Im wanting to pucase the bible and there are like a bunch of versions what the deal with that ? and also what would be the one to get?Im 33 and never read it and decided it was time to do so but have no clue which one to read and why are there so many different versions
2006-07-22 04:56:18 · 29 answers · asked by knucklehead 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The different "versions" basically use different words that are synonyms (meaning the same thing). Some are easier to understand than others. The one that is most accurate to the original language is the NIV (New International Version).
Examples of "different" translations :
NIV Romans 6:23 "23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
New Living Translation Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."
Amplified Bible Romans 6:23 "For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord."
They all are telling you the same thing, they just read differently basically.
Some people say that the King James (or New King James) Versions are the most accurate, and they WERE at the time they were first written (because the language we use has changed and some words have different meanings to us now the back when this version was translated). Scholars now find the NIV Version to be more accurate to todays language.
2006-07-22 05:06:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Don't buy the Hebrew or Greek versions (unless you read either of those languages.) I understand that many believe the King James version is difficult to understand. I would recommend the New International Standard of the ANSWERS Bible. It is a great translation and I haven't found any inconsistencies in it. I am glad you have decided to find out for yourself what all the fuss is about. May I suggest you not start with Genesis----Start with John. Great work and really easy to understand.
2006-07-22 12:03:50 · answer #2 · answered by oph_chad 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fortunately, there are many choices for you to select. The answer to which, according to one pastor, "The version that you WILL read".
I understand how some readers can get attached to the King James version, due to its tradition. It packs a lot of genuineness about it, though it is a bit cumbersome for a new reader to digest. (Thou, lest, restoreth, etc.)
Lucky you, you can walk into a bookstore or Christian bookstore and open each version to decide. If you like, stop by the library and check out the versions that are available for free. My suggestion is to go to Psalm 23, the most familiar psalm, read it slowly and see how it feels. If that version is a little off the mark, try another version on the same psalm 23.
IF you want to come closer to your own speech patterns, try Contemporary English, New Living Translation or my favorite New International Version.
Take your time choosing the best one for you. Discount stores like Wal-Mart, Target and Sam;s Warehouse have Bibles for as low as $5. It will be the best investment that you ever make!
God's peace to you.
2006-07-22 12:27:48 · answer #3 · answered by joe_on_drums 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get the TNIV or the NIV or the NAB.
The King James Bible is written in old English and was written before several important discoveries of ancient biblical scrolls, it was written without consultation of the scholars of the day also.
The King James is very popular with cult groups and seems to be responsible for a lot of misconceptions of the bible.
The ones that I recommended are proven accurate, written in common English, and available for a good price. The NIV was written with after the dead sea scrolls had been studied thoroughly and was written to sound familiar to readers of the old King James or Revised Standard. The TNIV only updated the NIV in places were He or man was used in gender neutral statements.
There are other more "common American English" versions but they are not always the most accurate in interpreting the original Hebrew and Greek.
2006-07-22 12:11:38 · answer #4 · answered by Makemeaspark 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HOLY BIBLE King James version
This is the only one And read it all. A person can NOT take out verse to suit himself it is all of GOD and his way. But remember when a person does get save and ask Jesus for his forgiveness He Must CRAWL before he can walk so don't let anybody scare you into the Lord. Just buy the Bible and GOD will do the rest
2006-07-22 12:06:02 · answer #5 · answered by susie w 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The King Jame's version is touted as the most accurately translated and interpreted version of the bible. The new "modern" versions are written in more "modern" language, HOWEVER, some specific wording cannot be translated without removing it's hidden messages. BE AWARE of that concept.
Read the KJV MANY times, you will understand.
2006-07-22 12:04:49 · answer #6 · answered by fiddlesticks9 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
King James version if the Holy Bible.
2006-07-22 11:59:56 · answer #7 · answered by deacon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
King James Version..1611. Most authentic English version, not corrupted with the wants and desires of men and the Catholic church.
Be very careful as to what you buy, as Revelations tells us not to add to or take away from the Holy Scriptures... Catholicism added to it, and the newer versions of the bible add to it as well as change the wording (taking out Hell, salvation, etc). To find Christ, look in the pages of a true bible...King James 1611. It is also the hardest to find in our final days, due to the misleading of the people as the world comes to a close. Go to a dollar shop, youcan find one for a dollar. Get a good study bible...usually found on clearance as the book stores go for the more popular yet reviled versions. Old fashioned churches still use the 1611, people lost their lives for it (such as in the Reformation where a lot of denominations split from the Catholic church), people STILL lose their lives in order to spread the gospel with a KJV (many old fashioned baptist missionaries still risk their lives today in order to use the KJV). It's the only version out there that anyone is willing to die for.
2006-07-22 11:59:29 · answer #8 · answered by indiebaptist 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally like the New King James Version.
That ,right behind the the King James bible, I have been told, is the closest, in English, to the original written one.
Since this is the first time reading one, I suggest that you also get the 'Stongs'Concordance to help you understand different words better. Because words have different meanings in differen scriptures.
I think that it is also important that before you read the bible that you pray for God to give you understanding of what you are reading.
I hope I could help you
Stay blessed!!
2006-07-22 12:05:36 · answer #9 · answered by delo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The King James Version is still the best English version.
Start by reading the Gospel of John, then the other 3 Gospels, then the rest of the New Testament, then you can go back and begin from Genesis.
2006-07-22 13:13:17 · answer #10 · answered by tim 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋