Is it really easier to read?

Question

I just answered a question from Passme_not, and I looked at some of her answers. Is the NIV really easier to read? I wanna show just a few scriptures and you tell me what you think. In Romans 14:10- The NIV takes away Judgement seat of Christ out of KJV and replaces it with God's judgment seat. That denys Christ. John 9:35 In KJV Jesus is called Son of God, NIV takes that out and calls him Son of Man. That denys God, and that Christ was His Son. Colossians 1:14-15- NIV takes out the word blood. Without that blood there is no forgivness of sins. I could name more but thats enough for now. Please give me your thoughts? People are so fooled into thinking these bibles are easy to read that they fail to see the other changes it does.

Answer 1

If your looking for easy to read get a dick and Jane book.
If your looking for the truth get a bible with a Concordance that will take the word (Words) back to the original text. Find one that is well (christen translator) translated.

Answer 2

You have to understand a little bit about Biblical translations to make this kind of judgment call.

First of all, the KJV is based upon the AV1611 version, which is based upon manuscripts of translation by a monk named Erasmus and a few others. There are two basic current translations available - the KJV, written in Elizabethan English, and the NKJV (New King James Version) which takes the 1611 versions and modernizes the English. The KJV (and all it's incarnations) is what is known as a Literal Translation. It takes the Greek, Latin and Hebrew and translates the languages in a literal word for word manner, not taking into account any of the idioms or colloquialisms of the original languages.

The other most popular translation available in the current western market is the NIV (New International Version). This translations comes from a team of Biblical and lingual scholars who translated the language into modern English from the available Greek, Latin and Hebrew resources. This work was done in the mid-20th century. The translation is a combination of word-for-word and thought-for-thought, where phrasings in the original language ARE taken into account. (For example, if the Greek said "It was raining cats and dogs" the KJV would let you literally think there were fur covered beasts falling from the sky and hitting the ground. The NIV on the other hand would use a similar phrase that means the same thing in English to let you know that it was raining quite heavily).


Now there are various other translations and paraphrases available today, which slide on a scale from being literal (like the KJV) to being a paraphrase (not an actual translation, but a summary of a translation).

These include (but are certainly not limited to) the ESV, RSV, NCV, NLT, TNIV, TAB, GN, RSB, NASB, ASB, TLB, The Message, and so on. For example, the Message and TLB (The Living Bible) are paraphrases. The NASB (New American Standard Bible) is word-for-word. The NLT (New Living Translation) is mostly thought-for-thought with some word for word. The ESV (English Standard Version) is predominantly word-for-word.

The long and short of it is, you have to first take every verse in context. Isolating a verse very rarely does it justice. Secondly, you have to be aware of what your application is. Are you doing a language study? Use an Interlinear, or if less in depth, an Amplified. Are you doing a historical study? Use a parallel or comparative with multiple translations. Doing a reading in church? Use the KJV for it's poetic nature. Reading for life application? Use the NCV (New Century Version) or the NLT (New Living Translation). Just trying to read scripture every day but not necessarily study it? Use the Message.

Ultimately, I suggest you use multiple translations. Look at the verses, in context, in each. Together, you will obtain a more complete understanding of the verse itself and the language than you ever would relying on one version alone!!


BTW- If you don't have the money for a parallel or comparative Bible, I would suggest going to www.biblegateway.com where you can view multiple translations of the same passages and get the same benefit as you would from a paper copy.

Answer 3

The purpose of Bible translation, is to take the thoughts of God, originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, and put them into the common languages of today. The King James Version came into existence in 1611.

To the surprise of many people the King James Bible has already been changed; today no one reads the King James Version in its original form.The book, The Bible in Its Ancient and English Versions says: “Almost every edition, from the very beginning, introduced corrections and unauthorized changes and additions, often adding new errors in the process. The edition of 1613 shows over three hundred differences from 1611. . . ."

If people do not want it changed, then why do they use a copy of an edition of 1611, an edition that has been changed? They use a present-day edition of the King James Bible because it is far easier to read. They appreciate, the improvements the later editions have made. They do not like the odd spelling and punctuation of the 1611 edition; they do not want to read “fet” for “fetched,” “sith” for “since” or “moe” for “more,” as the edition of 1611 had it. Thus improvement, when needed, is appreciated, even by those who say they object to any changing of the King James translation.

DoesKing James' kingly authority give a translation special benefits? Is it even necessary?The fact that King James authorized a Bible translation does not make it the exclusive version that the Author of the original Bible approves his servants to use in any one language. In fact, kingly authorization, instead of great benefits, has brought serious disadvantages. In many respects the beliefs of King James adversely affected the Bible translation called after his name.

There were also manuscripts found after the KJ was written. They found that the Bible was written in common Greek so the people could understand it, not in classical Greek which translators of KJ used as reference.

Discoveries have also cleared up errors and obscurities in the Hebrew text by giving us scrolls or fragments older than those on which the King James Bible is based.

Modern-speech translations not only use the common language of the people today, but they also are providing us with more accurate Bibles, and that means more understandable ones. So you can discover the better-understood Bible by obtaining a modern-speech translation for your own Bible study. Do not let a supposed desire for familiar words or a poetical effect bind you to the exclusive use of the King James Version. In the words of the King James translators themselves, to quote again from their almost-forgotten preface—“Is the kingdom of God become words and syllables?"

Answer 4

Has it ever occured to you that Jesus is not the Saviour? That's what the NIV is saying. It doesn't deny anything...it just states fact...Jesus did not die to cleanse humanity of sin because sin is still with us today. Sin would have ceased to exist upon his demise on the cross and the world would be a better place today if he had in fact died for that reason--Not only that if he was indeed the Messiah humanity would have ascended into Heaven or descended into Hell at one of two times: At the moment of his Death on the Cross; or at the moment he arose from the grave and left us. Only God (if there is one) is a JUDGE...Jesus is False on the basis of what was just factually stated. God needs no intermediary to reach him/her/it. These are corrections and modernizations of scriptural writings that correct these aggregious errors and relieve the blastphemy of elevating Jesus to God stature...That is a Sin and may/may not be punished by God. PEACE!

Answer 5

The KJV is a translation of a translation of a translation. There are much more accurate translations available that start from the Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT) oldest extant copies.

The concept of Lucifer is a whole subtheology born out of mistranslations in the KJV. There are other examples.

Answer 6

Yes

Answer 7

that's too long I didn't read it but I did see some scripture and I think NIV is easier to understand

Answer 8

Check this website, this is the original manuscript of the Bible.
http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Hebrew_Index.htm
http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Greek_Index.htm

I use the King James bible w/this. and the Strong's Concordance.

Answer 9

Yes it probably is easier to read but are you getting to true meaning out of it.