Does the Bible you read impact your spiritual growth?

[JohnnyReb]

What I mean is the VERSION of Bible you read. Years ago I used to pick up my Dads King James Bible and never got anywhere with it. I was discouraged and unable to acquire the messages because of all the unfamiliar old English words. I tried so hard to understand but it was a struggle.

Then a few years later a Baptist Church gave me a NIV version and the journey began! I was able to understand the message and meanings of scripture and I started to grow in my faith.

Now this is by no means a attack on the KJ Bible. I just wonder if I am alone in struggling with the English used in it. If it wasn't for the NIV bible I received I may have never become a better and more knowledgable Christian. As of recently I got another version....the New King James Bible. It also has plain English that even a goof like me can understand and I have enjoyed reading it as well.

My Church uses the King James Bible only during service. Even hearing it read aloud I still can't fathom some of the words. So I decided to bring along my NIV and just read along in terms I can understand.

So has anyone else had a certain bible version that has impacted your spiritual growth?

 

[Yeshua1]

What I mean is the VERSION of Bible you read. Years ago I used to pick up my Dads King James Bible and never got anywhere with it. I was discouraged and unable to acquire the messages because of all the unfamiliar old English words. I tried so hard to understand but it was a struggle.

Then a few years later a Baptist Church gave me a NIV version and the journey began! I was able to understand the message and meanings of scripture and I started to grow in my faith.

Now this is by no means a attack on the KJ Bible. I just wonder if I am alone in struggling with the English used in it. If it wasn't for the NIV bible I received I may have never become a better and more knowledgable Christian. As of recently I got another version....the New King James Bible. It also has plain English that even a goof like me can understand and I have enjoyed reading it as well.

My Church uses the King James Bible only during service. Even hearing it read aloud I still can't fathom some of the words. So I decided to bring along my NIV and just read along in terms I can understand.

So has anyone else had a certain bible version that has impacted your spiritual growth?

First bible ever had was a Living Bible study bible, by Dr Lindsell, really like his notes, and tried to find another version with his notes!

have used a Ryrie sb after that ever since, in Nasb edition!

 

[go2church]

I think your experience is common to many folks

 

[Pastor_Bob]

Years ago I used to pick up my Dads King James Bible and never got anywhere with it. I was discouraged and unable to acquire the messages because of all the unfamiliar old English words. I tried so hard to understand but it was a struggle. (emphasis mine)

Then a few years later a Baptist Church gave me a NIV version and the journey began! I was able to understand the message and meanings of scripture and I started to grow in my faith.

Brother, by your own admission, it was the "unfamiliar" words that prevented you from understanding the KJV, but you were able to fully understand the words in the NIV. It has been my experience that, each and every version has plenty of "unfamiliar" words in them. How did you come to the understanding of the unfamiliar words in the NIV? Consider these examples:

Ezra 9:5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness (the NIV uses the word abasement); and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, (KJV)

Job 8:2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong (the NIV uses the word blustering) wind? (KJV)

1 Kings 7:6 And he made a porch (the NIV uses the word colonnade) of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them: and the other pillars and the thick beam were before them. (KJV)

Exodus 28:20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings (the NIV uses the word filigree). (KJV)

Jer 46:20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction (the NIV uses the word gadfly) cometh; it cometh out of the north. (KJV)

Now, I am not arguing the NIV translators usage of the words they chose. My point is this: every Bible version has unfamiliar words that, when we come across them, we must use some resource to gain the meaning of the word. Once we do, it's settled...no more difficulty.

I would not discount the KJV simply because of difficult to understand words. If you selected a Bible version based upon that criteria, if you're honest, you'd not find any that you could read without a little help.

 

[Squidward]

Not so much the version I read, but the way I read it has been a bigger impact in my life. I used to base my studies on individual verses pieced together. Now I read full chunks of texts and learned that I was waaay wrong on a lot of stuff in the Bible. I read the ESV by the way. Not saying it's better. Just my preferred.

 

[Dr. Bob]

I do Bible reading in a different translation each time "through". It takes 2-3 years (at least) to go thru a version carefully, reading and comprehending.

I have seen good, bad and ugly translations but each time thru one I received countless blessings.

My rule: DO NOT RACE but take time to read, see the context, understand what God is saying.

Grew up with "dual" allegiance - 1901ASV was our church's "study" Bible for its excellent handling of Greek tenses and 1769KJV Oxford Revision. So they were my first and still enjoy the lilt and flow.

Have read thru Douay/Confraternity, NEB, TEV, CJB, NKJV, NIV, Living Bible, ESV, and presently working slowly thru Holman

And grew thru them all since 1957.

 

[preacher4truth]

I've gone from the KJV to the NASBU then to the ESV as preaching and study/devotional texts in last 3 years. This has been a great blessing after coming away from KJV only circles, although I've never endorsed KJVOnlyism, it was simply the only text I ever used.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Good evolution in study pft. Sometime totally different for you non-Jews (I grew up partly Jewish) is the Complete Jewish Bible. Enlightening to see the NT church thru eyes of Judaism practice and thinking.

We homeschooled and did a four year study of entire Bible in the NIV Study Bible with my three kids. They had been RAISED in the Bible, Christian Schools, etc, and yet woefully ignorant of the meaning until then.

When I started preaching using my own translation and everyone in church had modern translations, I found I had and extra 20 minutes in every sermon, not having to continually say, "this is what xyz means", or "in the Greek it would say xyz if translated into our vernacular". It already was to the people and did not take away time with "language" from the actual Bible study.

Now I translate every verse and print it in bulletin. We all are on the same page in that way, even though we probably will have 8-9 different versions carried to church tomorrow.

 

[evenifigoalone]

I think your experience is common to many folks

Ditto.

I've never had any trouble with the KJV, but my education made me familiar with it and the usage of words.
Still, sometimes a verse does become more clear in another version.

 

[ktn4eg]

Same as with most folks....started [and am still with] KJV; but IMO I [as a non-seminarian lay person] have found the NLTse very helpful, especially with the Life Application set of study helps.

I'm considering getting an ESV since that's what many of the folks at my church ( www.lighthouseministries.org ) have started to use.

To me, it's helpful to see how other versions approach certain Bible passages.....As has been said long ago, "A stare and compare comes in very handy at a lot of things you're doing." :thumbsup:

 

[Van]

Ditto, too

What I mean is the VERSION of Bible you read. Years ago I used to pick up my Dads King James Bible and never got anywhere with it. I was discouraged and unable to acquire the messages because of all the unfamiliar old English words. I tried so hard to understand but it was a struggle.

Then a few years later a Baptist Church gave me a NIV version and the journey began! I was able to understand the message and meanings of scripture and I started to grow in my faith.

Now this is by no means a attack on the KJ Bible. I just wonder if I am alone in struggling with the English used in it. If it wasn't for the NIV bible I received I may have never become a better and more knowledgable Christian. As of recently I got another version....the New King James Bible. It also has plain English that even a goof like me can understand and I have enjoyed reading it as well.

My Church uses the King James Bible only during service. Even hearing it read aloud I still can't fathom some of the words. So I decided to bring along my NIV and just read along in terms I can understand.

So has anyone else had a certain bible version that has impacted your spiritual growth?

Same story, different version. For me, when I started attending a Baptist Church in San Clemente that used the NASB, rather than the KJV. Now this was years ago, before the wonderful NASB95 came out, which dropped the thees and thous. But I could read it and get out of it what the preacher was teaching. It was a whole new experience. And for the first time in my life, I started growing in understanding and growing (at least I like to think) in maturity. Discussions among Christians would no longer leave me wondering what was that all about.

 

[JohnnyReb]

Good to see I'm not alone. I've read a few different versions now but I always go back to the NIV Bible that I got while in the Marines. I guess I have a special attachment to it because it is the bible that opened my eyes.

 

[Yeshua1]

Good to see I'm not alone. I've read a few different versions now but I always go back to the NIV Bible that I got while in the Marines. I guess I have a special attachment to it because it is the bible that opened my eyes.

that is why i have aleways used 2 main versions to read and study off from...

To read and just get the flow, basic understanding, read Nov/Hcsb, but to go into serious studying, use either Nas/Esv!

 

[franklinmonroe]

... So has anyone else had a certain bible version that has impacted your spiritual growth?

No, not any particular one; but yes, all the ones I have read have impacted my spiritual growth (all 30 NTs and counting).

 

[Rippon]

Same story, different version. For me, when I started attending a Baptist Church in San Clemente that used the NASB, rather than the KJV. Now this was years ago, before the wonderful NASB95 came out, which dropped the thees and thous. But I could read it and get out of it what the preacher was teaching. It was a whole new experience. And for the first time in my life, I started growing in understanding and growing (at least I like to think) in maturity. Discussions among Christians would no longer leave me wondering what was that all about.

Van :"NIV: I do not read very well,so this is the one I read as I try to 'abide' in His Word." 3/25/11