Thank you Bell Star (especially) and Jemian for your informative posts. I understand your point, Bell Star, and you are quite right. Translation of the Bible should be a painstaking enterprise to accurately and precisely interpret the literal (i.e., pronouns) and cultural meaning (i.e., idioms).
I'm quite surprised that Zondervan has strayed from this. What exactly is it they are attempting to do, besides bastardizing Holy text?
While in college I learned that it's quite possible that William Shakespeare helped with writing the King James version. Studies apparently have been done on that. It was quite interesting.
Myself, I prefer the New American Standard Version....and I like the Amplified Bible for a simple study. It would be best, however, to use the book that has the Greek and Armaic (I think it is) languages placed in columns and get an even better understanding that way....I forget what that type of book is called.
my choice for simple study is the Companion Bible.The
Amplified is ok--I guess. But that translation one will
study is the one best for that individual. Even the most accurate translation is not worth much if never read and applied.