King James or NIV Bible

[ElizK]

Mostly I use my NIV study Bible. I also have a parallel Bible that has the KJV, the amplified version, the NIV, and the New American Standard. That one's GREAT for comparing. I get a lot more of the full meaning when I compare the 4 versions.

 

[piglet50]

i grew up with the kjv and memorized verses from it. like the above poster said, verses i know sound strange to me out of any other version. i use a niv and nlt study bible for everyday reading and studying. also, i get thrown off tract in bible study if i'm not using the same version as the pastor. sort of distracted or something. anyone else that way?

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

My old church used NIV..when I moved up to West Palm, they use KJV...i have a really awesome study NIV and don't feel like changing...

 

[Fitswimmer]

When I was in college, my professor recommended the Jerusalem Bible and I still like that a lot. I also use the New American Bible. I have a Parallel Bible that has 4 translations side by side, those two, the Revised Standard and Revised English. I like that because I can bounce from one translation to another if I'm unclear on a passage.

 

[Buckalew11]

I use NIV. But I also like to compare, so I like having different versions. KJV is easy to memorize. I also keep study helps with me and refer back to original Hebrew or greek when possible because, very often, you get a very different picture from those words and the way we interprept those words today.

If all I had to study was a KJV, I doubt I'd study very often because it is just hard for me to comprehend.

 

[FlyingBelle]

I have several that I use:

Grew up on KJV (was the only reputable version available at the time)

Around college I was introduced to the NIV. Really like it alot - especially since it will reference differences from other versions.

So... I got a parallel KJV/NIV

Now... I have a NASB (New American Standard Bible) which I'm finding is very similar to the KJV (but without the thees and thous).

I went to Bible College in the 90's and the opinion there was that the RSV (Revised Standard Version) is the mostly closely translated to the original Greek & Hebrew text (I believe they used the Dead Sea Scrolls - which is the oldest most complete text found in one location). I don't use the RSV because it's pretty choppy (like translating Spanish to English literally).

I have a parallel NASB/NLT, but I rarely refer to the New Living Translation - it's pretty loose - but good for those that have trouble understanding because it's written in more of a story form.

 

[Aidensmom]

I prefer the New King James.

I find the old language in the King James too tedious to read, but I do think that oftentimes the NKJ has more specific wording that helps me to understand certain concepts better. My pastor most often uses the NIV, but not always. For the most part, in bible study groups I have been in, most have used NKJ, NIV, or New American Standard.

 

[aquinas]

I use the NASB and ESV versions.

 

[Rella Bella]

Over the years I have read many different versions and appreciate them all for different reasons.

We call the KJV "The King James Song Book" because there are so many songs written directly from the text in that version. There are also some scriptures that - as others have said - just don't sound right in other versions because I memorized them in KJV years ago. At times the formality and the use of "thee" just seems right.

But I have learned so much from reading the others for study... the Amplified Bible is one of my favorites because it adds a group of words to help you understand the real meaning of the greek word. It has a completely different flow but it's more for study than just reading. And someone mentioned the parrell New Testement... which is great for comparison.

My own Bible is New American Standard... I like that it retains some formality but also reads more like I am used to speaking.

On occasion I enjoy reading a paraphrase like "The Living Bible"... not one I'd use for study but for light reading it's nice.

But lately I have been reading the "New American Bible" and searching out where and why it's different.

I guess I just love investigating the differences in interpretation of the original texts...

The most important thing is to be reading the Bible!
And it great to know so many DISers do!

 

[karynnix]

I really like "The Message" Bible. It is in plain language and very easy to understand.

I don't think it matters WHICH version you read as long as you READ it!!

 

[helenabear]

Since I'm Catholic, other as well

I do read from both others now and then, but for my complete Bible I go elsewhere.

 

[LiteBrite]

New American Standard is a sentimental favorite, since it was the first version of the Bible that I began reading for myself way back in the 70s, and lots of the verses I have memorized are from the NASB. I also like the New King James for study. For reading through long passages, I love the New Living.

 

[MassJester]

Perhaps there are some exegetes lurking in the background that could help on this, but I recall from an undergraduate lecture that the KJV was actually a poor translation of the original texts (although I think it has a pretty high poetic value).

I recall being a bit amused by the idea that the word of God had manifested itself in so many different translations just in my lifetime. One could reasonably wonder what has taken place to the original texts over the span of 2000ish years.

I have the RSV on the nightstand, but many other versions in my study.

 

[Golf4food]

Perhaps there are some exegetes lurking in the background that could help on this, but I recall from an undergraduate lecture that the KJV was actually a poor translation of the original texts (although I think it has a pretty high poetic value).

I recall being a bit amused by the idea that the word of God had manifested itself in so many different translations just in my lifetime. One could reasonably wonder what has taken place to the original texts over the span of 2000ish years.

I have the RSV on the nightstand, but many other versions in my study.

Yes, the KJV has numerous errors, translational difficulties, etc. Some words were even made up entirely. The English word "Charity" didn't exist in the English language until the KJV translation of the bible. They couldn't decide upon a good single-word substitute for the Latin word "Caritas" so they made one up.

It isn't a bad translation, but it is by no means the most accurate of the bunch. I shake my head when people insist that the KJV is the best and only translation and somehow seem to have the idea that the KJV is what Paul used to teach the Corinthains...

I currenlty use an NLV, have used NIV in the past, and also have an Oxford English Bible put together by a mixed faith group of theologians from all faiths - including athiests - that was part of some college classes on ancient texts. I also pull up other translations online from time to time - Holman, the literal translation (give that one a read some time, you'll go nuts), etc.

My other favorite quote about the KJV: "If you are truly saved then the Holy Spirit will give you the ability to understand the old English words." If that were the case, we should all just read the original Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, etc. because the Holy Spirit would give us the ability to read those languages, too! And having had friends who took courses on Biblical Greek in college, I can say - it ain't easy!

 

[Talking Hands]

I use a variety of Bible versions depending on what I am doing.
CEV for working with deaf people or ASL Bible on DVD
A Parallel Bible for Bible Study and KJV just to read and mediate on during my quiet times.
My favorite though is my German Bible.

 

[goofygirl]

NRSV


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Revised_Standard_Version

 

[bevtoy]

I have "The Comparative Study Bible".
It is a parallel Bible with 4 translations side by side in 4 columns.
1) New International Version
2) New American Standard Bible
3) Amplified Bible
4) King James Version.

Its much easier than trying to shift 4 different Bibles around and it was around 50 dollars.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I prefer the Geneva bible.

 

[rockbottomsound]

I'm thinking it is the New American Standard? Version that is the best translation into user friendly English.

The King James is no special thing, its just a translation that was translated into old english, thus the thou arts and stuff from that time period in the, what was it 1600s or so, I'm drawing a blank as to the exact time period.

I"m thinking the NAS uses the same original texts or a combination of them that the KJ uses, but is interpreted back into more modern day English interpretations.

 

[MrsPete]

My Bible Study teacher call the KJV "the Bible Jesus carried."

I hope your Bible study teacher was joking! Much of the Bible wasn't written until after Jesus' crucifixion (a third of the New Testament was penned by Paul, who wasn't converted until after Jesus had ascended to Heaven). Plus Jesus didn't speak English! The King James Version is a translation of the original Greek, Hebrew, etc. into English, and it was comissioned by King James, who was a contemporary of William Shakespeare (1600-ish) -- that's why the King James Version "sounds" so much like Shakespeare's work.

Personally, I like the NIV. It's in today's language.