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How often do you buy a new bible?

Or when did you buy your last bible? What is your preferred translation? the NIV, NASB, KJV ec.....?

Following my though on the "is it wrong to write in your bible?" thread, I wanted to find how often people purchased their last bible?

I purchased my last one probably about 10 years ago, I have bought study bibles since then, such as Max Lucardo's Devotional bible and I also bought The Message, the later I cannot get into, it's very strange reading the bible in "modern language". I do not consider study bibles to be regular bibles, that's just my personal opinion.

Not to get off subject here, my favorite bible is one I rarely read, it's a bible from 1852 that I purchased from an old book store in the Cotswolds, England. I love the language, the writing is tiny and a funny thing to note is at the end of Revelation it says ,"The End" as if one were reading a novel.lol. Another interesting thing to note about this bible is the title page for the old testament it says that was "translated out if the original tounges" and the new testament says that it was "translated out of the original Greek". I would love to be able to say that it was my great-great grandmothers... But I can't. I'll have to take photos and put them on here.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on May 17, 2011 at 7:03am

Texanbrit,

It depends on the need. Some of us do not write in our Bibles, thus our Bibles may be used on a regular basis much longer than those who do write in them. Some of us have various Bibles already set apart for specific uses. I have a Bible I only use in the pulpit. I received it as a gift at my ordination and have had it over 15 years. I have a daily reading Bible at my desk. I replace it when it falls apart :-) I have a traveling Bible that I replace everytime I give it away to someone who does not have a Bible. I have a Bible I use for witnessing that gets replaced when I give it away. I have various versions of the Bible that sit on a shelf and are used for reference. Thus, I do not buy a new Bible because it has out lived its shelf life, but only when it needs to be replaced because it just simply is not holding together or has been given away.

Lord Bless,

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Permalink Reply by Carla on May 17, 2011 at 6:18pm

Hi Texanbrit,

I have different bibles for different purposes. They are different versions.

I have 2 NASB's, 2 NLT's, 1 NIV, 2 KJV, 1 NCV, The message, The evidence Bible KJV, I have a bible on my ipod, and I have a NT NASB small one. I also have a Hebrew/ Greek Interlinear bible.

My favourite is the NASB. i also like the NLT. My least favourite is The Message.

The most recent one I bought was one of the NASB bibles. I bought it about 7 months ago when i thought i lost one of my NASB's.. but my husband found it in the car under one of the seats...so now I have 2 NASB's OT and NT...and one NT NASB.

I have given bible's away, but not recently. If the Lord wants me to do that I will.

Some of the maps fell out of my NLT-- Michelle I love the tip of using the glue gun.. now i know how to fix it.

I love reading the different versions when studying a verse.

When I'm at my computer I often use the blue letter bible website because it's so handy.

For now I have enough bibles...and i have lots to share if anyone needs to borrow one.

I love the idea of going into an old book store to look for an antique bible.. I just may do that. :-)

Blessings, Carla

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on May 17, 2011 at 6:33pm

I have about 60 bibles on software (on line) and about 10 tangible ones. Different versions and for different reasons as most of the participants here have already noted. :)

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Permalink Reply by John P. on May 23, 2011 at 3:27pm

Mine are 10+ years old. My main one is a parallel KJV and Living Bible. I read side by side. So when I get a little stuck in the KJV, I read it in the LB, than back to the KJV.

And I doodle,and take notes right in my Bible. And the notes I put in, really help me.

"it's a bible from 1852"..Now that is REALLY the old English!

I'd like a new study Bible,,,,,,,,with these features.

A, KJV...amplified

B, Red letter edition

C, When God is mentioned, always capiltolized. So if it says 'he' it should be 'He'.

John

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on May 25, 2011 at 5:05am

I have about 30 bibles in various translations. The translation that I us is the ESV (English Standard Version) because I like the way it reads in our everyday language. Regardless of what version I use, I keep the KJV for a backup to check the translation that I am currently using. I distribute Bibles to all that say they have none. I normally give out one of the newer translations so that a new believer can understand the wording in them, but I make sure it is a literal translation. I do make notes in them. As my understanding progresses, I replace the old with a new copy, always keeping the older copy as a reference as to how I have grown in my understanding of the Word.

My oldest copy is one handed down from my grandfather to my father to me.

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Permalink Reply by ScribeD on May 25, 2011 at 12:54pm

TxBrit, I share your appreciation for antique Bibles. We have one from the 1600s that weighs about 15#, filled with illustrations. I'm afraid to read it, because it is so old. It was sitting in an attic in England until two years ago.

The best Bible version, is the one you will read consistently. (borrowed that). I have about 9 or 10 different personal Bibles, ranging from KJV, NKJV to NASB, NIV, and some more rare versions like Websters, and a couple of Catholic versions.

I don't buy a new Bible very frequently, because I keep notes in my Bible, so I have one that I read consistently at home and one that I take everywhere, which is a little smaller. It's always fun to read notes from past experiences when I was studying or praying. Sometimes God has used my own past notes to encourage me through a difficulty at a later time. Sometimes to fulfill or remind something He has whispered to me.

When I was a very new Christian, a fellow from the church bought me a study Bible and then promptly told me not to read the study notes, just "Read the Word" and trust it; that Bible got lost in a move and was missing for a while. Years later, I opened it up and found that there was so much rich content in the study notes that helped me understand things which were mysteries to me, it was like reading it all for the first time.

One thing I will say, which I have written before here, is that I highly highly recommend reading Bibles from two different translation angles at the same time, especially when studying. One from a Word for Word perspective, such as the NKJV and one from a Thought for Thought perspective, such as the NIV. There are many idioms that don't easily translate in the Word for Word versions. However, the poetry and rhythm of a Word for Word is much easier to memorize - and I think every Christian should work hard to memorize the Bible.

Lastly, I recommend that any time you reach a word or concept that troubles your understanding, you should grab a version which translates from the opposite perspective and read it there. Most of the time, I have found this helps my mind to grasp the meaning much better.

To go back to your initial thought: it find it's time to buy a new bible when you have notes on every page of your old one. If you have taken good notes, studied every passage and taken care of the book well, it should be well enough worn to need replacing by then.

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Permalink Reply by Zenaida Dionisio on June 16, 2011 at 10:31pm

I have 3 bibles at home, the KJ, NIV and the NASB, the last time i bought my last bible (NIV four years ago). Better to have 3 bible with different translation to know deeply more about on it.

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Permalink Reply by ScribeD on June 17, 2011 at 4:49pm

WOW. So God let you see that your Bible had been a blessing to someone else!!

Awesome, thank you Lord!

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Permalink Reply by Texanbrit on July 5, 2011 at 11:49am

Yes, was a blessing to be able to do that, I learned some interesting history too when I did that.

The bitter/sweet thing about this for me is tha in England they do not value bibles so highly as perhaps they so elsewhere, I purchased that bible 20 years ago (wow, I suddenly feel old.lol.) for £3.00, bitter because that was and is still cheap today if one translates that to today value of that, but sweet because I got a gem that I could afford:)