What Versions of the Holy Bible Have You Read?

@PastorP (1170)
United States
December 14, 2009 3:03pm CST
As of January 25, 2010 I will have been a born-again Christian for 40 years. I am a minister of the Gospel. I am curious to see what versions of the Holy Bible you have read. By "have read" I do not mean you have read the whole Holy Bible in that version, but at least enough to get an opinion of it. Here is my list. KIng James, New King James, New International Version, Revised Standard, Douay Rheims, Today's English Version, the New English Bible, New World Translation, New American Standard, Phillips (NT only of course), Jerusalem, CEV and I'm sure there are some I have missed. Of this list my favorites are NKJV and KJV. I used to like the NIV, but then I discovered some incorrect translations in the NT. I am in no way versed in Greek, but I have tools here to find out what the Greek text says.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 09
I hold ecumenical meetings in my community every Monday evening and we are of all different faiths. I have both Protestant and Catholic Bibles - usually the Ne American Bible. I do not like the King James Version. My personal Favourite is the Jerusalem Catholic Bible. The was translated with Jewish Scholars as well as Catholic theologians and I use it so much as a study Bible. So we have different Bibles and we compare notes etc. I have a very good Protestant Bible that we use quite a lot but I am having a senior moment and forget the title. why I like it is because it makes very clear distinctions in the footnotes. It will say "the Protestants take this to mean such and such whereas the Catholics believe that it means XZR. It is unbiased in this way. What is important is to remember is that God has a plan for everyone. Oh BTW catholics are also 'born again' through the sacraments of Baptism and at a later age - the sacrament of Confirmation. Blessings to you!
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
16 Dec 09
I read this response off my BB in bed this morning and vowed to take out the Bible and look at it to give you the name - but a call from my boss at 7;10 am totally threw me and threatened to destroy my day so I had to get centred again - and forgot to look at the name of the Bible. I will do so and respond to you. It is an old favourite of mine had it over 30 years. I do take your point about having an ecumenical group meeting. I have done it for over three years and we have guidelines. We socialise for 30 minutes and then have an hour of Bible Study. Possibly the only thing 'Catholic' is a lighted candle to remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. We pray before we begin and at the end. Children are welcome and usually watch tv or do activities in another room in my home. Sometimes h women raise sensitive issues regarding abuse which is not for the children to hear. On my door is a wooden sign that says :"Cynthies's place". All are welcome and I am a safe house for children. During this time the only person who did not fit in was a Seventh Day Adventist. She rammed her religion down our throats and threatened us with going to hell etc. The rest of th group were not happy with her attitude and regretfully, I was given the sorrowful task of gently telling her that she was making the others uncomfortable and perhaps she should start he own study group with members of her Church. Now I am worried that you may be a 7th Day Adventist. If you are, I mean no disrespect. I am a Chasrismatic Catholic and yes, I am spirit filled - and I also trained as an Evangelist - my mission is to bring people to Jesus not to make them good litle Catholics. For example I would encourage people to go back into their own Church. However, if they are a lapsed Catholic then I would invite them to Church. Often they have had problems with a Priest or a Church Sister that could have been straightened out. What is important is to bring People to Jesus. There are many different roads, some meander, others are in a straight live, some are around a coastline and others go uo hills or down in th valleys - but the road ends at the same place. Thaf perfect union with Jesus our Saviour and Our Lord. Blessings!
@PastorP (1170)
• United States
16 Dec 09
Hi cynthiann. When you come across the name of that version that tries to be unbiased, please post it. I'd like to see a copy of it sometime. In regard to born-again, it is most important to be born-again as Jesus stated in John 3. With all due respect to what you might believe, not one sacrament is mentioned there. BTW, I was raised RC, so I understand the thinking along those lines. Please be careful with the ecumenical stuff. Check Rev. 17.
@coolcoder (2018)
• United States
14 Dec 09
When I was still a Protestant, I read the RSV and the KJV. Since I've been Catholic, I've read the NAB and the Douay Rheims. For me, you can't get a better Bible than the Douay Bible. It's the most accurate translation there is out there; I wouldn't go back to reading anything else.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Dec 09
I've never read the Douay Rheims bible - I use the American Catholic Bible and the Jerusalem Bible. I will have to see if there is a copy where I live.
@PastorP (1170)
• United States
16 Dec 09
Hi coolcoder. I kind of like the Douay - well I had Douay-Reims- version too. When you say most accurate translation though, that might be true, but only for the class it is in. That is, it is not a translation of the Greek texts but of the Vulgate (Latin), unless I am mistaken. There are some Greek texts that predate the Vulgate, like the Vaticanus, Sinaticus, and the Alexandrian.
@Harley009 (1416)
• India
16 Dec 09
Greetings! Welcome to MyLot , Even though I'm not a Christian, sometime I read Bible. What I have in my disposal is a Bible software with KJV translation since KJV is preferred for study purpose. The Problem with KJV is it's archaic words, it will take some time to understand the words, with the help of dictionary and KJV I managed to learn archaic English thanks to KJV and Dictionaries, NKJV solves this to an extend but it did not retain the flavor of KJV. I checked the 1st edition of KJV, it was like hell, there was no letters like 'v' it was written 'loue' instead of 'love'. The other versions I used to refer in Internet is RSV, NIV and sometimes other international & standard versions. I'm a confident and Practicing Muslim by the way. I had seen few pastors in mylot but soon they stopped mylotting, I am not using Mylot for earning money, but for reaching the true message of God to people mainly and to clear the doubts about Islam. I sometimes Quote from Bible to show that Christianity is not always same as what Bible says. It will be nice if you can reply to such arguments of me. I am not a Christian hater, But I don't accept anything without clear proof. Hope to see you here for long time. Happy MyLotting. Ending now with the same greetings what Jesus used "Shalom Aleykum" Peace be on you.
@PastorP (1170)
• United States
16 Dec 09
Greetings Harley009, LOL, I would agree with you, at least in some cases, that Christianity, or rather how I like to write it, "Christianity," is not always the same as what the Holy Bible says. I think you will understand that there are folks that are Christian only in name--not in actuality. I'll be glad to reply. Might want to start a new thread though :-). I won't consider it a debate or argument either, just a discussion. And I'm glad to have met you here on MyLot. I think more of us need to talk to Muslims (other folks too) rather than listening to hype about them. Shalom Aleykum to you too!
@badfish (208)
• United States
18 Dec 09
RSV, NIV, Living, Dartmouth, KJV, NKJV, New American for Catholics, Good News, amplified, nwt, Todays English, NAS, NT in Modern English, Bible 2000, my favorite is the KJV i believe thats the most accuralty translated. How ever I also use other Reference Books like Smiths Bible Dictionary, Strongs Concordance, treasure of Scripture Knowledge, Every Prophecy in the Bible, the Complete Book of Bible Lists, Mulitudes of Comentaries, The Story of the Bible told by Living writers of authority, the protestant Faith, The ABC's of the Bible, whos who in the Bible, women in the bible, Biblical Maps, and Great Doctrines of the Bible.