Which bible version

[jomo252]

I am just in the middle of an alpha course now and I am not sure which version of the bible would best to purchase. I would like something quite simple to read or even perhaps a cd version, also are there any good online retailers

Also someone mentioned that one of the books in the bible was particularly good at helping you make decisions for your life but I cant remember which one it is, can anyone tell me which one please

[Jayangel81]

Keep away from any bible versions that have paraphrases, all they do is twiste scriptures. there are quite a few out there.

New King james bible is horrible and The message is horrible. Personally I stick with the King James bible (not the new)

Theres a few sites that sell bibles on CD and mp3. Just google it and youll find some. They arent very expensive.

Book of proverbs are good. Has alot of wisdom in it. The bible in whole is good for making life descisions. Its what we live by...or should.:)

[suzybeezy]

There's some great free websites that have the Bible in many different versions. With some you can select a verse or chapter and then chose the version you like best. You can even find some that have audio readings so you can let them play while you're folding laundry or whatever. I always like the NIV cause I find it easiest to read. I also own a study Bible which has commentary to go along with the scriptures.

[Thunder Peel]

I've always found the NIV Bible pretty easy to use and understand. There are also a lot of great commentaries and journals out there that you can use along with your reading to help you get a deeper grasp on what's being said.

[tapero]

Hi Jomo!

Welcome to CF!

The first bible I used was a good news bible which is more of a story form bible. I read that several times through, and then went to an niv or new international version.

There is nothing bad about reading a story form or paraphrased sort of bible as it gives you a good basis of stories and passages in the bible.

When I went to the NIV, I never saw anything that I had learned incorrectly as the Good News or now what is called Living Translation (I believe), just uses different words and as said; more in story form.

I've used the NIV now 20 years and since reading that so long; one gets used to knowing key words from whatever you read; and I know where things are but if I wanted to read thru the bible now and wanted to as a story form more; I'd use the Living Bible.

Can still find Good News Bibles out there, but I notice is not on the site am giving you below.

But I would recommend to anyone starting to read the bible to read a Good News type of Living Translation.

Here's a bible site, where you can toggle and you can read the same verse in any different bible you toggle to, so is very cool.

For memorizing, one wouldn't generally use the paraphrased ones (Good News or Living Bible) but for starting is in my opinion the best ones to go with.

Memorizing is best from one you'll be using long term and a more accurate translation. I've heard New King James is good translation. For me the regular King James is impossible to understand as I don't speak the way the words in that bible are. I like the NIV but again is from using so long as well.

Is fun to compare verses to see how different they are in different versions.

Here's the site where you can toggle to any bible.

www.biblegateway.com

Take care,
tapero

[Jayangel81]

This isnt a debate as to how bibles are better than others but I just want to give you an explanation why people tend to stray from certain versions.

That being said,

Jomo what exactly are you looking to get out of a bible? I ask this because in the begining we should lay down a basic foundation of Christ. and perhaps like Tapero said story bibles are good it tells you the basis of the gospel and other important things about Gods Word..

However..

If you are looking to get deep into the doctrine I wouldnt go with a bible that is paraphrased.

Someone explained that A problem that others have expressed is that A paraphrase takes the meaning of a verse or passage of Scripture and attempts to express the meaning in “plain language” – essentially the words the author of the paraphrase would use to say the same thing. The most popular example of a Bible paraphrase would be “The Message (http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?event=AFF&p=1011693&N=1014722&Ne=1014722&Ns=product.number_sold&Nso=1&Ntk=product.long_title_desc|product.full_auth_name&Ntt=Message|Peterson&Nu=product.endeca_rollup&category=Bibles&format=1014722)” by Eugene Peterson.

I wouldnt use it for serious study time because the message along with some of the other paraphrased bibles have passages that do not accuratly render the orignal meaning of the text.

A paraphrase of the Bible should essentially be used as a commentary on the Bible, a way to get another perspective. A paraphrase can be used alongside a Bible translation to give insight into what the Bible means.

So to shut them out completly isnt necassary.


Story bibles are fun to read, they tell you the basic stories of the bible. and are very easy to read, unlike the King James bible which in truth as Tapero said can be hard to read, youll be looking up some texts and maybe even doing some studying on them. My moms husband has a KJ bible and it has alot of stories of the bible in it. I enjoyed them. It laid down some basic info about the bible.

There is a time where we need to be fed Meat ( deep doctrine) and not Milk (simple doctrine) So youll need to decide what you are ready for.

I personally dislike the New King James, I do not like how it is translated. There are some verses in that book that bug me for example. These were brought up to my attention from a friend of mine.

The NKJV demotes the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:3, the KJV says that all things were made "by" Jesus Christ, but in the NKJV, all things were just made "through" Him. The word "Servant" replaces "Son" in Acts 3:13 and 3:26. "Servant" replaces "child" in Acts 4:27 and 4:30. The word "Jesus" is omitted from Mark 2:15, Hebrews 4:8, and Acts 7:45.


The NKJV gives us no command to "study" God's word in II Timothy 2:15.

The Jews "require" a sign, according to I Corinthians 1:22 (and according to Jesus Christ - John 4:48), but the NKJV says they only "request" a sign. They didn't "request" one when signs first appeared in Exodus 4, and there are numerous places throughout the Bible where God gives Israel signs when they haven't requested anything (Exo. 4, Exo. 31:13, Num. 26:10, I Sam. 2:34, Isa. 7:10-14, Luke 2:12, etc). They "require" a sign, because signs are a part of their national heritage.

This is some of the stuff that should be aware of the New King James.


Just some thoughts. I dont have a huge knowledge of other versions, I personally am satisfied with the King James. go online and check out a few versions and see what is best for you to understand :)

I dont mean to deride what you think tapero its not really my intention, I just have personal gripes with different translations but that is just me personally :)

[heymikey80]

I like ESV as a good "all-around" Bible translation. But it's relatively new and your friends may not have it.

NKJV was my fav' for awhile because it footnoted many of the variants. These aren't alternate translations -- these are differences in really early manuscripts of the Bible. It was updated in 2000, and I haven't used it in awhile.

NIV is pretty good for reading. It's extremely popular, so a translation your friends probably have. Thunder Peel's right: it also has a number of commentaried versions for new believers, study, teen, youth, etc.

NAS is really good for people who have some idea how Greek is constructed. If you can handle a slightly broken English grammar and can still get the gist of a sentence, it'd be good.

There are groups of Christians who dislike NIV, NKJV, and NAS because of specific differences in translation. Some churches are "KJV only". You'll hear about it whatever you pick.

[MintyAngel]

I really like the NRSV, I find it easy to read, and I like the gender-inclusive language (brothers and sisters instead of just brothers).

I also like the NIV and the NKJV. For the easiest reading I would recommend the Good News Bible, it reads more like a book and I found that I sped through it and it's easy to understand (it's also good for explaining some of the more difficult to understand passages from other translations :)).

At the end of the day, the translation that you find the easiest to read is the right one :thumbsup:

[MintyAngel]

Having just read an online version of the ESV, I liked it so much that I've just bought a copy :D

[TheDarkestHour]

I recommend the KJV.

[twistedsketch]

The NIV is simple to read. I personally use an NIV/KJV parallel Bible for study purposes.

[Angel4Truth]

I am just in the middle of an alpha course now and I am not sure which version of the bible would best to purchase. I would like something quite simple to read or even perhaps a cd version, also are there any good online retailers

Also someone mentioned that one of the books in the bible was particularly good at helping you make decisions for your life but I cant remember which one it is, can anyone tell me which one please


Hi - I prefer the New King James version bible for personal reading the best - like the king james its also a more literal interpretation (without the elisabethan language) whereas the NIV and some of the other versions are more figurative renderings (where instead of trying to apply the literal word meanings - actual thought interpretations are made ) but I study with several different bible versions with comparison to the original hebrew and greek renderings when there seems to be a question of meaning.

As to your second question - Life application bibles I believe are what you are looking for - they come in the various versions but all give footnotes with how you can apply certain things to everyday life.

Here is a link to a site that compares verses in different renderings - you might want to do a little additional research about the bible version controversy and read from several to compare them.

www.biblegateway.com (http://www.biblegateway.com)

I hope this helps and God bless you and be with you on your new journey of faith!

[oxquo]

I was also stunned by the amount of versions having been away from Christ for a time. I just ordered a NKJV but made My decision based on an online bible that is free with many translations on it. What You can do is go to the site, choose a verse like John 3:16 and change the version to what makes the most sense to You. I like to think about what I read right after I read it, so if it's too straight forward there is nothing left to think about, too difficult and there is no understanding to think about either. Different churches go by different versions. The fact I believe is that You are reading the word of God and how one verse may speak to Your heart can be completely different than how it speaks to someone elses. The online multi version bible can be googled by searching bible gateway, sorry I can't post links yet. if You are interested in checking out a few versions. I do like being able to cross reference what I've read so it comes in handy no matter what version You buy. Or a parallel bible that has 2-4 versions printed in it to begin with would solve any issues. As for a bible version being written to take any of God's glory away, I think it's just how the translation was addressed and no harm intended. The amplified bible I found most annoying of all but it's still God's word so I respect it the same.

John 3:16 (Amplified Bible)



16For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.


John 3:16 (King James Version)




16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

or hey why not just go to the link in the above post, I kinda missed it in all the signatures cannot be seen part sorry.

[Radagast]

I just ordered a NKJV ...
I used to read the NKJV all the time.

May God bless your reading.

-- Radagast

[Radagast]

The NKJV demotes the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:3, the KJV says that all things were made "by" Jesus Christ, but in the NKJV, all things were just made "through" Him. The word "Servant" replaces "Son" in Acts 3:13 and 3:26. "Servant" replaces "child" in Acts 4:27 and 4:30. The word "Jesus" is omitted from Mark 2:15, Hebrews 4:8, and Acts 7:45. The NKJV gives us no command to "study" God's word in II Timothy 2:15.

Hmmm. The NKJV is not as bad as you think, nor the KJV as great (although I'll always love the old KJV, even with its flaws, because I grew up with it).

For John 1:3, the Greek has dia = "through". Most versions have "through" here.

The word in Acts 3:13 and 3:26 can mean "child" or "servant". Many versions take it to mean "servant" in most places, because the usual words for "son" or "child" are different.

In many places in the gospels, like Mark 2:15, the Greek has "He". Many versions turn "He" into "Jesus" to avoid confusion, but "He" is more literal.

The word in II Timothy 2:15 is not the usual word for "study" but means "hurry" or "be diligent" (it's related to the English word "speed"). The NIV and ESV have "do your best" here, which I think is a good modern English translation.

[oxquo]

Since I am enjoying the online site with cross references, I think I'll look into a multi version bible. The NKJV is alright but I still find Myself going to the computer for reference. To read is a gift alone, but to understand what I read is the greatest gift of all I say. There are also those days when I'm just not in the mindset to wrap My head around the KJV or the NKJV. You know the days, like when Your outta coffee in th morning, lol. I think for Me, being able to get the versions all lined up would also be great for those times when You hit a verse that grabs You and You just want to throw it around in Your heart. With so many versions though, it kinda makes Me wonder what got lost in translation when they changed it to Spanish or Cantonese. What about the french one, it must come in two books the size of the yellow pages. Considering that just a simple Hi becomes bonjour in french.

I also tried a sample of the audio bible, This guy did the psalms in about 5 minutes it seemed, pretty hard to understand but maybe the best way that I could get through Numbers before I got sleepy. Didn't care for the audio KJV though. Good for those who are lonely though and want to hear someone elses voice, just too rushed to enjoy each passage for what it is and I found that after a few verses I tended just to zone out.

[Radagast]

Since I am enjoying the online site with cross references, I think I'll look into a multi version bible.

Good move! If I had to pick just one version, I'd still pick the NIV as the best overall, but multiple versions are better, especially for the tricky verses. But make them multiple good versions! twistedsketch mentioned an NIV/KJV parallel Bible.

Which online site do you use? www.biblegateway.com has a good range of versions.

[Nilla]

Since there are so many different translations and eveyrone is different I think the best thing you can do is to compare them and then choose the one you feel most comfortable with.

[ahiggs]

i personally use several versions KJV,NASB,NKJV, and the Complete Jewish bible (http://www.biblestudytools.net/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?word=genesis+1&section=0&version=cjb&new=1&oq=genesis) it offers a little different view point

[hankpin]

I personally use Duay Rhiems or New American Bible...the Vatican always have good translations...

[Radagast]

I started this verse comparison (John 8:58) in a different thread:

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (NIV -- an accurate translation, giving the meaning, and quite readable)

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (KJV -- a much-loved word-for-word translation, but an older style of English)

Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am. (NASB -- a little like the KJV, but more modern)

Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." (ESV -- probably the best word-for-word translation around)

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (NKJV -- kind of KJV meets NIV)

"Believe me," said Jesus, "I am who I am long before Abraham was anything." (The Message -- rewords the original to make the meaning clearer -- in this case an Old Testament quote)

Jesus replied, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I AM. (Amplified Bible -- repeats itself a lot for emphasis)

There are two main ways you can divide these versions -- readable vs not-so-readable (and it's personal preference that determines which is which) and literal vs giving-the-vibe-of-the-passage (and people have different opinions on where giving-the-vibe stops being a translation and starts being a paraphrase).

Personally I think the NIV is the best overall version. Other people I know prefer the ESV. And many people like to compare two versions. Comparing ESV and The Message, for example, might offer some deeper insights.

[Warstones]

The simple answer to your question as to which is the best translation, is 'the one you will read'.

For an easy to understand translation, I recommend either the Good News Bible (which is a proper translation, not a paraphrase as an earlier poster described it), or the New Century Version (again, a proper translation).

Both present the Bible in easy to understand language, and both are great to use for reading or in groups.

If you want a more scholarly translation, then I would recommend the NKJV, ESV, NASB, NRSV or KJV (although the KJV does suffer from its ever growing archaic language).

The NIV is good (as is the updated TNIV), but can sometimes appear bland in its use of language.

Hope you find the right translation for you. :)

[aquietkindoflove]

I personally use the New Living Translation (NLT). I've found it reads best, has the most normal English, and in Bible translation blogs the NLT translation of whatever it is is often one of the best.

Before NLT, I used the NIV. It is extremely popular, but I didn't like the wording as much.

KJV is beautiful, but not good for every day use in my opinion because the language is archaic and therefore hard to understand. I just don't like NKJV because I think the language is nothing like how people actually speak today, but that's just me. Others like it, so that's fine.

There are differences between NIV and KJV/NKJV etc. translations. The reason for that is that the KJV etc. were translated from different manuscripts. The NIV etc. come from other manuscripts which are considered accurate. Wherever there are major differences, though, the NIV, NLT, etc. has a footnote with a translation of what the other manuscript says. So it's not a problem.

[pgp_protector]

Go to Biblegateway.com
Take a look at the different versions
and pick a bible that you Will read.

It doesn't do any good to get version XYZ if you're not going to read it.

[CatholicApologistNeale]

The NKJV demotes the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:3, the KJV says that all things were made "by" Jesus Christ, but in the NKJV, all things were just made "through" Him.



These are all caused by the fact that the New King James Version is truer to the more literal sense of the original Greek. The Greek does not say all things were made by Jesus, it clearly reads, with almost no possibility for divergence "through (or by means of) Him (the Logos or the word), all things came into being." This is not a demotion, this is a theological fact in that through God the Father's Logos (Word or Mind, in the Gospel of John referring to Christ) all things were created. Jesus is still consubstantial with the Father, and therefore still God, but God the Father operates through the Logos to bring all things into being.

On the question of Bible versions, I use the original Greek, however, since that is not the option for most I often use either the RSV, the Douay-Rheims, or Young's Luteral Translation. I believe in using Formal Equivalence bibles as I am a biblical scholar and a biblical studies student. Nothing wrong with using the NIV if you just want to get the gist of things though.

[elakit]

I personally use the NIV and don't find many differences between it and the KJV. When I am really trying to study a passage, I read as many versions as I can, including a Greek or Hebrew parallel.

The important thing to remember is that any Bible that is in story format, or has a commentary can reflect the opinion of the writer and so you should use caution that you aren't being swayed by the individual's interpretation.

Whichever version you choose, make sure you pray first and ask for guidance and understanding every time you open it. That definitely won't fail you.