Posted on 08/04/2004 3:11:04 PM PDT by walden
I was recently given a bible that is designated as the "New Living Translation". It's much more readable than my King James, but I don't know anything about the reliability of the translation. I would like to hear opinions from anyone who knows anything about this. Thanks!
I consider your last sentence at least bordering on deceptive, idolatrous untruth.
The WORD OF GOD was never successfully captured and imprisoned by the KJV translators nor any other.
GOD WILL NOT ABIDE HIS NOR HIS WORD BEING PUT IN YOUR TIDY LITTLE BOX NOR ANY OTHER.
Some pretty reasonable exhortations, imho.
Though, I still wouldn't encourage someone to use the KJV unless they were into archaic English. Especially if they were younger than 30 or 40 years of age.
There are more than sufficient diversities of translation; root word studies etc. available to ferret out all the possible meanings of the original Hebrew and Greek for those serious about study--regardless of what modern translation they emphasize--as long as it has any solid scholarship and truly Biblical orientation and values at all.
THE KJV IS NOT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES!
THE KJV IS NOT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES!
THE KJV IS NOT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES!
THE KJV IS NOT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES!
THE KJV IS NOT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES!
The KJV collection of ink on wood pulp is not any more worthy of worship than is any other tangible object.
Being seduced into worshipping the KJV by religiosity, psychodynamics, personality variables, cultural pressures, primary reference group pressures or chronic constipation is not sufficient excuse for idolatry.
imho, of course.
NICE TO SEE SOME HISTORICAL ACCURACY TO THE PROCESS BROUGHT TO THE DISCUSSION.
Bibliolatry is not any more of an attractive idolatry than any other kind of idolatry.
Am encouraged and relieved that you can admit to some error in the KJV. You had me quite concerned!!!
I still feel you place an inordinate and unwarranted attraction on the KJV.
PERHAPS, Allen, you could tell us which of the following translations--I've included some I don't usually bother with--which of them have such errors as to likely contribute to the reader's descent into momentary or chronic sin or, worse, into a more rapid, untimely, immediate descent into hell?
John 6:53-56
NIV
John 6
53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
© Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
All rights reserved worldwide
In doing so, Jesus sliced through--straight across--all the best scholarship--the best word for word memorized understanding of the Scriptures by the religious rulers. He gave a new translation and insight into a deeper Scriptural and Spiritual truth than any of the best scholars could or were willing to abide by--except, perhaps for Gamalial sp? or a few others.
He starkly set forth a new translation, as it were, of all the previous best high priest and best scholarly priests of the best families of the best believers in the land. He starkly put down a new gauntlet in the culture, in the religion, in their understanding of the written Scriptures and in their understanding of God.
He took a metaphor and gave it a new translation, a new idiomatic expression, a new meaning, a new stark trueness that must have been at least momentarily unfathomable and have felt like threatening hell-bound heresy.
Thankfully, His life was to fulfill all the new meanings to the last drop. And His Spirit was to lead the young church into all truth regarding these issues and others. But any thoughtful Jew of the time would had to have been at least initially a little concerned that they were listening to some new sinful, hell-damning, wholesale distortion, heresy, perversion of the written Scriptures.
But God lead those who truly sought Him through such fearsome concerns. And His Spirit is well able to do the same still with any of the better modern translations.
I think you misconstrue me as much as you appear to misconstrue both the KJV AND the better modern translations.
I've now read all the posts in this thread to this point.
I'm more convinced than I've ever been before, in my life, that idolatry of the KJV is offensive to God and destructive to the Body of Christ. You've done a good work in that regard.
Oh puhleeze.
Sheesh.
I'll leave all that to more eager respondents more versed in such details.
And I'll restrict my itchy fingers from further comment in this post.
It
SOUNDS LIKE
LOOKS LIKE
FEELS LIKE
SMELLS LIKE
You worship a particular, archiac, flawed collection of ink symbols on wood pulp--perhaps even MORE THAN you worship THE LIVING WORD.
That's a loving exhortation. I'm greatly concerned.
Your rational scholarship is impressive.
Your balanced sanity refreshing.
Your bother and courage are greatly appreciated.
VERY WELL AND WISELY PUT ON ALL POINTS. Am impressed.
2 Tim 3:16 works just as well or better in the good modern translations.
Certainly only God knows for sure. But I must note with concern when there's so much walking like a duck, quacking like a duck, being feathered like a duck, flying like a duck, floating like a duck; bobbing like a duck; . . .
I wouldn't want to pry the KJV from you unless the idolatry is as real as it seems to be.
AS I said, I love it too. It's the version in my head. But I certainly do not love it in the same way or degree that you seem to.
I get particularly concerned when you seem so stridently intent on hammering searching evidently younger believers into the same tidy little UNSCRIPTURAL box you seem so comfortable in.
I have used Biblegateway..and Crossroads often in the past. But I have recently converted to a downloadable program from e-Sword. It is completely free for most of the various translations (only a few of the translations offered charge a nominal fee)...and it is extremely user friendly and MUCH faster (at least for me) than the various internet Bible websites available. You can also download Strongs Concordance, and and search from any word in the Bible to the exact root definition in either Hebrew or Greek. Other Bible dictionaries are also available for free download.
You can do Bible searches by word or phrase, and put in search parameters easily with just a check mark for complete,old or new testaments.
There is much more to this program and I recommend it highly.
It can be found here: http://www.e-sword.net/bibles.html for anyone interested in taking a look-see. And no, I have no connection to e-Sword, in case you're wondering.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.