Measuring out my life with Bible versions
The concept (and title) post is brazenly plagiarised from John Halton at Confessing Evangelical. My story, however, is somewhat different to his...
   
1. Authorised Version (1985 to 1994)
This is also known as the "King James Version", if you don't mind using a Bible named after a homosexual. My parents gave me my first Bible when I was seven years old. I didn't read the Bible much by myself as a child, and perhaps the difficulty of the translation contributed to this. We had family Bible readings every day (from the NKJV, in fact) and I learned the Scriptures quite well, but I was not at this stage in the habit of personal Bible reading.
2. New King James Version (1994 to 1996)
This was a time of real spiritual growth, leading to and resulting from disciplined personal Bible reading. I received a NKJV Bible from my parents, and I think it really helped me. I found the Bible much easier to read and to understand, but I don't know how much that was the translation, and how much resulted from an inward change in me.
3. New Geneva Study Bible (1996 to 2004)
This is also a NKJV translation, but having a study Bible does affect the way one reads – my Bible reading became Bible study. This was the Bible I used through my university years, which are almost always formative.
4. English Standard Version (2004 to 2007)
When I commenced study at Theological College, I bought an ESV, which is the Bible I use almost exclusively now. Since I started reading it at the same time I started learning Hebrew, I quickly became aware of its translational shortcomings. Having said that, it is probably best translation around.
5. Towards the future
I remain convinced that every educated, intelligent, mature Christian who speaks English as a first language should read an essentially literal translation like the NKJV, NASB or ESV. The Holman Christian Standard Bible also falls into this category, and I'm thinking about buying a copy. But really, I want to get both my Hebrew and Greek to a level where I can read Scripture devotionally in the orignal languages.
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(Anonymous)
2007-10-21 21:27
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I found a New Living Translation very helpful when I was in high school, and it's what I would recommend to younger readers for two reasons: I've met or taken classes from several of the members of the translation team (and/or read their other works) and found them to be faithful men and teachers of the word; and because my (very limited) Greek experience has increased my appreciation for the simple but clear language.
I agree, however, that educated Christians will benefit from working through the sometimes-more-challenging language of an essentially literal translation. I study in the NASB, which I sometimes like better than its cousin the ESV.
Oh, another note about Greek: I'm definitely not at the reading-devotionally level, but I've found that even a basic working knowledge of Greek has dramatically increased my understanding of the Scriptures. The peculiarities and complexities of language so rarely translate with total precision.(Reply to this) (Thread) |
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(Anonymous)
2007-10-23 23:35
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Your comment "if you don't mind using a Bible named after a homosexual" is a little off the mark. There is no indication that James VI (after whom the bible was named) was a homosexual. He wasn't a rocket scientist and wrong about many things and he was a narrow minded bigot, but that does not make him a homosexual.
You may be thinking of James VII's son-in-law the usurper Prince William of Orange. He certainly was that way, which is why there was no heir (legitimate or otherwise). The other English king who was notably a sodomite was Richard I the Lionheart. He was pennanced to go on crusade for his sodomy of a boy (which would make him a pederast).
Ursus(Reply to this) (Thread) |
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(Anonymous)
2007-10-25 00:18
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Wow - so you've managed to grow up in the 1980s without prolonged influence from the NIV!
for better or worse, that's the translation in my head - if I were to try to supplant it with a new one it would be the ESV.
My congregation bought new pew bibles about 5 years ago and went for the NKJV, dubious variant readings and all - I think just to make the point that we are especially ornery conservatives - I would have preferred NIV or ESV
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(Anonymous)
2007-10-27 16:55
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Is it less a disjuncture to switch KJV to ESV, for those of us remaining with KJV memorized and in our heads than for those migrating from NIV and others? Though it undoubtedly has significant flaws I was much relieved to see ESV come along and I read the Bible more than I used to because of it. Among other things I enjoy the language. I was never quite comfortable with NIV culture. ish. (Reply to this) (Thread) |
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(Anonymous)
2007-11-02 05:48
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I'm loving my ESV!
I don't know how I lived without it.
missmellifluous(Reply to this) (Thread) |
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