I had a discussion at work about translations of the bible. He told me that the only true translation is the King James. He tried to quote the passage of Revelations that commands no words be added or taken away. I prefer to read the NIV translation and he told me that my bible is missing several thousand words."It's only missing words from the KJ bible.", I told him. "It's not missing it necessarily from the original text."
This went on for about half an hour. When I got home, I did an amount of research on the English bible. Although many consider the KJV the 'official' translation, it was written in the 1600's. More documents (dead sea scrolls) have been found since then and also the knowledge of ancient Hebrew and Arabic is more advanced now then in 1600.
My debating friend didn't want to hear any of that. The NIV is junk in his opinion.
Really, isn't the only important thing that people are picking up a bible and trying to learn about God and Jesus? It doesn't matter what translation you read, as long as you are reading it.
5 comments:
I've only ever read the NIV Bible. But I'm a member of a church that teaches only from the KJ Bible. Honestly, when studying on my own, I get WAY more out of the NIV because I can hear it for what its content is without working so hard. Is that the lazy way out? I don't really think so. Reading daily is a sturggle. Any Christian would admit to that (if they are honest). But my pastor is a scholar.... or he'd like to claim to be. He helps me A LOT because he can read Greek. And when he does... usually he uses the exact words my NIV uses. Well.... now you have my opinion, if you can call it that. KEEP READING! Isn't it sad you know a Christian who's so caught up in one thing he's missing the bigger point? I'm sad for him.
Have a good week. And thanks for prompting me to post!
Wow.
Then shouldn't we all be reading it in Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic?
It's all greek to me.
Its been my experience too that when people take a stance like this its usually out of their own need to feel spiritually puffed up. In an I'm a better Christian than you kind of sentiment, and I agree with Abbie its trajic.
There are thousands who would laugh at us just for being Christians, and for reading the word. We don't need to be degrading one another. I'll prar for your co-worker because it sounds with out having been part of the converstaion that he is getting his life from a version of the Bible rather than the God who inspired it.
I was intrigued to see what others wrote. Hummm..... interesting.
One of the reason I don't like to get into discussions with other people about things like that.
I do agree, as long as you are trying to learn about Jesus, God and the Bible in general, what does it matter.
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