Man of Depravity - Tyler Braun's posts on Church Ministry, Worship, Seminary, and Theology.

Translation Please

2008 October 21

by Tyler

Last week I got the new ESV Study Bible in the mail. I ordered it about 6 months ago so I could get a lower price, even though it hadn’t been released. It got me thinking about all the different translations I use, and the various Bibles I have.

Left to Right

ESV Study Bible- As I said above, I just purchased this. Being in seminary I wanted a conservative translation with top notch study bible content. I believe this new study bible has set the bar for all others. You can’t find a better one. The only downside is that the thing is an absolute BEAST.

NIV Study Bible- I used this during my undergrad Bible and theology classes that I never paid attention in (hey, just being honest). I believe my dad used it during his seminary years.

NIV- This is the Bible I used all growing up. From early in middle school all the way through the end of high school.

NLT (New Living Translation)- This is a great translation for an easy read, while also staying somewhat close to the original Greek meaning. I haven’t used it in years though.

NASB- I’ve never used a New American Standard translation until this year of seminary. One of my profs only uses this version with the 1995 update. He believes it is the best interpretation of the Greek and is therefore the closest translation to original inspired text.

NIV- I love this Bible because it is small. I bring it with me to work and school because it is the most common translation used in my classes and what I like to use whenever I read Scripture from the stage on Sundays.

What is your favorite translation to use?

Filed under: the rest...

http://ash-nits.blogspot.com ash

i sway toward niv or new king james. somehow, nkjv is poetic and the word usage has more depth to me. but niv is great for simplicity….
Lindsey

We just talked about this at Bible study last night!

I love the NIV. It’s the version I was using when I really started to read the Bible for the first time, and I think it’s just so clear.
JR

I have a great ESV Journaling Bible that was picked up at a CCEF conference I use for my daily. I rock an old Ryrie at work because I need something. My Hebrew-Greek Key Translation Zodihates bible is what I use to cross-ref a lot of stuff and was my main bible through bible school and undergrad.
http://seth.heasley.net/blog Seth

I’ve been reading through a different translation each year for the past few years. I really enjoyed the ESV, but the NKJV just has that extra *Bible* feel to it. Maybe it’s because I learned some of my first memory verses in the KJV. I also like that it tries for word-for-word (as does NASB) instead of thought-for-thought (NIV). I have a slimline NASB at my desk that I used to use for lunchtime Bible reading (until I finished it) and quick verse lookups. Now I mainly use the NETBible.
Yonas

I use one in my native language while I listen to the sermon in English. The translation is from King James I think.

Interesting story (hey, it’s my story, how could it be boring?):

I was in a discussion with a teacher from my psychology of women class (by her own admisssion, she is a feminist). She argued that the bible is a very male dominated book, because every third person is referred to as a ‘he’. So I pointed out to her my own bible, which does not have a ‘he’ or a ‘she’ as a third person (it’s a unisex word)…that stomped her

Riveting story in my opinion
http://manofdepravity.com Tyler

Yonas-

That is something of a debate. Some scholars believe much of the Greek is presented as more unisex, hence you have newer translations such as the TNIV…others totally disagree. We have to remember that the Bible is timeless and written towards the present culture and it was a male dominated society. So even if most of it refers to “he” rather than “she”…I don’t think it makes it a sexist book. It is a written for that culture.
http://chadsblog.net chad

ESV is my favorite because it seems to be so true to the original language and is also very clear. I also really like the NKJV and NASB. I have to admit that I am becoming more and more anti-NIV. It is a great Bible that has been used by so many people, but I don’t like that it seems to jump to conclusions in some places…
http://seth.heasley.net/blog Seth

Chad, totally agree on the anti-NIV thing. 1 Corinthians 11:16 is my favorite example (the conclusion of the “headcoverings” issue). NIV and NKJV are in direct opposition to each other on the concluding statement.
http://godside.livejournal.com Kurt Brandemihl

I love the TNIV…has all the good stuff of the NIV…but redid the gender neutral stuff so we dotn have to always “correct” what the bible said to make sure girls were included.
http://manofdepravity.com Tyler

For the purpose of worship ministry I think the NIV does the best job because it is recognizable, a solid translation that doesn’t make that many conclusions. To use something like the message during worship would sound like something that isn’t Scripture and would need an explanation. To use the ESV during a time of worship would leave some people in left field because they wouldn’t understand. NIV is a great middle of the road translation.
Yonas

In any case, I ended up with an A- in that class. Doesn’t make me an expert in understanding women (ridiculously far from it and ironically makes me more confused about them lol), but I did get an A on my final paper
http://worshipcity.wordpress.com/ worshipcity

Yeah I grew up on the NIV. I too have moved away from it. My Pastor uses the ESV. A while back we got in to this discussion. There was one version he loved the translation but had problems with the “study aspect” of it. Another, he liked the “study aspect” but not too much on the translation. Apparently, there was a change with the new ESV and it carries the best combination in his opinion.

Now, I have my ESV and oddly enough that no one mentioned The Message. I LOVE it. No, it’s not one to use for studying and some call it more a paraphrase rather than a translation but you talk about beautiful and wonderful to read. I find no other like it. AGAIN not one to study by but depending on what I’m talking with our Youth about I pull it out sometimes. I enjoy it.
http://newheights.wordpress.com/ Darin

The two I use most are ESV and the NLT.
http://bryan-hills.blogspot.com bryan

NIV……I need simple!
Justin

The Message is a paraphrase, and one that softens the bibles stand on issues of sexual immorality and homosexuality. Be hot or cold, not lukewarm!

If I could read Greek I’d read the Majority Text. Since I can’t make do with the Received Text, which for me means the New King James. Its not based on the gnostic heresies like the Alexandrian text and its derivatives. For example, no gnostic took the story of the adulteress out. I don’t know much about textual criticism; nazaroo on christianforums.net has some good defenses.