favorite bible translations

Comment

Comment by Dale A Hurst on February 25, 2014 at 4:28am

 I have several translations on my shelf but the KJV is the standard for me. I like to read different versions that are somewhat easier to understand and use my King James Version or a NKJV for reference.

 There are people who are very hardcore regarding what translation is correct and claim all other s are evil. I won't read the NWT.

Comment by Ricprimus on April 23, 2013 at 10:00pm

Oops, in part 1 I left out after B) Casual study:

C) serious study:
Septuaginta Editio altera 2nd revised edition 1989 (Greek Old Testament). (sorry no Hebrew for me, I have enough languages to muddle through as it is).
The Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece  (NA27) 1993 text with parallel Greek and Latin new Vulgate text.
(on order: Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28) 28th revised edition 2013)

Comment by Ricprimus on April 23, 2013 at 9:56pm

2nd part,
Digital Versions:
A) e-Sword v10.1.0; King James Version w/ Strong's numbers, Strong's dictionary, and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge cross-references (can parallel display this and up to 5 simultaneous translation/version modules)
B) esword modules
historical versions:
(English)
Bishop's Bible [TBB] 1568  (Old English)
Douay-Rheims Bible [DRB] 1752
Geneva bible (GB) 1587  (Old English)
Joseph Smith Mormon (JST) 1867
King James (KJV) 1611 (Old English)
New American Bible with Apocrypha (NABA) 1944 cath Tyndale Rogers Coverdale Bible (TRC) 1535
Wesley's NT (Wesley's) 1755
Whiston NT (Whiston) 1745
William Tyndale Translation (WTNT) 1525
Worsley's NT (WORNT) 1770
Wycliffe NT 1385
(Greek)
Greek NT (Majority Text) (GNT) 1904
Greek OT Septuagint (GOT-LXX) 1935 Nestle-Aland 26th-27th Edition of Greek NT
(Latin)
Jerome Vulgate 405
Clementine Vulgate 1598
Nova Vulgata 1979
(Modern Language Versions)
French
Darby Bible 1859
Louis Segond Bible 1910
German
Biblia (Luther's Bible) 1545
Neue Evangelistische Ubertragung 2010
Spanish
Reina Valera 1909
La Biblia de las Americas 1997
C) The Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece 27th edition 1993 text with parallel Greek and Latin new Vulgate text
D) pre-382 Vetus Latina Collection (pre-Jerome Old Latin Bible texts)
E) 382-405 Latin Vulgate of Jerome with my conversion of text to to Hiberno-Saxon Kells uncial font (with "et" converted to "&" and "Iesu Christi" to "Ihu XPI")
F) 382-405 Latin Vulgate of Jerome with my conversion of text to to Hiberno-Saxon Northumbria half-uncial font (with "et" converted to "&" and "Iesu Christi" to "Ihu XPI")

  Well, anyway, that's more or less the Bibles I use and work with, either for my personal salvation or for my art.

Comment by Ricprimus on April 23, 2013 at 9:46pm

 Since I have been a professional artist for about 40 years involved in both art history and producing Christian art of the early medieval period, I have a mix of Bibles for various usage. A long comment incoming! Couple parts I think?
First, printed Bibles:
All Time Favorites:
(Still have them in original box and cellophane inner wrappers, due to being gifts from both sets of grandparents on Easter, 2 days after my birth (I was born on Good Friday); my Irish grans gave me 3 books: a Holy Bible Papal Edition, 1952, along with a Cassell's Standard Latin Dictionary and an Ulster Irish Fairy Tales; my Presbyterian Scottish grans gave me a Nelson Revised Standard Version, 1952, along with a Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament and Tales from the Scottish Highlands. So began the battle between "Those Heathens" and "Those Heretics" for the next 13 years. (Interesting family unions at the various family farms; the only peace was at wakes once the homemade poteen or mead came out: (that in itself was amusing when I was old enough to understand irony, since both granmas were leaders of the local temperance movements early in the century up to their passing).
Overall: Couple of 6 foot book shelves of various versions, languages, publishing dates; especially illustrated Bibles, picked up at used bookstores and such over the years: like drawing pens I can't pass them up when I see them. Nothing really special, mostly 19th and early 20th century editions to browse through when I relax.
A) casual reading: originally all my life the KJV and the Confraternity Catholic Bible, but in 2012 replaced both with "The Books of the Bible" ("chapter and verse numbers eliminated, presents the biblical books according to their natural literary structures; divided books were recombined; a new order of books to reflect their literary types, the historical circumstances in which they were composed and the theological traditions out of which they speak"). A very nice version for reading in long stretches!
B) Casual study: any of the NA27 based English translations: (listed by order of agreement) New American Standard, American Standard Version, New American Standard Updated 1995,  New American Bible, English Standard Version, Holman Christian Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New English Translation, Revised Standard Version, New International Version. (The NA28 has just been released so eventually all of these will be re-edited to reflect changes from NA27 in 5 years or so.
D) Celtic and Hiberno-Saxon studies:
Modern Gaelic:
  Am Bioball Gaidhlig 1992 (Scots Gaelic Bible)
  An Biobla Naofa 1981 (Irish Gaelic Bible)
Fascimile reproductions of  Hiberno-Saxon Manuscripts:
MS AC 1: The Cathach of Colum Cille ("An Cathach") (Cathach of St. Columba) (Psalter) (560-600)
MS A. 4. 5. (57): Book of Durrow (Gospel Book) (650-700)
BL Additional MS 89000: The St Cuthbert Gospel, "Stonyhurst Gospel" (Pocket Gospel Book) (7th c.)
MS A.II.17: The Durham Gospels (Gospel Book) (late 7th c.)
Cotton MS Nero D.IV: Lindisfarne Gospels (Gospel Book) (ca. 700)
MS A. I. (58): Book of Kells (Gospel Book) (ca. 800)
MS.A.IV.23:Book of Dimma (Pocket Gospel Book) (8th c.)
MS 60 (A. I. 15): Book of Mulling (Pocket Gospel Book)  (late 8th c.)
MS. Ii.6.32: Book of Deer (Gospel Book) (10th c.)

Comment by Seek on March 6, 2013 at 6:48am

I lean more towards the NIV translation, but I study using NIV, NLT, KJV and NKJV all.  Sometimes, if I don't grasp something, I will look it up in another version and then look up John Gill's commentaries on it. 

I trust any Bible that is a translation of the original, whether more modernized or ancient Thees and Thous (who prays like that?).  While some meanings may be a bit skewed from the KJV, we have to always remember even KJV was a translation of Greek and Hebrew and there is room for error with any translation.  But any Bible preaching the Gospel of Christ is not in error as a whole.  If one word meant something different 2,000 years ago, it doesn't change the premise of the Bible, it only gives us humans something to argue about.

Comment by Colby on February 1, 2013 at 10:45am

I don't really have a strong preference.  Someone once answered this question simply by saying, "the best translation/version is the one you will read."  

I often find it helpful to consult and compare the text of several versions, especially when reading passages that are unclear or difficult, to gain a better understanding and insight into the meaning of the text.

I own several Bibles, including the ESV, NIV, NRSV, KJV, NASB, and the Kingdom New Testament (NT Wright).  I also regularly consult several other versions online, including the NAB (Catholic), NLT (thought-for-thought), HCSB, and the NET Bible for its extensive study notes.  I find that the Amplified Bible, with its parenthetical notes, doesn't flow very well for me, although others may find it helpful.  The Message, as a paraphrase, doesn't work for me as a study Bible.  I love the Old English prose of the King James, it's an old standby and has held up well over 500 years, but much of its English is outdated.

I have found that the Bible you're likely to find in the pew varies across denominations.  In the more liberal or progressive mainline denominations, the NRSV is favored.  In more conservative/orthodox churches, the NIV, the ESV and the NKJV.

When I post to the AAG Forum, I like to link verses that I quote to the the Online Parallel Bible hosted by Biblos.   It presents the text of a verse from multiple English versions side-by-side.

Each version has its strengths and weaknesses, a function in part of where it is on the translation continuum from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.  Each has a place.  Some may be better suited for preaching from the pulpit, for individual/group Bible study, etc. than others. The best translations, in my view, are those that have been carefully scrutinized by a committee of scholars representing a range of denominations.  

I can't endorse the NWT, the translation unique to the Jehovah's Witnesses, which has tampered with the Bible in certain places to deny the Trinity and support other false teachings.

Comment by repentent steve on June 25, 2012 at 6:48am

greetings in christ jesus,my favourite bible is the KJV its what i grew up with so i'm comfortable with it.My least favourite is the NIV because of all the omissions it has.Rev.22:19

Comment by rosary flasius on August 31, 2011 at 9:54pm

blessings for all