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Today, most churches will make random use of any of the various
translations mentioned here. Frequently a pastor will recommend one
particular version to be used exclusively by the congregation so
that everyone will have an identical source to refer to during the
preaching or Bible studies. This not only helps eliminate confusion,
but also makes it possible to engage in corporate word-for-word
readings of scripture, something that wouldn’t be possible if
everyone was reading from a different version. After some research
on the various versions, every believer would do well to zero in on
a primary version to which they devote their study and commit
passages to memory. It’s inadvisable to allow the issue of
translations to become a distraction. For the average layman, most
of the differences between the translations are relatively
insignificant. All the versions we have listed have a high degree of
harmony and convey the same general message of God’s Word, but will
use some of their own distinctive phrases and words. The following
is a summary of the most popular versions, along with a brief
evaluation: The New American Bible (NAB) — Official translation of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. All editions include Deuterocanical/Apocryphal books. First published in 1970. Word-for-word accuracy. The New American Bible is the standard Catholic translation, completed in 1970 and updated in the 1980s and 1990s. It is written at about a 7th grade reading level and strives to maintain the word-for-word equivalence wherever possible. As a Catholic Bible it also contains seven books not found as standard equipment on Protestant Bibles. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) — Translated in 1971 by 58 scholars of the Lockman Foundation, from Kittle’s Biblia Hebraica and Nestle’s Greek New Testament 23rd ed., which include the Alexandrian Family codices. Though academic in tone, it is said to be the most exact English translation available. A very good version. The NASB was one of the first modern English translations done specifically for the United States and provided an early alternative to the Elizabethan English of the KJV. This is a translation that strives for a word-for-word, literal translation wherever possible. It is written at an 11th grade reading level and is also available in Spanish. The New International Version (NIV) — Over 100 translators completed this work in 1978 which was composed from Kittle’s, Nestle’s and United Bible Society’s texts, which include the Alexandrian Family codices. This is considered an “open” style translation. It is a good, easy to read version. The NIV strikes a balance between the word-for-word and “what they meant” style of translation. Written at about an 8th grade reading level, it was first published in 1978 and revised in 1984. There are many derivatives of the NIV, such as the NIrV for children, the NVI for Spanish speakers and the TNIV – Today’s New International Version, which takes into account some of the concerns of modern readers, such as gender and race issues. Revised Standard Version (RSV) — Although attempting to update the "Bible English" of the KJV, some thous, and beholds still remain. First published in 1952. Maintains a word-for-word accuracy using modern American language. New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) — Revises the RSV into fully modern language. Uses gender neutral language and removes thees, thous and beholds. Published in 1990. Fine balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought translation philosophy. The NRSV is well respected by scholars both for its faithfulness to the original text as well as for its sensibilities to modern political issues such as gender and race. Readers who prefer the poetry and theology of more traditional translations have not embraced it as readily as the scholarly community. Written at a high school-aged reading level, it enjoys inter-denominational support, but is mostly used in mainline Protestant confessions. The version of which the NRSV is an update, the Revised Standard Version has made a comeback among some conservative Christian groups, including Catholics, mainly for its faithfulness to the original language and its lack of what some style a “political correctness” which is the hallmark of the NRSV. Douay Rheims (DR) — English translation from the Latin Vulgate with comparisons the Hebrew and Greek. Its language contains "Latinisms," common in the English writing of the day. First published in 1609. Word-for-word accuracy. New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) — An update of the Jerusalem Bible first translated into French. Includes comprehensive introductions, footnotes and gender neutral language. Published in 1985. With a balance between word translation and meaning, this uses Roman Catholic official English language text outside United States. The Living Bible (TLB) — A paraphrased rendition of the King James Version by Kenneth Taylor in 1971. This is not a genuine translation, but is a type of phrase-by-phrase commentary that was originally intended to help the author’s own children understand the scriptures. It is useful for inspiration and commentary, but for serious Bible study it should only be used in conjunction with a legitimate translation. Originally written without any reference to the original Hebrew and Greek texts, The Living Bible cannot technically be referred to as a translation, but falls under the category of a paraphrase, or a “translation” from English to English. The Living Bible was a paraphrase from the American Standard Version. The TLB appeared in 1971 and presented the first major alternative to the King James Version for Protestants. It caught on tremendously and continues to be a favorite among those who want to read the Bible without wrestling with the language. The NLT – New Living Translation, published in 1996 and updated in 2004, provides a more contemporary alternative to The Living Bible. Biblical purists and scholars may warn against using a paraphrase, such as TLB, or a free translation such as The Message for study, but they are well loved as points of entry for gaining initial access to the text of the Bible. New Living Translation (NLT) — This successor of the Living Bible seeks to produce the closest natural equivalent of the message in contemporary English. Published in 1996. With a thought-for-thought translation philosophy. This is used by many Evangelical readers. The King James Version (KJV) — The King James Version, also called the Authorized Version, was first published in 1611 under the patronage of King James in England. It was at about this time that the Bible first became available in English, or in just about any language other than Latin or Greek. Along with the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible, the KJV was among the first authorized English translations of the Bible. This is the version people often think of when they think of Biblical language with its “thees and thous.” Due to its complex sentence structure and Elizabethan vocabulary it clocks in at a 12th grade reading level and tends to be more of a word-for-word translation. It is highly revered and well distributed thanks to the Gideons who place one in almost every hotel room drawer. Some Christian denominations will allow no other translations. It is hard to surpass the King James translation in terms of beauty and influence. Many, if not all, of the famous phrases that have entered the English language from the Bible have come from the King James Version. It works especially well if you hear it read by a professional speaker or actor who knows how to deliver Elizabethan English. The New King James Version (NKJV) — 130 translators, commissioned by Thomas Nelson Publishers, produced this version from the Byzantine family (Textus Receptus) in 1982. This is a revision of the King James version, updated to modern English with minor translation corrections and retention of traditional phraseology. The NKJV is an update of the King James Version. It maintains much of the poetry and beloved phrasing of the original King James Version, but corrects some of its errors in terms of scholarship and translation and updates the archaisms. It registers at an 8th grade reading level.
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