Bible Edition

[lamina]

What can i say!! I never thought such a simple question will have so much answers.Thanks to all, too kind of you

Living in a country 98% Roman Catholic, all Bibles are canonical ones: Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are de rigueur on each book. Martin Luther and his sola scriptura Theology brought some problems to, at time, a spleeping Europe and Roman Church today is still experiencing some issues and difficulties of the Post-Modern societies.

Some evangelical, baptists and protestants churches exist here today but they are not the mainstrean tendency as USA. That said some tension is missing here..that nice tension who make things go further..the exercise of contradictory. Not a clash tension but a good academic study about interpretations and point of views.For example, in the 70s french dominicans priests wanted to print an ecumenical bible, spoked with protestants ministers/scholarships and the book was done:the TOB (Traduction Oecumenique de la Bible). At time of printing the Roman Church seal Imprimatur Potest was denied not being accepted some points of views.Of course, the book was printed and still exist today but the main issue was to make a bridge between christian confessions.That intention failed and we have today a TOB, but mainly prostestant.Well it means the work was in vain, Protestants bibles were around already.

But i've read carefully your suggestions and see some sites: ESV is more evangelical (nice orange book/cover), NIV have some camo-covers (excellent idea such as the pockets editions) and the NRSV can be bought in Protestant Canon or Catholic Canon.Here, the official bible (Roman Catholic)is the Jerusalem Bible, first issued as Bible de Jerusalem and it is considered the best translation of all, footnotes and general diagrams helping.In use at everyday masses or the Liturgical one and this is the one to be bought if Roman Catholic point of view needed...

That said, i own that JB and will need an ecumenical one...People you've widening my search so my problem remains... Kidin'...any of the previous mentioned will do a great job and being all generally mainline Protestant (correct me here if i'm wrong...) i must think wich one i would prefer...work in progress then!!

 

[tpoof]

My personal favorite is the KJB, but when verses are questioned I also use the NIV to get some clarification.. For a computer Bible, you may want to try E-Sword, you can download different Bibles and read them in parallel to compare versions and also download various commentaries and Concordances. you will find it to be a great asset. I did.
Oh yes, it is also free. but makes availability for donations possible.

 

[SRock]

I have a KJV (raised on the KJV) and my wife prefers the NIV (raised on the NIV) we use and reference both for better understanding.

Learn Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic &c and read the original.



I kid, of course, but that is the best way to find out what is actually being said. Beyond that, try several translations (probably each one mentioned so far) and compare how they approach a given passage. Translation is an inexact art and usually a matter of compromise, trying to find the best way to express in English something that cannot accurately be expressed in English. (Beyond that, as with any other ancient text, there are going to be different manuscripts with their own idiosyncracies, errors and omissions, and you will want to compare how the various translators tackled those problems.)

Personally I have a liking for the King James version, simply because it has been so influential and of longstanding general use over the past few centuries ... but my admiration for that venerable and eloquent historical artifact does not blind me to the scholarly perpetual persuit of accuracy in translation.

Fantastic post, Ian!

 

[Dustinl]

I'm suprised that no one has mentioned The Message. Many times our Pastor will quote scripture from The Message just to get a point across. Kind of like the Amplified Bible. I enjoy reading The Message while at home. For my backwoods way of thinking, The Message is just way easier to understand.



DL

 

[lamina]

I've take a look around over the The Message...Coming myself from the greek original one, it seems a tad much interpretation...Things are said and interpreted, instead of translatered, and some of the sentences weren't the original author's idea. It reminds me Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet movie with Leonardo di Caprio...It is a Shakespeare's work?

Or a more prosaic song has the 80s Tears for Fears song Mad World...people never heard of...but after Gary Jules version the song climbed to #1 achieving a better place than the original version...What happened?

The good thing about this? It updates old knowledges to our era, meaning non-interpretation is an impossible thing.

 

[jadam318]

I like the Message version more as supplemental. It can help add perspective, but I like the NASB because it is (so I've heard) the most literal translation available. I could be wrong about that, but it has worked well for me so far.

Also, I'll second the notion of owning several different translations and studying the same scripture with its differences in each one. Even the KJV, the most widely accepted version in here in the U.S., had some politics affecting its translation. None that I know of which changed much meaning, but still.

My approach to studying scripture is to try as best I can, through different translations, commentaries, and diligent prayer, to understand the author's God inspired intent in the time and society the scripture was written. Then, apply the ideas to current society and my personal life. I guess it is for these reasons that I like the most literal translation and try to get as much of the original language as possible. I saw your reply to my post earlier stating that you already have Hebrew and Greek aids, and I think that is a good decision.

Let us know what you decide to go with. I'm interested.

 

[richmondesi]

I like the Message version more as supplemental. It can help add perspective, but I like the NASB because it is (so I've heard) the most literal translation available. I could be wrong about that, but it has worked well for me so far.

Also, I'll second the notion of owning several different translations and studying the same scripture with its differences in each one. Even the KJV, the most widely accepted version in here in the U.S., had some politics affecting its translation. None that I know of which changed much meaning, but still.

My approach to studying scripture is to try as best I can, through different translations, commentaries, and diligent prayer, to understand the author's God inspired intent in the time and society the scripture was written. Then, apply the ideas to current society and my personal life. I guess it is for these reasons that I like the most literal translation and try to get as much of the original language as possible. I saw your reply to my post earlier stating that you already have Hebrew and Greek aids, and I think that is a good decision.

Let us know what you decide to go with. I'm interested.

This is why I went with the ESV. Literal translation + modern language = easy for me to use & understand

EDIT: Plus I have a lot of language resources, commentaries, and multiple other versions of the Bible including one with 26 translations used to allow you to check the differences like you mentioned...

 

[theologist]

'...any of the previous mentioned will do a great job and being all generally mainline Protestant (correct me here if i'm wrong...) i must think wich one i would prefer...work in progress then!!

The other main Catholic translation in English is the New American Bible (not to be confused with the NASB mentioned a number of times in this discussion). The NAB is authorized by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and with a few modifications is used for the lectionary readings in the USA.

The NRSV received some poor reviews from the Vatican, mainly over gender-inclusive language. However, it looks set to be the basis for the next revision of the Sunday Lectionary. It is already used by the Catholic Church in Canada - and in my parish here in Sydney!

 

[jadam318]

This is why I went with the ESV. Literal translation + modern language = easy for me to use & understand

EDIT: Plus I have a lot of language resources, commentaries, and multiple other versions of the Bible including one with 26 translations used to allow you to check the differences like you mentioned...

Where did you find the one with 26 translations? Are all 26 translations in English? That sounds like a useful tool.

 

[richmondesi]

Where did you find the one with 26 translations? Are all 26 translations in English? That sounds like a useful tool.

Linky

Mine is just the NT, but my dad has one of the whole Bible just hanging on by a roll of tape

 

[DunEdinRanger]

The NRSV received some poor reviews from the Vatican, mainly over gender-inclusive language. However, it looks set to be the basis for the next revision of the Sunday Lectionary. It is already used by the Catholic Church in Canada - and in my parish here in Sydney!

Actually, the new revision to the Lectionary and as far as I know as the Roman Missal for use in English is a return to the language used prior to Vatican II. For example, we will go back to saying, "And with your spirit" instead of the mundane "and also with you".

Also, again as far as I know, Canada and Australia were the exceptions to the use of the NRSV and have never been formally granted approval to use it. I could be wrong, of course, following the USCCB is enough work.

 

[jadam318]

Linky

Mine is just the NT, but my dad has one of the whole Bible just hanging on by a roll of tape

Thanks, Paul. I was hoping to pick one up, but at that price I'll have to wait a while.

 

[richmondesi]

Thanks, Paul. I was hoping to pick one up, but at that price I'll have to wait a while.

There are cheaper ones than that $600... in fact, there were some for less than $20
Try these on for size [url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000O1UR6M/ref=sr_1_olp_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258238583&sr=1-5&condition=used]Cheaper linky[/url]

 

[Frank7580]

NIV and NASB are the two that I like best. NIV is the one I use more often.

I would have echoed this nearly verbatim. I have an NIV while my wife uses the NASB. It's not often that there are differences but they're nice to compare against.

Also, youré correct about the Message in that it's intended to be an interpretation rather than a transliteration or translation. I'm not discounting its value... I own one an love it. (I just don't want you to have unreal expectations about its purpose.)

 

[jadam318]

There are cheaper ones than that $600... in fact, there were some for less than $20
Try these on for size [url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000O1UR6M/ref=sr_1_olp_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258238583&sr=1-5&condition=used]Cheaper linky[/url]

I like 'Cheaper linky'. Thanks again, Paul. Maybe I can pick one of those up soon.

 

[TheCrash]

I go with the NIV / Message study bible. Has the NIV side by side with the Message translation.

 

[theologist]

Actually, the new revision to the Lectionary and as far as I know as the Roman Missal for use in English is a return to the language used prior to Vatican II. For example, we will go back to saying, "And with your spirit" instead of the mundane "and also with you".

Also, again as far as I know, Canada and Australia were the exceptions to the use of the NRSV and have never been formally granted approval to use it. I could be wrong, of course, following the USCCB is enough work.

We'll have to wait and see just what happens, Lou.

The 'good oil' I have down under is that the NRSV will be modified here and there for the Lectionary, in much the same way as the NAB was for the US. The NRSV, as I understand it, is only going to be used as the 'base text' for places where 'British' English is preferred.

 

[htownmmm]

New World Translation,KJV,Jerusalem Bible, NIV are all in my library and get regular use.


marty

 

[Stubblefield]

I personally prefer one with a sidearm holster.

But to answer your question seriously, I have always preferred the RSV.

 

[lamina]

It will be OUP as a first choice, NAB as catholic version and NIV as a best seller around, the camo version.

Thanks to all!!