I wonder how much difference it really makes? I had to wonder this morning, as I read an online article about the differences between two very popular study Bible translations. It was a great article. In fact I’ll link it here, in case you would like to read it for yourself.
http://blog.precept.org/home?utm_source=PMI_Homepage&utm_medium=SmallAd&utm_campaign=Blog_Homepage_Jan13
I have to admit I found myself wondering if picking which Bible translation to use was really that big of a problem for most of us. When Patti & I have gone out to speak - whether at conventions, at churches, at street fairs, or women’s meetings – concern about translation has only come up once.
What DOES come up over and over and over again, however, is the desire people have to become familiar with God’s word. In fact, people seem to remember the Scripture passages that talk about the benefits of studying the Word. They all know Psalm 119, with its declarations that “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” and “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Most people also remember reading the 2 Timothy passage, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” In general, Christians seem to agree that knowing the Bible better, meditating on how to apply it in our lives, would be a positive, grace and joy building habit to form.
Yet, statistics say that so few of us follow through. Lifeway Research has discovered that the number one predictor of spiritual maturity is reading the Bible on a daily basis. Yet only 16% of churchgoers read the Bible daily. The impetus is to desire spiritual food. The temptation we all too often succumb to is to push this most important habit to the rear burner in favor of the crisis boiling over right in front of us.
So, reading the article about translations made me think. Sure, I have my favorite translation, I’ll admit it. I’m an NASB girl. But I just want people to fall in love with God’s Word. I don’t care if it’s NASB, KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESV, NLT, or NIRV! Our grandpa had a shelf full of Bibles. Some were to study from, and they were carefully selected scholarly translations. One was because of the music in the poetry of Psalms. He had a Darby, and a Phillips. He had a Moffett hiding somewhere. And virtually all of them were worn, had bindings that threatened to loose their pages, and had edges worn impossibly thin from constant handling.
Which version is the best? The one you will read. If that’s a CD version of the New Testament being read to you as you drive, so be it. If it’s a NIRV kid’s Bible you can read with your children at prayer before dinner, great! If it’s the NASB study Bible you keep on your nightstand to start your day, wonderful. If it’s ‘The Message’ downloaded from iTunes for while you workout- well, awesome! We chose to use NKJV for the Classic Christianity books, to keep a little of the feel of Papa's time while making the Scripture references easy for anybody to understand.
I have faith that God can protect His Word, and use His Word, whatever version it is! So, let’s stop worrying so much about how to read it "right." Like the folks over at Nike say, “Just DO it!”
Blessings,
Cara & Patti
Classic Christianity
http://blog.precept.org/home?utm_source=PMI_Homepage&utm_medium=SmallAd&utm_campaign=Blog_Homepage_Jan13
I have to admit I found myself wondering if picking which Bible translation to use was really that big of a problem for most of us. When Patti & I have gone out to speak - whether at conventions, at churches, at street fairs, or women’s meetings – concern about translation has only come up once.
What DOES come up over and over and over again, however, is the desire people have to become familiar with God’s word. In fact, people seem to remember the Scripture passages that talk about the benefits of studying the Word. They all know Psalm 119, with its declarations that “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” and “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Most people also remember reading the 2 Timothy passage, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” In general, Christians seem to agree that knowing the Bible better, meditating on how to apply it in our lives, would be a positive, grace and joy building habit to form.
Yet, statistics say that so few of us follow through. Lifeway Research has discovered that the number one predictor of spiritual maturity is reading the Bible on a daily basis. Yet only 16% of churchgoers read the Bible daily. The impetus is to desire spiritual food. The temptation we all too often succumb to is to push this most important habit to the rear burner in favor of the crisis boiling over right in front of us.
So, reading the article about translations made me think. Sure, I have my favorite translation, I’ll admit it. I’m an NASB girl. But I just want people to fall in love with God’s Word. I don’t care if it’s NASB, KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESV, NLT, or NIRV! Our grandpa had a shelf full of Bibles. Some were to study from, and they were carefully selected scholarly translations. One was because of the music in the poetry of Psalms. He had a Darby, and a Phillips. He had a Moffett hiding somewhere. And virtually all of them were worn, had bindings that threatened to loose their pages, and had edges worn impossibly thin from constant handling.
Which version is the best? The one you will read. If that’s a CD version of the New Testament being read to you as you drive, so be it. If it’s a NIRV kid’s Bible you can read with your children at prayer before dinner, great! If it’s the NASB study Bible you keep on your nightstand to start your day, wonderful. If it’s ‘The Message’ downloaded from iTunes for while you workout- well, awesome! We chose to use NKJV for the Classic Christianity books, to keep a little of the feel of Papa's time while making the Scripture references easy for anybody to understand.
I have faith that God can protect His Word, and use His Word, whatever version it is! So, let’s stop worrying so much about how to read it "right." Like the folks over at Nike say, “Just DO it!”
Blessings,
Cara & Patti
Classic Christianity
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