Which version of the Bible do you like to read and why?

Question

The church I go to only uses the KJV. I like it, but I also enjoy reading the the NIV, and NASB. The NASB to me sounds like the KJV, but is a little more easier to understand. The NIV is nice, it sound more poetic to me.
For those who don't know:
KJV- King James Version
NIV- New International Version
NASB- New American Standard Bible

Answer 1

I definitely prefer formal equivalence translations (as word-for-word as possible). However, since the KJV uses somewhat archaic language, I use and highly recommend the NKJV (New King James Version), which has updated language while still being equivalent.

I'm very wary of "dynamic" equivalence translations such as the NLT and MSG. These occasionally reword verses to mean something completely different, without any basis for the change except that the new one "sounds better".

Also, if you get stuck on a troublesome verse, go to e-Sword.net and get their free program. It comes with the KJV+ (the + means that it has tooltips over every word, showing the original word in the original Hebrew/Greek, with definitions), which is the best tool for the job.

*edit* Also, to practice my Japanese, I read the 新改訳聖書('shinkaiyaku seisho', 'New Revision Bible'), which I downloaded from the above site.

Answer 2

I read the new living translation. It is worded much different from KJV,Niv & NASB. Very easy to understand. I need as much help as I can get as I have a hard time grasping some of the things in the bible. It doesn't read like the otherrs you mentioned. I am thinking of buying a NIV as it is closer to the King James bible - just easier to read without all the thee's and thou's and thus's.

Answer 3

Old Testament:
In fact, the New World Translation is a scholarly work. In 1989, Professor Benjamin Kedar of Israel said:
"In my linguistic research in connection with the Hebrew Bible and translation, I often refer to the English edition as what is known as the New World Translation. In doing so, I find my feeling repeatedly confirmed that this kind of work reflects an honest endeavor to achieve an understanding of the text that is as accurate as possible. Giving evidence of a broad command of the original language, it renders the original words into a second language understandably without deviating unnecessarily from the specific structure of the Hebrew....Every statement of language allows for a certain latitude in interpreting or translating. So the linguistic solution in any given case may be open to debate. But I have never discovered in the New World Translation any biased intent to read something into the text that it does not contain."

New Testament:

While critical of some of its translation choices, BeDuhn called the New World Translation a “remarkably good” translation, “better by far” and “consistently better” than some of the others considered. Overall, concluded BeDuhn, the New World Translation “is one of the most accurate English translations of the New Testament currently available” and “the most accurate of the translations compared.”—Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament.

“Here at last is a comprehensive comparison of nine major translations of the Bible:

King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, Amplified Bible, Today's English Version (Good News Bible), Living Bible, and the New World Translation.

The book provides a general introduction to the history and methods of Bible translation, and gives background on each of these versions. Then it compares them on key passages of the New Testament to determine their accuracy and identify their bias. Passages looked at include:

John 1:1; John 8:58; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1

Jason BeDuhn
Associate Professor of Religious Studies, and Chair
Department of Humanities, Arts, and Religion
Northern Arizona University

(Please note that according to Dr. Jason BeDuhn, only the NWT translated John 1:1 correctly)

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*** w79 7/15 p. 27 Insight on the News ***
Why did the recently published “New International Version” (NIV) of the Bible fail to use the name of God where it appears about 7,000 times in ancient Bible manuscripts? In response to a person who inquired about this, Edwin H. Palmer, Th.D., Executive Secretary for the NIV’s committee wrote:

“Here is why we did not: You are right that Jehovah is a distinctive name for God and ideally we should have used it. But we put 2 1/4 million dollars into this translation and a sure way of throwing that down the drain is to translate, for example, Psalm 23 as, ‘Yahweh is my shepherd.’ Immediately, we would have translated for nothing. Nobody would have used it. Oh, maybe you and a handful [of] others. But a Christian has to be also wise and practical. We are the victims of 350 years of the King James tradition. It is far better to get two million to read it—that is how many have bought it to date—and to follow the King James, than to have two thousand buy it and have the correct translation of Yahweh. . . . It was a hard decision, and many of our translators agree with you.”

Concerning the NIV:

Bruce Metzger: (NIV) "It is surprising that translators who profess to have 'a high view of scripture" should take liberties with text by omitting words or, more often, by adding words that are not in the manuscripts."

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Answer 4

When I'm studying a particular topic, I like to read several versions to get a clear understanding. I mainly like to use the KJV along with a bible dictionary that gives the Greek or Hebrew definition of most of the words used in the bible. That gives me a better understanding of what the words actually meant at the time they were written. I like to use the biblical encyclopedia to get background information to better understand the customs and traditions of the time. That helps make sense of the stories told in the bible. My favorite version to break things down in words that would be used today is the Message Bible. Try this version online and you'll understand what I mean.

Answer 5

I like the NKJV, the New King James Version. I prefer this version for reading because it's more poetic. They just basically took out the "thees" and "thou's" out and left the rest. I use a NIV "Chain Reference" for studying.

Answer 6

I have read 8 English translation clear through, read in more than 50 others, I studied Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, as well as Textual Criticism.

For my money, the KJV is the most accurate English version available, seconded by NKJV--which is a pretty good 2nd place. The others are useful in so far as they go, but are truly deficient, having been promulgated by translators slavishly dedicated to Hort and Wescott, and/or "the assured results of Higher Criticism"!

Answer 7

I've used the NIV for many years, but I'm starting to like the New King James version more and more.

Answer 8

Reina Valera Revision 1960.
why? Spanish is my first language and this was the most widely used version when I grew up. Now it is one of the most used, probably still the most used in Spanish speaking countries. I have also some "Dios Habla Hoy" bibles at home, but still prefer the Reina Valera.

Answer 9

I use the New American Standardize Bible

Answer 10

The KJV is pure goth, which is why I like it. It reminds me of the early songs and stories of Nick Cave, back when he was a drug addled punk rocker who read the King James Bible for at least four hours a day.