What is your preferred translation of The Bible and Why

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Angela53510

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
11,786
2,957
113
Too much like work? Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. But then again, your Bible doesn’t have that verse does it.
No, because there is no point in learning an archaic language. Koine Greek, on the other hand, is the language the NT was written in. It has been worthwhile work. Memorizing vocabulary on flash cards, listening to pronunciations of words, studying and reviewing grammar! And lots of translating! Greek grammar is very different than English, you cannot translate it "word for word." German, on the other hand has very similar grammar to Koine Greek, glad I took a couple years in high school, and then second year university German.

Because you cannot translate word for word from Greek to English, the KJV, and other versions cannot be totally accurate-it is impossible! No word for word is possible into any language, except maybe German and other Germanic languages. I would get into noun and adjective cases, nominative, genitive, dative, accusative; masculine, feminine and neuter genders, singular and plural. Or verb structure and uses. Like an Aorist time, but no simple past tense. And that German tenses represent view, not necessarily forward motion in time. I guess you should look up the grammar a bit, to understand it is a whole field of study, itself.

I love nothing better than to spend thousands of hours work in learning a new language. I'm studying Ukrainian right now. Cyrillic is a difficult alphabet. I've got the alphabet memorized, starting to work on vocabulary and grammar. It will be useful when I get deeper into genealogical studies.

You try to be so insulting! But all it shows is your total ignorance of my personality. I would never have learned 6 languages, gone to seminary, and now be working in a PhD, if I was lazy! You have barked up a tree that isn't even near my forest! So glad God called me to do these things!

Try not to throw such stupid insults. While you are a joke, certainly your jokes are just thinly veiled ad hominem attacks, nothing to do with the actual subject we are discussing!

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15

It appears in every Bible I've ever read, it's just that I can understand it in modern versions, instead of an archaic and obsolete 400 year old translation, translated from 7 late and corrupted manuscripts! And I'm not saying don't read the KJV. Read the Bible that speaks to you, but beware of pitfalls in any translation. They are there in all translations!
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,128
3,689
113
No, because there is no point in learning an archaic language. Koine Greek, on the other hand, is the language the NT was written in. It has been worthwhile work. Memorizing vocabulary on flash cards, listening to pronunciations of words, studying and reviewing grammar! And lots of translating! Greek grammar is very different than English, you cannot translate it "word for word." German, on the other hand has very similar grammar to Koine Greek, glad I took a couple years in high school, and then second year university German.

Because you cannot translate word for word from Greek to English, the KJV, and other versions cannot be totally accurate-it is impossible! No word for word is possible into any language, except maybe German and other Germanic languages. I would get into noun and adjective cases, nominative, genitive, dative, accusative; masculine, feminine and neuter genders, singular and plural. Or verb structure and uses. Like an Aorist time, but no simple past tense. And that German tenses represent view, not necessarily forward motion in time. I guess you should look up the grammar a bit, to understand it is a whole field of study, itself.

I love nothing better than to spend thousands of hours work in learning a new language. I'm studying Ukrainian right now. Cyrillic is a difficult alphabet. I've got the alphabet memorized, starting to work on vocabulary and grammar. It will be useful when I get deeper into genealogical studies.

You try to be so insulting! But all it shows is your total ignorance of my personality. I would never have learned 6 languages, gone to seminary, and now be working in a PhD, if I was lazy! You have barked up a tree that isn't even near my forest! So glad God called me to do these things!

Try not to throw such stupid insults. While you are a joke, certainly your jokes are just thinly veiled ad hominem attacks, nothing to do with the actual subject we are discussing!

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15

It appears in every Bible I've ever read, it's just that I can understand it in modern versions, instead of an archaic and obsolete 400 year old translation, translated from 7 late and corrupted manuscripts! And I'm not saying don't read the KJV. Read the Bible that speaks to you, but beware of pitfalls in any translation. They are there in all translations!
First of all, the KJV is not obsolete. Millions upon millions read it every day. Your cancel attempt holds no water.

Second, the preserved word of God does not have to be a word for word translation. The KJV holds the very exact English words. The “originals” themselves had translations from one language to another all throughout. You fail to recognize.

Thirdly, calling me names does no one any good, but shows your lack of love for a fellow believer.

Fourth, do your best to do what? That’s right, study God‘s word. New versions do not want you to study God’s word.
 

Angela53510

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
11,786
2,957
113
Out of curiosity, what translation do you prefer? And your professor?
Right now I am reading NET for my second time. I like the 66K footnotes. Lots of geography, use of original languages, and explaining the context. I liked HCSB, but they use transliterations for Greek and Hebrew letters. I know most people want to learn a bit more, hence footnotes, but most people don't want to learn the letters of 2 different alphabets.

I read NASB for 25 years. It got so stiff and stilted, I needed a new version. Although I learned a huge amount of Bible, reading it 25 times in a yearly reading program. I've also read ESV a few times, and I don't like their footnotes! Too many opinions and not enough facts!!

I read my Martin Luther updated German Bible daily, and the SBL in Koine Greek.

My prof loves to study and compare. He always uses Logos or Accordance when teaching, to discuss translational differences between different versions. That I know of, he is on the NIV, ESV, CSB translation committees, and some others. He reads Greek very fluently, which is the basis of his NT reading, and the LXX and Masoretic in Hebrew for the OT.
 

Gideon300

Well-known member
Mar 18, 2021
5,347
3,148
113
Correction I am definitely NOT KJVO! I was distracted by one of my cats and that got past me!
It's wonderful to have a cat to blame for typos. Mine likes to walk over the keyboard every now and again.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,312
3,618
113
Nope, you should seek it out yourself.
What do you mean "you should seek it out yourself?"

I would never force my belief on anyone, but I will defend it when necessary.
Actually, I haven't heard a good defense for KJV onlyism, from you or anyone else. It always "we're right, you're wrong, end of story."
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,312
3,618
113
Nope, you should seek it out yourself. A faithful witness cannot lie. I would never force my belief on anyone, but I will defend it when necessary.
You keep drifting away from my original question. I realize I'll never get a straight answer from you because if you answer honestly it'll show KJV onlyism operates exactly like any other cult.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,312
3,618
113
I disagree. I think that those who accept any translation, including the KJV as perfect without looking into anything further are saying man is superior to God. They are wrong to accept what men have determined God tells them. We are to put our faith in God, not some men's ideas of God. That takes using all our resources in the search, not just one group of men or one man.
Oh, I agree. KJV onlyism is an idolatrous superstition. But I have nothing against the KJV per se. If a person reads it it's better than not reading anything.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,128
3,689
113
You keep drifting away from my original question. I realize I'll never get a straight answer from you because if you answer honestly it'll show KJV onlyism operates exactly like any other cult.
I've defending the KJV on this site for many years using scripture and other evidence. If you are that interested, search out the threads about KJV onlyism.

Again, do you believe God has preserved his complete pure and holy words for us today in a book? If so, where? If not, then end of discussion. That's just the way I see it brother.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,128
3,689
113
What I asked was: should everyone fall in line with them simply because they believe they have God's truth and tell us we should fall in line?
Absolutely not...study it for yourself. If reading the KJV, you find what you may consider an error, study and compare scripture to scripture. You will always find the truth if looking with a sincere heart.
 

fredoheaven

Senior Member
Nov 17, 2015
4,110
960
113
A cut and paste from Mark Varney on a question

Can the Bible be used as an idol?

The following is my answer.
"Idolatry" is almost always the term thrown at those who believe that the King James Bible is the pure, preserved words of God. But let us examine that for a minute.
(1) Do King James Bible believers look at the word of God as something made by man (as an idol)? No, they do not, for they know that every word in that Book proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
(2) Do they genuflect (bow down) before the word of God as do those who bow to a statue of Mary, St. Joseph, etc? No, they do not.
(3) Do they pray to the word of God, as pagans pray to their images of wood and stone? No, they do not.
(4) Do they mount it on the dashboard of their car (as a statue of St. Matthew, or some other) for good luck, or safety during travel? No, they do not. But they MAY leave their Bible in the car after church on Sunday, for the whole week, LOL! More out of neglect, than for "good luck".
(5) Do they put the word of God up on a prominent shelf, in between two blinking electric candles, and glance reverently at it once in a while? No, they do not.
So instead of "idolatry", what is a King James Bible believer "guilty" of?
(1) He is guilty of receiving it "not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God." They actually believe the words are God's words.
(2) He is guilty of magnifying the word of God above the name of God....just as God Himself does.... Ps 138:2 "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." Why so? Think about it -- the word of God tells us EVERYTHING we know about man's sin, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, salvation that is offered by grace through faith, etc. The word of God is the ONE MATERIAL THING that God has given to man to represent Himself, that we may read it, believe it, study it, and count on it.
(3) He is guilty of believing that God actually DID preserve his words to every generation and that those words are not "lost", but he actually has all of those preserved words in the Bible in his hand. Psalm 12:6-7 "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."
“I am a King James Bible believer. I read it, study it, believe every word of it, and count on it completely. When I am done studying it, I put it in a drawer, or lay a notebook on it -- I am not superstitious, and the words of God are not my ‘idol’, but those words are a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. I thank God for the King James Bible; the inspired, pure, preserved words of God in my mother tongue.”
Mark Varney
 

fredoheaven

Senior Member
Nov 17, 2015
4,110
960
113
If you are a firm believer of the Modern English Versions what would you say about this particular verse in 1 John5:19? Who would you think rules the world or in control of the world? Thanks

New International Version
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

New Living Translation
We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.

English Standard Version
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

Berean Study Bible
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.

Berean Literal Bible
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the evil one.

New American Standard Bible
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

NASB 1995
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

NASB 1977
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

NET Bible
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,312
3,618
113
I've defending the KJV on this site for many years using scripture and other evidence. If you are that interested, search out the threads about KJV onlyism.
I said I've never heard a good defense.

Again, do you believe God has preserved his complete pure and holy words for us today in a book? If so, where? If not, then end of discussion. That's just the way I see it brother.
Your right, I'm wrong. I get it.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,312
3,618
113
Absolutely not...study it for yourself. If reading the KJV, you find what you may consider an error, study and compare scripture to scripture. You will always find the truth if looking with a sincere heart.
If I really study it will I discover the KJV is the Word of God, His only perfect word?