I recently listened as a pastor’s wife stood before a group of ladies at a retreat and read a passage from one of the newer Bible translations. When she was finished reading, she said very pointedly that she read from and uses that version of the Bible because it can be easily understood, even by a child. “And I believe that even small children should be able to understand the Bible.” She said it as though it was her mission to make sure that the version that rises to the top is the one that kids understand best.
That’s one way of looking at Bible versions. Here’s another way. What if the words are completely understandable, but the version is inaccurate? I remember the day I heard that the NIV had just come on the market. I was a teenager riding in a car with a group of kids on our way to summer Bible camp. The driver announced the new version and added that it is known not to be very accurate to the original. I remember thinking to myself – then why would anyone want to read it? Well, I guess because it’s understandable.
Who hasn’t grappled with the question about which version to read? I made it a serious study several years ago. Attached is the paper I wrote summarizing the issues. Hopefully it will help shed some light and help you make a decision. (It's in PDF format, so be sure to give it a few seconds to download.) Jody
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