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Bootstrap wrote:I just read what I wrote earlier and realized one sentence was nonsense. Here's what I said:

Bootstrap wrote:The excellent translations are the best part of the NET Bible. The translation itself is not that great, sort of NIV level, IMHO, but the notes are really useful.

Ooops!

Here's what I mean to say:

Bootstrap wrote:The excellent translation notes are the best part of the NET Bible. The translation itself is not that great, sort of NIV level, IMHO, but the notes are really useful.

That's what I finally figured out. I was wishing I could go back and edit it for you. Thanks for correcting it.

I seriously lean towards the KJV in English but reference the Strong's interlinear. I do think there are many more errors on the original intent in many of the other versions. These things can make a serious difference. I think King James did a very good job, but strong's MAY be more accurate.

lesterb wrote:What is your favorite translation of the Bible? Since I'm not a Greek or Hebrew scholar, I like to have various translations on my computer. I use E-Sword on my computer. Having all my translations on the same program makes it easy to do comparisons.

These are the versions I have right now.

I spy the GLB, which I also have along with the SRV for those times I want to expand my linguistic horizons.

I mostly use NKJV, but also like ESV. A lot of people, both in this thread and IRL, seem to be using the NLT. I should investigate that as well, but the derogatory comments about the original Living Bible ("oh, it's just a paraphrase", "my [KJV] Bible is living too", etc.) are stuck in my memory.

Neto wrote:I had the Cotton Patch version for a short time, but sent it back for a refund.

More people are having to do that, it seems. What is happening to the printing industry these days?
Bible Lacking Sinner's Prayer Returned For Full Refund

Lester: This ^^ is satire.

I tend to use NIV and NKJV the most. I look at NASB for a more literal translation, and sometimes the interlinear version I have in theWord. But I find insights in looking at a variety. The Message is sometimes inspiring commentary. Cotton Patch is fun and makes you think. I grew up with RSV but don't like the thee & thou type language used in prayers. NRSV was too influenced by the feminist rejection of the inclusive use of "man" and male pronouns; the changes to the RSV are jarring.

I use the ESV only. I find it readable, accurate, and consistent.

I tried to get into reading the NET Bible, but I couldn't get past the Garden of Eden being called the Orchard of Eden. Probably more technically accurate to say Orchard, but not highly acceptable to most English speakers. (And acceptability is a very important factor in Bible translations.) The notes are great because they list a variety of interpretation options before suggesting which one might be the best, although they are not very user friendly to someone who doesn't have a background in Greek and Hebrew.

I switched from the KJV to the HCSB ten or more years ago and enjoy it very much as an easy to read, yet scholarly and solid, translation. From what I have seen of the ESV I think that it would be great option also.

Chris wrote:I seriously lean towards the KJV in English but reference the Strong's interlinear. I do think there are many more errors on the original intent in many of the other versions. These things can make a serious difference. I think King James did a very good job, but strong's MAY be more accurate.

For word meanings, Strong's simply tells you how the word was translated into the KJV, no more, no less. So it won't be more accurate than the KJV. And it's usually less accurate, because the KJV translators were looking at the Greek in context in a way that you can't unless you know Greek.

If you don't read Greek, not with an interlinear but the same way you read English, I don't know how you can tell if there are more errors on the original intent in the other versions.

ohio jones wrote:

lesterb wrote:What is your favorite translation of the Bible? Since I'm not a Greek or Hebrew scholar, I like to have various translations on my computer. I use E-Sword on my computer. Having all my translations on the same program makes it easy to do comparisons.

These are the versions I have right now.

I spy the GLB, which I also have along with the SRV for those times I want to expand my linguistic horizons.

I mostly use NKJV, but also like ESV. A lot of people, both in this thread and IRL, seem to be using the NLT. I should investigate that as well, but the derogatory comments about the original Living Bible ("oh, it's just a paraphrase", "my [KJV] Bible is living too", etc.) are stuck in my memory.

Neto wrote:I had the Cotton Patch version for a short time, but sent it back for a refund.

More people are having to do that, it seems. What is happening to the printing industry these days?
Bible Lacking Sinner's Prayer Returned For Full Refund

Lester: This ^^ is satire.

Thanks for the warning OJ. I should know by now that I can safely ignore anything published by Babylonbee.

I've never looked at the Cotton Patch version, but you might have noticed that I do have The Message on my toolbar. Most conservative Christians are turned off by such paraphrases. But I've been amazed at the perspective that the Message adds sometimes. Or maybe I should say the "flavor" it gives. A LOT of thought went into that work. I wouldn't advise it for a person's regular reading bible, or reading it for doctrine. But it does add some breadth to a passage on occasion.

As far as the NLT and the Living Bible go, I've used both on occasion. I don't think that they have a lot in common besides the name. I think you'd enjoy using it. I don't consider it a paraphrase.

Lester. I really believe that one of the greatest things you could do for the conservative Mennonite Church as a whole would be to write a book on this subject. I know there are many books written on this subject but I think there are people that would take the truth from you much sooner than from some out there.
I believe this so strongly I would be willing to buy a copy for every family in our church and perhaps every leader within our fellowship here in Ontario.
BTW I too use the ESV as my regular reading Bible and had thought I was maybe one of the few conservative Mennonites that actually found value in the Message.