Faith to Start you Week: Versions of the Bible

1:00 AM


Before I scare you away, this is not going to be a debate on what versions are the right or wrong ones to use. I want to share some of the versions that I use in my reading and study regularly. Yes, versions as in multiple. You see, I personally don’t think there is any perfect translation, so I like reading different ones and seeing how different people translated it.

The Voice: This version is currently my favorite. It is a newer version, and it has made reading the scripture feel new to me. It  is formatted and reads more like how I think. Words have been updated to reflect current meaning and usage. However, I feel it also doesn’t dumb down the message like some modern translations do.

The NIV: As much as I love my Voice Bible, sometimes I check it against other more traditional translations. The NIV is what I grew up reading, and I still use it to study the scripture. Yes, it has its weak points, but I am of the opinion that all translations do (another reason to use multiple versions).

The NKJV: Although this has never been my favorite for reading, it is very valuable for studying the Bible. I like hearing the older words that were used. I also like seeing how words and concepts were translated differently, sometimes for the better. I definitely think it is a valuable version to use in study.
I use Bible Gateway a lot for comparing the different versions, especially when writing up a devotional blog. I love being able to compare two versions easily side by side.


What are your favorite versions to use and why?

Other posts you might enjoy:
         It is all in the Roots
         We are Chosen

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4 comments

  1. I too enjoy reading different versions because as you say no translation is perfect... I enjoy the King James and NKJ in their own ways, and I've also read a Hebraic Roots version that was very interesting. But my favorite is the translation by James Moffatt,which was from the 1920s/30s I believe, that not many people seem to have heard about. C. S. Lewis liked that version too, which is how we heard of it. ;)

    Nice post!

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  2. My mom, brother, and I have been studying Hebrew for a few years now so I love interlinear Bibles where I can read the words in Hebrew and check my understanding of them with the English right beneath them! When I want a more standard translation, I like a certain Hebraic Roots version that translates very literally and the NKJV. I wished I owned an NASB and ESV because I've heard those were pretty literal, yet read well. : ) That's so interesting about C. S. Lewis and the James Moffatt version!

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  3. I'm reading the New King James Version these days because I like the traditional reading of the test, but also its accessibility.

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