As a follow up to our 400th Birthday of the King James Version – we discussed many of the newer translations of the Bible into English. A few tips for checking out a new translation are listed below:

How to TEST DRIVE a New Bible Translation  

1-Gen 1:1-3  – TRINITY?

      KJV makes a clear Reference to Trinity

      God created.. Spirit of God moved.. God said, let there be..   – Father, Spirit, Word/Son

      NRSV – “wind from God”

2-Psa 23:6  – Forever or a Long Time?

      1^st, Listen to Poetry of KJV

      also last phrase – “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever”

            or NRSV “I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long”

                        AND THEN WHAT?

3-ISA 7:14  Virgin Birth?

      Most Translations – “Behold, a virgin shall conceive…

      NRSV – “Look, the young woman is with child…

4-Between OT & NT – Catholic versions of Bible contain Apocrypha

      13 little books – The Jewish Rabbis didn’t accept them as OT or as Scripture.

      Early Church Fathers didn’t accept them as NT or as Scripture

5-Mat 6:9 Is God Father or Mother or Parent?

      Lords Prayer  – Most Trans, prayer begins “Our Father…

      Oxford Univ Bible – “Father-Mother, Hallowed be your name..”

      Watch out for “Inclusive Language” Bibles

6- Mat 6:13 – Omissions

      “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

      NIV – Omits – – Note: some late manuscripts contain the last sentence

7-Joh 1:1 – Is Jesus Creator or Created?

       Jehovahs Witnesses – New World Translation

      “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was A God.”

            According to Jehovahs Witnesses, Jesus was a divine, angelic Being – NOT Almighty God

8-John 7:53-8:11  Omissions

      Famous Story of Jesus dealing w/ the Woman caught in the Act of Adultery

      NIV – Note: “the earliest & most reliable manuscriptus & other ancient witnesses do NOT have 7:53-8:11

            But Many Ancient Manuscripts DO!

9- Rom 3:24-25  – Dumbing Down of Christianity

      some newer translations translate

      Grace = Kindness;    Justifies = declares not guilty;   Redemption = frees us   etc

      OK for Devotional Purposes – but for Serious Bible Study

            we need to learn a few Technical/”Load Bearing” Words!

10-1Co 6:9 – HOMOSEXUALITY

      KJV – Abusers of themselves with mankind

      NKJV – Homosexuals

      NIV – Homosexual offenders–OK to be GAY as long as you are not OFFENSIVE?  

11-2Co 6:11 – Old KJV does have some READABILITY problems

            11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

             12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

            Sounds like Paul needed to go to the Emergency Room!

12-1Ti 3:2 Qualifications of Pastors/Deacons

      KJV  “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife

      NRSV – Married only once — Are Women Pastors OK?

      NLT – Faithful to his wife – Are Divorced Deacons OK?

13- Rev 20:14 Does anybody believe in HELL anymore?

            “And death & hell were cast into the lake of fire ”

      NAS, NIV, NKJV, NRSV – Hades

      NLT – Grave