You do know the real draw was/is the Geneva Notes' twist on Scripture, rather than the actual translation itself!
I disagree. The text alone is the clear winner here, not the notes - that's just supposed modern 'historians' of our day saying such. Anyone with a clear mind can see the textual superiority when comparing the text to other translations, older and newer. As a Christian, exactness of doctrine should be above any opinions when it comes to the
wording of scripture.
As an example - most newer versions of scripture have some good wording in them, and
can be very useful when teaching, but when it comes to, let's say
Baptist doctrine, clarity is of the utmost importance. And no other Bible, older or newer, clearly states Baptist doctrine better than the Geneva Bible of 1560.
Look at 1 Peter 3:20 in this version -
"
Baptism,which corresponds to this, now saves you" (ESV)
Compare to this version -
"
eight souls, were saved through water: which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism" (ASV)
Compare to this version -
"
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us" (KJV)
And this version -
"
Whereof the baptism that now is, answering that figure, saveth us also" (Tomson1599)
To this -
"
To the which also the figure that now saveth us, even Baptism agreeth" (Geneva1560)
If you can see the difference, it's because there
is a difference - and it is an
important difference.
If you see no problem with teaching that baptism saves someone, or you can say the phrase "yeah, but that's not what it means", then accuracy is not important to you. And you could be a good follower of someone like Alexander Campbell, who converted thousands of Baptists into 'church of christ' followers. You would also say "be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins" (ESV), and teach baptism washes away sins, a much anti-Baptist teaching, yet in plenty of books called Bibles.
If you use a version that says baptism saves in any other verse, then your version is against Baptist doctrine, and accuracy may be unimportant to you.
I would hope not.
But like I said above, most newer versions of scripture have some good wording in them, and
can be very useful when teaching, but...