Help me out....those who feel I need to move "beyond" my NIV.....

-----Added 12/2/2008 at 06:30:43 EST-----

To make things easier on one and all I MEANT to put a poll with the first Thread...woops....sorry...anyway...RECAP: I use the NIV, most of you think it a bad choice, I have considered a new Bible as it were, you, my new PB friends may help me. Advise away.............................................. ....

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Jon Lake
Whitehouse,Texas/ Member: Good Shepherd (REC)

A new bible is really your own personal choice. Some like the NASB, some the ESV whilst others KJ or NKJ. There is no perfect translation. If the majority of PB members recommended say the NASB that does not mean that you would prefer it to the ESV. When a new bible comes out I would compare certain passages. This can be done on line which means you can check them out before moving onto a new translation. However just to check a few passages is not sufficient as you really need to use a version for a while. If you are thinking of changing translations, buy a cheap edition first and use it for a few months before deciding whether you want to make that your favoured translation or not.

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Stuart
Elder, Lambeg Baptist, Northern Ireland, UK

In Him the fulness of the Godhead dwells in bodily form and in Him you are complete (Col 2.9-10)

The Christian is a person who makes it easy for others to believe in God. (RM M'Cheyne)

Actually I agree....I just want a "feel" from the members I was going to use Bible Gateway for comparing.

1599 Geneva Bible.

And, barring that, the New King James.

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Seth Stark
Member, Communion Presbyterian Church (ARP), Irvine, CA
Biola University, Graduate Student, M.A. - Science and Religion
Seth's Blog

I did not put the NKJV in he list, have not hd much experience with it.

My first choice would be the KJV, second choice NKJV, and third choice would be ESV.

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Mike Myers
Teaching Elder
West Suffolk Baptist Church
Suffolk, Virginia

Many a plain, honest, unlearned disciple of Christ, by meditation, experience, prayers, and especially obedience, attains to a more clear, sound, and useful knowledge of the word of God, than some great scholars with all their wit and learning. Matthew Henry

Kjv

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Jeffrey Wilson
Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church
London Baptist Confession of Faith 1644
Summerland, British Columbia, Canada

"If ever a monk got to heaven by monkery, I ought to have gotten there!" Martin Luther

I concur. 1599 Geneva bible has over 30,000 study notes to help you along...and I would even go a little farther and say, "Get BOTH"!

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Duane
Lighthouse Bible Church (Independent Reformed)
Delavan, WI

Election is the Good News (Gospel)

What good work must we do to inherit the Kingdom of God?
THIS is the WORK OF GOD, that ye believe on Him in Whom He hath sent.

The "oldest" I would go would be the King James Version (sorry)

First choice, KJV; no second choice.

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~Jay~
Husband of ENS, father of J II. | Indian Trail, NC
disabled - cancer
Communicant Member, Precentor | Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte, NC | Presbyterian Reformed Church

zzzzzz ...

The Word on the Street, by Rob Lacey.

Not really.

(I just love when you type it in to amazon.com, it actually say, "by Rob Lacey." Not, you know, "by God" or something like that. Even Amazon knows it's not the bible...)

-----Added 12/2/2008 at 07:22:39 EST-----

But seriously: does anyone here use the Holman? I'm curious.

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Paul Korte
OPC
Flint, MI

They who perceive in themselves discoveries of the divine goodness, so full and absolutely perfect, and who make them the subject of earnest meditation, will never embrace new doctrines, by which the very grace they feel so powerfully in themselves is thrown into the shade. --John Calvin

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

I voted ESV.
It's becoming the standard version for many Reformed folk. The OPC and PCA use it as their "default" version.

It will be an easier move from the NIV to the ESV than it would be to the NASB.

Instead of the linear paradigm that many use for translations...


I prefer to use this paradigm...


Which is from the book...

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Larry Bray
Elder - Reformed Presbyterian Church of Boothwyn, PCA
Boothwyn, PA - http://www.rpcb.org/
Free Online Reformed Seminary - http://www.tnars.net
-----------------------------------------------------
Christian ritual costs nothing and is worth nothing. True Christian religion costs all that we have and is worth everything.

King Jimmy!!!!!!!!

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Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

I'm glad there is someone else out there who says that.

dude I say the ESV study Bible all the way... it's the coolest thing since sliced bread... maybe even cooler but I really like sandwiches though

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Jessica Auner
Wife, Mother,
Garden City, Ga
Ephesus Church
(a Reformed Baptist church)

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Were most of the people who worked on the ESV Reformed? I ask since it is seems to be THE Bible among the reformed people. For those shouting King James, I use the King James lot in my devotional reading given the cadence and beauty. What I am looking into are modern translations.

I think with a modern bible with readability I would choose the ESV. I have both the wide margin ESV journaling bible and the reformation study bible (ESV). It reads with great ease and works as a good partner when compairing to the KJV or NASB.

Sometimes when i am doing studies I'll have more than one bible out. At my church the ESV is the main text. From my personal use the ESV is my main text.

Although i also have a NKJV (at work), KJV (home), HCSB (in my truck), NASB (Home)

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Brian E
Attending Falls OPC
Menomonee Falls, WI

I never hear much about the HCSB anymore....even Baptist (in the SBC) seem to like the ESV in general.

Depends on what you're using it for. Your walking around Bible -- whatever is a faithful translation that you like. (Not what others say you should like). Some claim NASB is hard to read out loud, so if that will be a primary use, you might consider.

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JWithnell
Member Bethel OPC
Virginia
http://learningyesican.blogspot.com/

ESV. That way you're using a Bible that is both readable and based on good scholarship.

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Ben
Chaplain, US Army
Ft. Riley, KS
TE Ohio Valley Presbytery, PCA

I think George Grant gave one of the best summaries of the ESV when he said that it, "combines the accuracy of the NASB with the readability of the NIV to make one of the best translations on the market."

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Ben Franks

I attend: Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC)
in Purcellville, Virginia
I'm a member of: Heartland Community Church (PCA)
in Wichita, Kansas
I blog here (along with my Dad): http://rrfranks.blogspot.com/
And I'm a student here: www.phc.edu

"Remember the speeches we have spoken so often over our mead, when we raised boast on the bench, heroes in the hall, about hard fighting. Now may the man who is bold prove that he is."-Aelfwine at the Battle of Maldon

If that is the case, it is a big draw for the ESV! The reason I have used the NIV for so long is that it flows well and is easy to rad both aloud and privately.

I hadnt heard of it until i received it as a gift on the day i was baptized.

Get a nicely bound AV or Geneva.

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Conscience may lash us, but it cannot replenish a languishing life. Conscience may be God's word and minister to you, telling you of your faults and your follies and your destitution. It may point out, but it will never supply you. Christ must give you new life. Hart has well expressed it: "He to the feeble and the faint, His mighty aid makes known; and when their languid life is spent, supplies it with His own." - J. K. Popham

I can sure vouch for that!

This is the first time I've heard that the RV (Revised Version?) is the most literal - I'll have to check it out.

I would recommend reading the recent paper presented to the Evangelical Theological Society by Dr. Mark Strauss, "Why the English Standard Version Should Not Be The Standard English Version".

I use a text-only parallel NASB/LBLA.

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junior
Deacon
First Baptist Church of Richland Hills, Texas
Owning the 1677 Baptist Confession of Faith, 1680 Orthodox Catechism, & 1693 Baptist Catechism

Why John Piper recommends the ESV:

Good English With Minimal Translation: Why Bethlehem Uses the ESV :: Desiring God Christian Resource Library

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Janis
Christ Church ARP, NC
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." Eph. 1:3-6 ESV

Here are a few more links worth reading

PB: 10-31-07 The ESV and The Reformed
PB: 04-02-08 About NASB vs. ESV

and my favourite:

NASB Onlyism Gaining New Momentum

Another vote for the 1599 Geneva.

And right now, Tolle Lege has it on sale (2 for $69.95).

Let's see - the 'fugitive' Puritan's Bible, notes from Calvin, Knox, Coverdale, and Beza throughout, and the whole thing on CD ROM as well, all for the price of dinner for two at a not-so-flash restaurant. Are you picking up the phone yet? Good.

My work here is done then.

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Kevin, husband of a truly angelic woman, and father to ten.
Zion United Reformed Church of Sheffield
Ontario, Canada

The NIV played no small part in my own coming to Christ, so I do have a fondness of it- but presently I only use it for comparative purposes. My primary translation is a NKJ Geneva, with an NASB close at hand.

I have not studied much Greek, so I can't say which is 'better' from that stand point. I have studied Hebrew to some length, but again, I'm not the one to say which translation is more 'faithful' to the intent of the original text.

Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit, and not the translation, that does the job of interpreting the Word of God. The best tool you have to approach scripture- regardless of the translation- is prayer.

Theognome

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Bill Cunningham
Covenant Reformed Church, URC
Kansas City
There are three kinds of people- those who can count, and those who can't.

Well stated.

I use the ESV as my study Bible (I use the Reformation Study Bible in the ESV). It's not always the easiest reading translation; however, I appreciate that someone went through and cleaned up the problems that are in the prior NRSV--which is full of inaccurate translations created solely to satisfy non-Biblical political correctness prejudices.

This was the first time the NRSV jumped out at me as being a basic mistranslation:

If you weren't aware of the actual story, you would think Herod killed both male and female children, which not only makes no sense in the context of what Herod was doing (trying to kill the Messiah), but also intentionally mis-translates the Greek, which is clearly masculine. (I went back and checked my Englishman's Greek New Testament.)

So what was the agenda? Simple de-gendering, even if it made the passage nonsensical? Or was there a thought that we today should think that the ancients would have thought the Messiah could be a woman? I don't know, it's a puzzlement.

But once you notice this sort of thing in the NRSV, you see it all over the place and realize it is a fundamentally unreliable translation.

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Jim
Elder
First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu
at Ko'olau (PCUSA)
Honolulu, Hawaii
http://www.fpchawaii.org/
"And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness." II Corinthians 12:9

NASB ONLYISM......

I've never understood why the NASB isn't as readable as the ESV. I find the NASB very readable, I guess it might have something to do with "thinking Greek" and the NASB following that better. I can make clearer distinctions, while viewing English only, of hina and gar clauses, which to me, at the least, is important to being able to follow the train of thought - and therefore making the translation readable. I also use the ESV a lot and have recently gotten the Study Bible version, which I really like. Its a little big and heavy, so I find myself using it for home study more and carrying my thineline to church.

-----Added 12/2/2008 at 10:52:37 EST-----

I thought this was a joke at first, but apparently not...I will laugh anyway

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Will Uminn
Redeemer Presbyterian Church
Lynchburg, VA

In fairness to the NASB, in my limited experience I have not found it a hard "read", I just have stuck with the NIV given that I have more material that uses the NIV as the primary text, I guess it is just familiar to me. Changing Bibles is like getting away from an old pair of comfy jeans, no matter how grotty they are you are comfortable.

The ESV is continuing to rise in popularity. I wouldn't argue with it being the best blend of readability and accuracy.

That said, NKJV attempts to keep the flow of the KJV whenever possible. It's an excellent translation, though from a different greek text than the esv or nasb (upon which I cut my teeth and still hold an affinity).

All that said, I agree that in moving from the NIV, the ESV is probably your best option; but you won't go wrong with either NKJV, NASB, or ESV.

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Ben Bush
First Baptist Church (SBC)
SW Georgia
Pastor
1689 BCF and BF&M 2000

I HAVE thought about the NKJV, Sproul used to use it in his books pretty often....

Interesting you mention that. Visited his church in Fl about a month ago when on vacation. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized RC was indeed preaching from the NKJV.

You might check some past threads on this.

NKJV v. ESV
Why have NKJV sales been so strong?
And if you really want to dig on the KJV KJV ONLY

Here are some of my comments sort of blended together. It was a quick edit, so might have some overlap/repeating.Just in case you didn't catch it, I prefer the NKJV. I'd take the NASB before the '95 update second. I love the ESV translation, but because the reader is not warned of translation decisions, only use it for personal study - though never primarily. And I love my new ESV Study Bible too, though I have the old Reformation Bible, which is basically the same thing in NKJV.

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For the Glory of our King,
Joe Johnson
Slave of Christ, husband, father, Preacherboy at Cornerstone Community Church, Escanaba, MI. and TMS graduate. Personal website - SoundLife.org

I do not know, and I do not say, that a person cannot believe in Revelation and in evolution, too, for a man may believe that which is infinitely wise and also that which is only asinine. ~ CHS

Yes! I went to a lecture....about a year ago, he was using the NKJV then as well. I guess a lot of his notes are still from that text...

AV (KJV) first, ASV second.

Haven't heard of the ASV? It's the granddaddy of CT translations and still among the best.

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Raymond Victor Bottomly
Providence Reformed Baptist Church, Tacoma, WA

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?