I have a confession

[ChickenSoup]

Yeah, CCGR's right. They're all pretty close (except for the "Message"). Find a translation that you connect with best (NKJV is really good) and stick with it. The worst thing you'd want to do is get bogged down with a translation that uses a verbiage that disorients you and gets you demotivated.
How much better would it be to read through the bible where you can understand it on the first go, rather than get confused and eventually glaze over because you're tired?

...don't get me started on the Message I realize that it could make the Bible more available to people wanting an easier read, but it just sort of ruins the poetic form of so much of it for me O_o

[bgpablo]

My wife and I rrefer the New American Standard. It doesn't read as nicely as others, but some of my professors say that it is the closest to the original languages (which is why it doesn't flow as nicely in English). I really like my wife's NIV/ NASB parallel Bible (both versions side by side).

We are so blessed to have God's Word so readily available to us. Some countries, as you may know, have it locked out! Pray for the risk-taking-Missionaries!!
BG

[Bascom]

Here is a GREAT chart on many different Bible versions.

http://www.commonenglishbible.com/Explo ... fault.aspx

It doesn't mention the Message, but does list the New Living Translation. According to wikipedia (not the best source), both are dynamic equivalence; often accused to make up stuff to pretty it up for English. [Soure: web link above] If you check the websites, you will note that both are under copyrite. This means that it generates profit for the publishing house anytime the text is used. According to the US copyrite law, the word of God can never hold a copyrite. [src= http://www.av1611.org/kjv/knowkjv.html]

For the King James Version (KJV) Only guys.
One of the biggest complaints of modern text is that it does not use the same texts as the KJV, who uses the Masoretic text for the Old Testament. The Masoretic text is copied by scribes. Masoretic scribes who copied incorrectly were punished and could be sentenced to death.

The Textus Receptus was used for the New Testament. This is original Greek text, passed from Church to Church, among early Christians. The Textus Receptus was gathered, compared, then compiled in 1550.

The Bishop's Bible was previously translated to English. It was often used for comparisons, to help the English Language, and to set the accepted order of the books. The order is mostly Chronological, but some topical order was used. For Example, Solomon wrote proverbs, which is located next to Psalms, but Solomon's life story is in Kings.

OT matching KJV:
New American Bible (1986 Revision)

NT matching KJV:
New King James Version

For the Might Makes Right guys
Some argue that the Lord wants as many Christians to be right as possible. The most popular version is the New International Version (NIV). The NIV is also under copyrite, so you must pay Zondervan in order to use it. It will likely stay up to date and under copyrite protection since it undergoes regular revisions. Read some of the other issues in the source link below.

[src: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32644719/ns ... vOSDTVSSew]

If you truly want to know which version to use, please pray this prayer with me:
"Heavenly Father, We know that you know everything, where we know nothing. In your power you can teach the Blind to see. Please give us the knowledge to understand the truth. Give us guidance to know you better, Father. Lord, please provide understanding through the Bible that you help me select, so I might follow you to do your will. Help me understand the signs that you give to lead me to this decision. In these things we pray, in Jesus Name, Amen."

[Bascom]

I have to read a lot of apologetic and theological texts for my Doctorate. When I do my personal reading, I personally prefer the Action Bible. The true chronological order allows a better idea of what events took place. The references give guidance, if I want to dig deeper with another, more detailed version. I assume that you can complete the action Bible in a couple of weeks, if you spend at least an hour or two on it a night.

I often use the Action Bible when preparing for a Group Bible Study. The pictures are easy to remember, so I can quickly find the events that I want to cover. I can then use the references to find commentaries and come up with discussion points before I present it to my audience, in their Bible version of choice.

[ccgr]

I saw the Action Bible at Walmart, pretty cool

[ChickenSoup]

Some argue that the Lord wants as many Christians to be right as possible. The most popular version is the New International Version (NIV). The NIV is also under copyrite, so you must pay Zondervan in order to use it. It will likely stay up to date and under copyrite protection since it undergoes regular revisions.

I owe Zondervan a crapton of money if we have to pay to use it in a study >_>

[Chozon1]

It's only if you use it in a publication or a direct quote. Something like over 500 words.

It's in the front of the bible dude.

[Nypheria]

I have a really hard time reading the bible to be honest. KJV is a rough read and it's hard to understand what they mean. :/

Do yall use KJV but also have the New version handy when yall study?

[ccgr]

I've read the KVJ a few times, NLT, just finished the HCSB now starting the ESV

[Chozon1]

I have a really hard time reading the bible to be honest. KJV is a rough read and it's hard to understand what they mean. :/

Do yall use KJV but also have the New version handy when yall study?

To be honest with you, I rarely read the KJV precisely because it's so difficult to understand. I don't know if I've ever read it completely through.

For me, it's Holman or NIV all the way. Modern English for the win.

[Blue]

I read the ESV.

[jester747]

New King James for me.

[xino]

it is not all about readin the bible from start to finish.

take my words with grain of salt but really old testament doesn't really matter.
What matters is the New testament as it relates to our very age of modern world.
New testatment is what you should read!
use olde for reference meaning and prophecy


and please read the bible more, no more excuses.
do you drive a car? if not then you don't have any excuse!
Carry your bible wherever you go, read it on bus or train.

I used to use excuse not to read the bible, but now that i'm following Jesus spiritually, I'm doing all my best to focus on him.

[CountKrazy]

do you drive a car? if not then you don't have any excuse!
Carry your bible wherever you go, read it on bus or train.

I get extremely car sick when I read anything in a moving vehicle.

[Drewsov]

I'm going to attempt to respond to xino's post, which once again has a very unsurprising lack of common grammatical practices, including (but not limited to) transitions, indefinite articles (e.g., a, an), definite articles, and more. The lack of these makes communication extremely difficult, which would result in some of the confusion that's been happening on the board recently, and a sense that postings have been run through Google Translate.

English major moment now over.

it is not all about readin the bible from start to finish.

You're right. It's not.

take my words with grain of salt but really old testament doesn't really matter.
What matters is the New testament as it relates to our very age of modern world.
New testatment is what you should read!
use olde for reference meaning and prophecy

You're joking, right?

The Old Testament serves as a history, true, and as a context for the New Testament. It also serves as a theological framework through which ideas in the New Testament are developed and referenced, just as certain Apocryphal and Deuterocanonical books do.

Certainly, there is prophecy there, and that's important, as is God's plan for the Israelites. There's also poetry that can teach how to praise and mourn, books that grapple with ills that befall each of us, and books that instruct on how to turn to God in our times of trouble.

It is not simply a series of books meant for "meaning" and "prophecy".

See, the fact that you're saying stuff like that has me very, very hesitant to continue listening to and reading your posts.

It's already been established in other threads that your points are all way off the mark; this only serves to further that sentiment, and establishes you not only as a young Christian (not a bad thing at all!), but one that has come under some very misguided impressions.

I'd urge you to read some theological books, specifically those by C.S. Lewis and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. They establish and translate the tenants of faith into something very readable and very God-touched.

I used to use excuse not to read the bible, but now that i'm following Jesus spiritually, I'm doing all my best to focus on him.

And that's all very well and good.

But sometimes, we need to be taught by someone who has been given greater wisdom.