Brian Withnell
Puritan Board Junior
I've only used two main Bible versions for reading and study since I was saved. I started out using the NAS, and enjoyed reading it for the first few years. Then I read some books about the KJV and the perversion of modern translations, so I started reading the KJV. The KJV has been the main version I've used over the years.
Yesterday, as I was reading the Bible, I started thinking about maybe checking out another version. I have no problem reading the KJV, I enjoy reading it, but I started thinking it wouldn't hurt to read the scriptures in language closer to the way we speak now. Quite often I come across old English words that aren't part of my normal vocabulary, I look in the margin to find out their meaning, and it seems more often than not the word in the margin is what's used in more modern translations.
Which modern translation are at the top of the list as far as faithfulness in translation and ease of reading? Which modern translations use the same Greek text as the KJV?
What I think is very illuminating on the subject is that if you look at what sections of the WCF were changed because of newly found manuscripts, you will find ... none.
No matter what modern translation (or the KJV) you use, it should be received as the word of God. Even if you are TR only, it makes little sense to use KJV, as it is no longer the common tongue that we speak today. Staying with the KJV is very similar to the RC staying with the Latin Vulgate (Vulgate is the Latin from which we get "vulgar" ... common). The RC translated the Greek/Hebrew into Latin because it was the common tongue, and then tradition crept in and the Latin became the Bible to them. The whole purpose of the Vulgate was to have the scriptures in the common tongue. Now we are seeing people using a Bible that is no more the common tongue than Greek was to the early RC church, and yet insisting it is the only inspired Bible. While I don't take it to be many out there (and I don't believe anyone here would) there are those that hold the KJV above the Greek/Hebrew text. Full circle on the Latin.
So what translation should you use? Any of them that are a translation would be acceptable. When you think of the differences, they are minor. If you get into a tight spot, and are truly perplexed, you don't use English as the final authority in any case ... get a Greek or Hebrew scholar to explain the passage and go through it word-by-word, thought-by-thought with you. Compare what they translate with others that do the same (hmmm...multiple translations of the Bible anyone) and expect them to agree with very minor differences. And of course look at the whole of scripture to understand the part that is less clear.
While there are those that will be dogmatic about it, remember what I first stated ... what in all the WCF or the WLC, or WSC was changed because of changes in the text? Nothing. There may be differences between translated passages, but the translations (ones without an ax to grind) are generally all good enough to study. NASB, NIV, KJV, NKJV, ESV, ASV, CEV ... you name it, it probably is reasonable. Sure, some are better, and some you would need to be careful about (the new politically correct NIV I'd rather not, but I'd take it over no Bible any day).