if you can. I was brought up with KJV, and I still like it for memorization. I also have had NIV, and I recently got ESV which I think is going to be my primary version in the years to come. Plus it is compact, so it is easy to carry around.

Jackie

 

[Tappanga]

I have NIV for reading, NASB for study, Good News on my desk at work. I mostly use the NIV.

I actually got my sister a Message bible for her baptism. I think its easier to read, and regardless of the version, bibles are useless if you never read them.

 

[Stan53]

I use KJV, NKJV. I like them both.
I certainly have a liking for the Message Bible. I also like the Amplified Bible.
I also like using Strong's Bible dictionary. The KJV and NKJV are almost a word for word translation. This is where Strong's comes in. It is always good to get the meaning of the Hebrew or Greek.
Oh, I just gotta put this one in for the KJV purists. There is a serious error in Genesis 1:2 but the only way you will find it is to look at the Hebrew original.
Have fun, Love Jesus!

 

[aisling7]

Can you elaborate on this error?

Jackie

 

[Nazaroo]

"and the earth/land (she) was TOHU va BOHU (desolate and a wasteland), and it was dark over the surface of the abyss;
and the Spirit of God brooding over the surface of the waters..." (gen 1:2)

And what is the mystery or 'error' here? one of translation, interpretation, grammatical tense, or just a question of masculine/feminine surface features of language?

Why do you think the KJV did any worse with the Hebrew here than other versions?


The only other place "tohu va bohu" appears is in the prophets, referring to a future desolation of the earth.

 

[GraceLikeRainFallsDown]

I recently switched to the ESV for my main Bible. I do like it. I use NIV and others as well.

I like the Message, but I do not think it should be a main study Bible. It is nice for reading or to be a companion to another version. Just my opinion.

 

[PaladinValer]

I use the NRSV as my primary, with the RSV, NJB, NAB, and OSB as supplementary

 

[Nazaroo]

Right now I rely heavily upon the Hebrew (Massoretic, Society for translating the scriptures to the Jews etc. Kittel's Biblica Hebraica,although I don't like Kittel's edits) and for the New Testament I have Hodges and Farstads Majority text, the Scrivener Textus Receptus,and an interlinear NIV/Hebrew (Kohlenberger) and about a half-dozen KJV center column references for sharing with Anglophones and for quick reference.

I also like the NKJV but I am xlating my own versions for personal use.

 

[Brushstroke]

For just reading I mostly use the NKJV and sometimes KJV, but for study I have a Bible called the KJV Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, by Spiros Zodhiates. I have to say, it's one of the best study Bibles I've ever had. My girlfriend bought it for herself, but I kind of borrowed it from her and never gave it back LOL. But overall I kinda dabble in all of 'em.

 

[reverie_maiden]

I use the Good News version, because I got it at a very young age from my church. I like it because it uses plain English unlike the KJV. I have the KJV too, but it is so difficult for me to understand and it seems like it is in a foreign language.

 

[cygnusx1]

RSV AND KJV

 

[HolyGuardianAngels]

Oops!!

 

[jusluvm]

I'm sort of a Bible "junkie"and I like to have lots of translations on hand for study and pondering, but my favorite is the NASB. I don't know why, but it seems to read easier for me than the NIV. I guess it's just the way my brain works---or doesn't work. I can't get a grip on the Message, maybe because it's just so different than anything I'm used to, but I do like the Good News or Living translation for very simple language.

I don't have the ESV I keep hearing about. Gotta get one.

 

[Jesusong]

My preference is the NIV

 

[Splayd]

I've had an NIV for years which I always used to read and study from. It still remains my bible of choice when reading or preaching in church, primarily because most of the congregation favour it.

In the last 5 years or so I've found myself turning to the KJV and the ASB more and more as I've found they're the most literal translations of two sources. For the most part though I read and study the bible from the computer running various translations side by side. I almost always refer to the Hebrew or Greek when studying.

I read the Message from beginning to end for general reading and found it to be alright for that purpose but rarely consult it for study purposes. I do use it to read passages for Youth services from time to time.

By the way - what's this ESV that's been mentioned here a few times? I don't think I'm familiar with it.

 

[Splayd]

Just a sidenote. A friend of mine is almost illiterate. He can barely struggle through most kid's books, sounding out simple words as he goes. With newspapers and magazine's he's completely clueless and even when read to him his comprehension skills are terrible...

BUT hand him a KJV and the man can read like a pro. It sounds like poetry flowing unlaboured from his lips and his understanding is phenomonal. I've never known anyone to be so dopey by a wordly measure and so incredibly wise when it comes to the things of God, backed by his comprehensive knowledge of scripture. I'm certainly no fan of the whole KJV only groups, but there's no question whatsoever that God's speaking to my friend through his trusty old King James in a way that defies explaination to a secular world.

 

[march56]

I'm thinking of getting one of those four way bibles which if I remember correctly contains KJV, NIV, NASB and RSV. However if I don't get one I think there is a web site that has em all side by side anyway.
-M.C.

 

[HumbleMan]

I've used the NRSV, NKJV, KJV, and the NIV. Last year I picked up a HCSB from Lifeway (and also have the module for E-Sword), and now I use it almost exclusively. I still refer to the others once in a while, but I really like the Holman.

Splayd- the ESV is the English Standard Version. It's also good. I don't own a copy, but have heard that it is faithful in it's interpretation.

Never read the Message, but don't really have anything against it.

 

[sing4him]

I use the NLT (New Living Translation) and I also read The Message.
One particular scripture I like from the message is Psalm 103 ~ it really ministered to me!!!

 

[Morghaine]

I prefer the NKJV, but only recently - maybe 6 months or so. Before that I used NIV. My teenage daughter really struggled reading the Bible and in fact I couldn't get her interested in spending time daily in the word - she said it was just too hard to understand, etc. Until I bought her a Message Bible, which now she loves, and reads daily. So I have nothing against the Message version, since it enables my beloved daughter to spend time learning God's word.