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Can We Talk Bibles?


Ruff

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Good morning pards,

 

Was at Barnes and Noble yesterday and while I was waiting for my friend to meet me I was wondering the store. Well I ended up in the section with the Bibles.When did there get to be so many choices? There is "The King James Version (KJV)" and something called the "New King James Version (NKJV)". Not sure what the differences are there. Anyone know? There is the "American Standard Version (ASV)", "World English Bible (WEB)", "The New International Version (NIV)" and these are just the ones I remember. There are bibles aimed at men, women, husbands and wives, even warriors.

 

Well will in that aisle I realized that I miss reading the bible, I used to have a really nice one, somehow it got lost/misplaced around the time of my divorce. I want to replace it and I don't know where to start, or where to buy it. I want something that I did not see at Barnes and Noble. I want a leather covered bible, good quality maybe a bit larger than normal, but still able to be carried, not large print but slightly larger than normal, I would like wider margins for notes. Unless someone can give me a compiling reason to change I want a king James Version, it is what I have always used and am comfortable. Also I want a "Bible" nothing that is annotated, or tells you what is being said or meant. I don't want the "Bible" as interpenetrated by Dr. So and So or Reverend Blah Blah.

 

So any suggestions? A publisher I should look at? I have thought about looking on Ebay and finding an old family bible, but that seems wrong somehow.

 

As always thanks for any suggestions or ideas.

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Ruff,

The NKJV is a good one, as are many others. In the last year, I read it front to back. It's the first time I've read it completely through although I should have before.

Horace

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I know locally there are a couple of stores that specialize in Bible and religious literature sales. One quite nearby also has a small coffee counter and a reading area. I have been in a couple of times for the coffee, because they are also just down from where my daughters did their driving tests and got their licenses. While there, I noticed they had some very nice Bibles. As for what version, I am afraid I cannot be of help there. You might start with what denomination you do (or did) follow.

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Ruff,

 

http://www.blueletterbible.org

 

Blue Letter Bible is a good site to show you the different interpretations (KJV, NIV, NASB, etc.).

 

Also, there are lots of helps, a complete Strong's Concordance, Greek and Hebrew pronunciations, etc.

 

To get your leather bound Bible, find a good Christian book store. They'll have lots of choices so you can pick the Bible just right for you.

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Ruff,

You are correct in that there are many versions of the Bible out there today. Some are good and some not so good intrepetations. I did graduate from Liberty seminary but not suggesting that I am an expert by any means but just to let you know that in my studies and talking with my professors and pastors the NIV is considered by must to be the most accurate intrepetation. This may surprise many, especially in my "traditional Southern Baptist family" as some consider King James to be the ONLY Bible.

 

To find leather bound can be tough these days but should be able to find one in a good Christian bookstore, expect to pay a little more, just not sure they will have which ever version you decide on but a good store could order it for you.

 

It's completely up to you but don't quickly dismiss a good "study Bible" with comments. These can be very helpful especially in setting the historical context of the reading, which is critical to understanding the reading as it would have appealed to the audience at the time of the actual events. Especially in the Old Testament as the books are not in historical sequence, some books are written hundreds of years after a book that may be first in the sequence of books.

 

Whatever you decide it is most important that you read and let God lead your studies.

 

God Bless, Good Luck and enjoy the readings,

Blind Eye

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Ruff,

 

Pray on it and God will guide you to the bible that you need. If that version is not available as a leather bound one ask if they can order it for you. If not then rely on the fact that God knows what's best. To quote a very old cliche "Don't judge the book by its cover".

 

The wife and I have several bibles along with other spiritual writings, when it comes time to refer to one we let pray on it and God guides us to the book that is right for the occasion.

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Find a Mormon book store (I don't care what you think of the Mormons, they use the standard King James version) and take a look. They have a grand selection and the prices are good.

 

They won't talk religion with you if you don't want them to.

 

Might find one under LDS literature or Ensign Books.

 

Ensign is the best for my money and also carry a lot of books on western history, cooking, house keeping, etc.

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Pard, have you ever studied a foreign language? One cannot simply replace English words with words from another language. Sentence structure, syntax, etc. are all completely different, and this is *especially* true with ancient versions of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

 

Have you ever read Shakespeare? That's pure English, and it's still hard to read! In his time, Shakespeare was writing in everyday speech; it was not considered overly poetic like it is today. What happened? Time. As time went by, our language changed so that now when we read Shakespeare it seems like a foreign language with some vague similarities to our modern English.

 

But Shakespeare is only 500 years old. The newest part of the Bible was written in Greek and was completed 2400 years ago. The oldest part was written in Hebrew and Aramaic and was written about 5400 years ago. So imagine how much those languages have changed in all those years!

 

The point I'm trying to make is about the translations you asked about. People study ancient versions of those three languages (which are very, very different than the modern versions!), and try to translate them into English. As with any modern language, one cannot simply replace English words with words from another language because sentence structure and syntax are all different. So they do the best they can. Some translators write what they think the author meant, from context. Others translate more literally -- what is says, versus what it acutaly means.

 

More to your point:

 

King James: Although widely used, this is actually a very poor translation. In the days when the Catholic church controlled much of Europe, all mass was conducted in Latin and their translations of the bible were in Latin. King James decided to have it translated into English so common people could read it. However, rather than translating it from the original texts, they translated it from the Latin. Essentially, the King James version is a translation of a translation, and a lot of meaning is lost. In fact, the King James version we have is not even the original King James version. Because language changes so much, it was considered outdated by the time of American Independence, and re-written to update the language into what was considered modern then. So even more is lost.

 

New King James: This one is even worse, because they updated the language in the updated version of the King James translation to make it even more modern. I don't remember when the update occurred, but now we have two language updates to a translation of a translation. This is a highly unreliable text. People use these King James versions because they "sound holy" (yes, someone actually said that once), due to all the "thee" and "thy" business in the language. I would rather know what God intended me to know than to "sound holy" when reading it.

 

New International Version: This one is great because scholars translated directly from the oldest original texts known to exist. Their focus was to translate literally. It's been around since the '70s, I believe.

 

English Standard Version: This one is another great one, and is also a direct translation from the oldest original texts known to exist. The focus was to determine the author's meaning. Literals are difficult when dealing with ancient cultures unless you understand ancient Hebrew colloquialisms (i.e. why in the world did Abraham chop an animal in two and a flaming pot pass between them? There is a reasonable explanation, but one has to understand ancient Hebrew culture to make sense of it).

 

New American Standard Version: This one is also great, and is also a direct translation from the oldest original texts.

 

The Message: Academic garbage. I do not recall the source documents of this translation, whether it was a translation of a translation, or was taken from the originals. However, I do know it was intended for a young audience and the language is intended to capture American colloquial speech. Passages like, "Hey dude!" are common.

 

Those are the only ones I know, but if you want something that's accurate I gave you three great examples from which to choose. My personal practice is to read *both* the English Standard Version and New International Version, both of which were translated from the original texts, and compare their renderings.

 

As to bibles aimed at certain groups of people, those are usually just fancy covers. My mom, God bless her, has given me a "Police Officer's Bible" and a "Soldier's Bible." Both are New International Version translations, and what makes them geared toward police officers and soldiers is the fancy cover art. Everything between the covers is just an NIV bible.

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I like the King James version (KJV) for the poetic "feel" of the language. It gives the words more weight. I'm not sure what's new about the New King James though.


For new Bible readers I usually recommend the New International Version (NIV) because it's closer to modern English, although it was still translated directly from the original Hebrew and Greek. (I want to say the King James was translated from the Septuagint, which is a Latin translation from the original languages, but I may be mistaken.) One thing to look out for if buying an NIV is that there are some recent translations where they went out of their way to make the language gender-inclusive. (Or as some of us would put it, "politically correct." It's not everybody's cup of tea.)


For my own study I like the New American Standard Bible (NASB). The English is more modern than the KJV but I believe they tried to keep the idiomatic constructs closer to the original text, where in the NIV they went with more modern idioms to make it more accessible to new readers.


By the way, I'm not clergy or even a trained layman. These are all just my opinions. YMMV.


There are plenty of good publishers, and I'd be surprised if any of the major publishing houses didn't have a Bible in print. It's the world's best selling book after all. A couple of publishers whose products I own that come to mind are Thomas Nelson and Tyndale House. They offer everything from inexpensive paperbacks and pocket Bibles all the way up to leather bound family volumes.


I agree with the others who suggest looking in a Christian bookstore. They can help you find what you're looking for, and will probably have a larger selection than a general bookstore would.

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Why so many versions? Because language is not static it is always changing. About every 20 years language has changed enough to warrant an update. The King James version of 1611 is not the same as the King James sold today, there have been 19 revisions in the last 400 years. And yes you can buy a original 1611 KJV. It is like reading Shakespeare, because that was how folks talked back then.

 

Also different versions have different purposes. In the 1960's Robert Bratcher, translated the New Testament into everyday 8th grade English spoken in America. That was the level of language that newspapers were written. Missionaries overseas were to use the New Testaments overseas to teach students to read. The first few printings never made it out of New York it was so popular. This is the Good News Bible or Today's English Version (TEV). This a reader's version not a study bible. It also illustrates a different method of translation. The translators use the principle of "dynamic equivalence" instead of translating word for word they translated "thought for thought." (Which is similar to the principle of translation that the KJV translators used.) Even now the GNB seems dated to me. They released the Contemporary English Version in 1995 using the same principles but updating the language.

 

The Revised Standard Version was a revision of the KJV and the New Revised Version an update as language changed. The American Standard Version was a translation that acknowledged the differences in American English and British English. Etc Etc.

 

The New International Version was an attempt to do what the KJV did in the 1600's. I used one for years and moved away from it because I felt that too much of the translators theology crept into the translation. I kept finding verses that I'd say, yes it can be translated that way but that is not meaning the original text conveys. I quit recommending NIV when they made it "gender neutral" about 10 years ago. I don't recommend any version that is "gender neutral" because that shows the translators are willing to change the text to be politically correct. Check the introduction, most will proudly tell you they are "gender neutral."

 

I went back to the New American Standard and now the Updated New American Standard because I think it is the most literal translation from the original languages. I recommend the Updated NASB for accuracy for Bible Study. Since you come from a KJV background you might try a New KJV for ease of reading. It is a KJV with all the archaic language removed.

 

Pull up these versions on-line and read them. Find the version that makes you want to read it! I would recommend that you avoid "paraphrases" like the Message and the Amplified Bible.

Lorimer

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I'm all for choosing a text that was translated from the oldest known texts...

 

But the key to using a bible to strengthen your spiritual life is to ask the Lord for guidance and understand before reading. I've read the same verses multiple times, and taken multiple lessons from them, at different times in my life.

 

You're studying His word, ask him for help before you start each day.

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I'm all for choosing a text that was translated from the oldest known texts...

 

But the key to using a bible to strengthen your spiritual life is to ask the Lord for guidance and understand before reading. I've read the same verses multiple times, and taken multiple lessons from them, at different times in my life.

 

You're studying His word, ask him for help before you start each day.

 

Indeed - it is amazing how through life the passages can have new and strengthened meaning personally and apply to so many diverse situations...all the more with His guidance.

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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If you have one of these stores in your area, more Bible choices than you can fathom.

http://www.familychristian.com/?gclid=CL7QwP6l6L8CFWuCMgodBHwAHQ

 

I have KJV, NKJV, ESV and NIV bibles. I read them all. sometimes the change of just one word in a sentence or phrase can change the connotation.

 

I also like the Bible app on my iPhone and iPad. It allows you to quickly switch back and forth between the various translations. when there is a passage that may not make sense or has something confusing, frequently reading the same passage in multiple translations provides the clarity needed.

 

Also, don't discount the study bibles. The sections at the bottom are useful to reference other chapters and verses that are related to the one you're reading.

 

Now, for the best part, great news you're interested in getting back into reading the Bible!

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I'm all for choosing a text that was translated from the oldest known texts...

 

But the key to using a bible to strengthen your spiritual life is to ask the Lord for guidance and understand before reading. I've read the same verses multiple times, and taken multiple lessons from them, at different times in my life.

 

You're studying His word, ask him for help before you start each day.

 

VERY WELL SAID.

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Also different versions have different purposes. In the 1960's Robert Bratcher, translated the New Testament into everyday 8th grade English spoken in America. That was the level of language that newspapers were written. Missionaries overseas were to use the New Testaments overseas to teach students to read. The first few printings never made it out of New York it was so popular. This is the Good News Bible or Today's English Version (TEV). This a reader's version not a study bible. It also illustrates a different method of translation. The translators use the principle of "dynamic equivalence" instead of translating word for word they translated "thought for thought." (Which is similar to the principle of translation that the KJV translators used.) Even now the GNB seems dated to me. They released the Contemporary English Version in 1995 using the same principles but updating the language.

My church gave me one of these when I graduated from high school. It's... interesting to read, but not terribly informative if you already know some of the material. To me the language itself reads like something flower children would have been comfortable with.

 

Pull up these versions on-line and read them. Find the version that makes you want to read it! I would recommend that you avoid "paraphrases" like the Message and the Amplified Bible.

When studying a particular topic I found it useful to read the same passage in several different translations. Many times that uncovered a line of thinking I wouldn't have gotten from reading a single version. The Blue Letter Bible is good for that because they offer a lot of different searchable translations online.

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My church moved from KJ to NKJ about ten years ago. It's a little easier to read but still stays pretty true to KJ if that's what you're looking for.

 

If you have an iPhone or iPad, check out "Bible" by LifeChurch.TV. It's available across all major mobile platforms It is excellent. You can highlight, annotate, and even share passages with others. You can also read the Bible in two translations at the same time. Most translations can be downloaded to your device, so I use my iPad instead of the Bible when going to Church now.

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My favorite bible remains the Revised Standard Version (not to be confused with the New RSV). I prefer it to all the New KJVs, and certainly to the KJV itself (although one should always have and consult the KJV for many reasons). The RSV is really a new KJV in a major sense, anyway.

 

One big reason is memorization of portions of the text, in the OT many of the Psalms particularly, as well as many passages in the NT. Memorization and recitation need a consistent text, and the RSV supplies this, with all of the cadencies and beauties of the KJV, without the impenetrable archaisms of the KJV itself.

 

Unfortunately, the RSV is getting hard to find since the NRSV was issued. The big exception, though, is the Oxford Study Bible, a really good annotated text, that also includes all of the deutero-canonical books at the end, which makes it a complete bible for the Catholics and Orthodox, as well as Protestants. You can buy it online, but don't confuse it with the Oxford NRSV study bible.

 

An annotated bible can, in fact, be very useful. As others have said, one should also have one of any number of interlinear Greek-English bibles, which are very enligtening about not only the text, but the difficulties presented in any translation effort.

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There are far too many Bibles that only appeal to certain groups. Many of you like the NIV, and that has been my favorite. However, they have just re-written it, and made it more politically correct by eliminating many gender references. Then they pulled them all off the shelves, and you cannot find a "good ole one" brand new. I didn't think that they would succumb to the current political correctness crowd.

 

I will keep my old NIVs, but if I need a new one, I kinda like the ESV, which also goes back to the Greek and Hebrew, instead of just modernizing what we have. Certain passages, like the 23rd Psalm and the Christmas story in Luke, have just got to be read in the King James.

 

A lady in my church who is even older than me, wrote the pastor a nasty letter, accusing him of not reading from the real Bible. "If the King James was good enough for Paul and Peter, it's good enough for me!" Ooops.

 

The old book ... and the word of God ... have come to mean a lot more to me through the years.

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Howdy pards,

 

I am out and about today. I want to thank everyone for there thoughts and feedback. It has giving me a lot to think about and consider.

 

I will reply in detail later today or tomorrow.

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I use a Schofield KJV, it does have commentary notes, but also a concordance which lets you look up verses using a key word.

 

another plus, no matter the size the format is the same, ie I Cor 14 with be on the right page, right column about 1/4 of the way down. works good for finding a verse or for memorization, you can see where it is in you mind....

 

course, no version is any good if you don't read it...

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Don't forget the Douay-Rheims.

 

Also, be aware of wording.

 

In the Nativity Gospel according to St. Luke, the Angel says "Peace on Earth.."

The KJV renders it as "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.."

 

Douay-Rheims, "Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will."

 

Young's Literal, "'Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among men -- good will."

 

Darby, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men."

 

Tyndale, "Glory to God an hye and peace on the erth: and vnto men reioysynge."

All those have very different meanings, even though at first glance they seem the same.

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Joe's mention of the Douay-Rheims version brings up many interesting things. That was the Catholic version done in France in response to the Protestant translations in England in the early Reformation. It was translated from the Latin Vulgate, not the Greek.

 

The Oxford RSV has a lot of detailed history about the English translations. The Geneva bible was the main English bible until well after the KJV came along, although it eventually supplanted it. The Geneva bible is the one originally brought to America by the Pilgrims and Puritans.

 

And very large sections of the KJV New Testament go directly back to Tyndale himself.

 

The KJV translators claimed only to make good translations better. They were great scholars, but they claimed no more authority than that.

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Through the years I've used and accumulated quite a few different types of reading/study Bibles. I was raised on King James, went thru the Living Bible stage of the 70's and have become very comfortable with the accuracy and easy reading of the New International Version. I still go back to the King James occasionally but the NIV is my go to Bible. As for having leather bound, etc, I found a nice leather western cover with a cross on it that suits me.

 

Scripture says His Word will never return void, so whatever translation/version you choose I am sure He will honor it. Use it and you will be blessed.

 

Rev

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There is nothing wrong with the KJV, but it can be confusing, especially in some technical books like Leviticus.

There are two types of other mainstream bibles:

* paraphrase bibles reword the KJV to use more common language. Examples are the NKJV (replaces all of the thee's and thou's) and the Amplified Bible

* translational bibles go back to the original languages (Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew) and translate to English in a cleaner manner than was done in the 16-th century. The NIV is probably the most popular and was completed in the 1960s.

 

My preference is two bibles:

* a parallel bible has two versions, side-by-side. This is what I read and carry to church. I prefer the KJV for psalms, poetry and well-known verses. I prefer the NIV for technical books like Revelation. Having both versions in one book means there is no room for publisher notes, maps or a decent concordance.

* a study bible for deeper reading, maps, publisher notes

Your local Christian bookstore should be able to help. I like www.gatewaybible.com for a website.

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Joe's mention of the Douay-Rheims version brings up many interesting things. That was the Catholic version done in France in response to the Protestant translations in England in the early Reformation. It was translated from the Latin Vulgate, not the Greek.

 

The Oxford RSV has a lot of detailed history about the English translations. The Geneva bible was the main English bible until well after the KJV came along, although it eventually supplanted it. The Geneva bible is the one originally brought to America by the Pilgrims and Puritans.

 

And very large sections of the KJV New Testament go directly back to Tyndale himself.

 

The KJV translators claimed only to make good translations better. They were great scholars, but they claimed no more authority than that.

 

The scholars hired by King James relied somewhat on the Douay in their work.

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Cyrus nailed it for me in post #8

 

Something always gets lost in translation. Add to it a translation of a translation and you really lose something.

 

A translation from the most original source you can get is the best in my opinion.

 

 

NIV for me.

Grow up with the KJV.

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Wow, I am so pleased to see there are Christians in this outfit. My faith is important to me and enjoy seeing others professing their faith in these up side down times we are struggling in. I have recently joined SASS and a good friend was the culprit that infected the sickness of Cowboy Shooting, on me. I am a retired cop and love to shoot. For seven years I have longed to get back into slingen lead. I love this stuff. The dress, the guns and especially the people. The first shoot I attended, at the opening, I was touched that this bunch of Cowboys and Cowgirls include the Pledge of Allegence, that shows, we are Americans. This post has touched me as I see there are good Christian men and women in this club, as well. I have enjoyed each of your input on the versions of the Bible and the reasons for the preferences. In my later years I have been hungry for true and right interpritations of scripture and I search on the internet for answers to what phraises and words used back in original writings, mean. I find so much variation from version to version and so I dig. I think that what ever version each of us enjoys, we should always be hungry to learn from the word and search out true meanings to chapter and verse, that we study. Its healthy and it's good and it's also wonderful that we share our thoughts with others. God Bless you guys

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Wow, I am so pleased to see there are Christians in this outfit. My faith is important to me and enjoy seeing others professing their faith in these up side down times we are struggling in. I have recently joined SASS and a good friend was the culprit that infected the sickness of Cowboy Shooting, on me. I am a retired cop and love to shoot. For seven years I have longed to get back into slingen lead. I love this stuff. The dress, the guns and especially the people. The first shoot I attended, at the opening, I was touched that this bunch of Cowboys and Cowgirls include the Pledge of Allegence, that shows, we are Americans. This post has touched me as I see there are good Christian men and women in this club, as well. I have enjoyed each of your input on the versions of the Bible and the reasons for the preferences. In my later years I have been hungry for true and right interpritations of scripture and I search on the internet for answers to what phraises and words used back in original writings, mean. I find so much variation from version to version and so I dig. I think that what ever version each of us enjoys, we should always be hungry to learn from the word and search out true meanings to chapter and verse, that we study. Its healthy and it's good and it's also wonderful that we share our thoughts with others. God Bless you guys

Thanks for sharing that pard! :)

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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Wow, I am so pleased to see there are Christians in this outfit. My faith is important to me and enjoy seeing others professing their faith in these up side down times we are struggling in. I have recently joined SASS and a good friend was the culprit that infected the sickness of Cowboy Shooting, on me. I am a retired cop and love to shoot. For seven years I have longed to get back into slingen lead. I love this stuff. The dress, the guns and especially the people. The first shoot I attended, at the opening, I was touched that this bunch of Cowboys and Cowgirls include the Pledge of Allegence, that shows, we are Americans. This post has touched me as I see there are good Christian men and women in this club, as well. I have enjoyed each of your input on the versions of the Bible and the reasons for the preferences. In my later years I have been hungry for true and right interpritations of scripture and I search on the internet for answers to what phraises and words used back in original writings, mean. I find so much variation from version to version and so I dig. I think that what ever version each of us enjoys, we should always be hungry to learn from the word and search out true meanings to chapter and verse, that we study. Its healthy and it's good and it's also wonderful that we share our thoughts with others. God Bless you guys

I don't know about other clubs, but the Wartrace Regulators start their matches with the pledge and a prayer.

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http://samgipp.com/answerbook/

 

This is a great book by a great guy. I trusted the Old KJV and what is said when I was 6 years old and haven't waivered from it. Done a good bit of study in my life on manuscript evidence and difference in Textus Receptus and Alexandrian manuscripts......and my opinion since I was 6 has not changed on the Word of God. I would encourage you to study the issue for yourself and let the Lord guide you.

 

BD

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I have and use numerous versions of the Bible and one I own is a photo facsimile of a first edition 1611 King James Bible. It is certainly not an everyday Bible, but I do enjoy reading it in the original fonts. Takes a little getting used to, but fun still. Here's a website where you can see what a first edition 1611 King James Bible looks like.

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611-Bible/

 

Also, the King James Version (or Authorized Version) was not translated from the Septuagint (Greek version of Old Testament) or the Vulgate Bible (Latin version). The KJV Old Testament was translated from Hebrew and Amamaic, the New Testament from Greek, and the Apocrypha from Greek and Latin (yes, the 1st edition KJV included the Apocrypha). Without getting into a deep discussion of the various manuscripts (Cordex) used to translate from, the KJV was translated from a newer manuscript than later English versions because the older manuscripts were not known or available in 1611. However, the KJV is a very close word-for-word translation, second only to the New American Standard Bible (NASB). This makes reading these two versions somewhat awkward compared to other versions such as the New International Version (NIV).

 

And, one should have a Bible of substantial size for some good ol' Bible thumpin' when shooting in the Baptist Category. ^_^

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The Apocrypha was placed between the Testaments, not integrated into the Text.....see excerpt below.....



Many critics of the perfect Bible like to point out that the original King James had the Apocrypha in it as though that fact compromises its integrity. But several things must be examined to get the factual picture.

First, in the days in which our Bible was translated, the Apocrypha was accepted reading based on its historical value, though not accepted as Scripture by anyone outside of' the Catholic church. The King James translators therefore placed it between the Old and New Testaments for its historical benefit to its readers. They did not integrate it into the Old Testament text as do the corrupt Alexandrian manuscripts.


That they rejected the Apocrypha as divine is very obvious by the seven reasons which they gave for not incorporating it into the text. They are as follows:


1. Not one of them is in the Hebrew language, which was alone used by the inspired historians and poets of the Old Testament.


2. Not one of the writers lays any claim to inspiration.


3. These books were never acknowledged as sacred Scriptures by the Jewish Church, and therefore were never sanctioned by our Lord.


4. They were not allowed a place among the sacred books, during the first four centuries of the Christian Church.


5. They contain fabulous statements, and statements which contradict not only the canonical Scriptures, but themselves; as when, in the two Books of Maccabees, Antiochus Epiphanes is made to die three different deaths in as many different places.


6. It inculcates doctrines at variance with the Bible, such as prayers for the dead and sinless perfection.


7. It teaches immoral practices, such as lying, suicide, assassination and magical incantation.


If having the Apocrypha between the Testaments disqualifies it as authoritative, then the corrupt Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts from Alexandria, Egypt must be totally worthless since their authors obviously didn't have the conviction of the King James translators and incorporated its books into the text of the Old Testament thus giving it authority with Scripture.

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My preference is the New English. It generally is only avail as a std type binding(board front and back covers). I wanted a leather one. My brother in law, who is a Baptist minister was able to locate one thru some of his channels. So once you have decided which translation you wish and can't find it in leather, you might speak to your Pastor, and he might be able to find it for you.

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