There is no better way to do this than to read His Word, the Bible.
Did you know?
Did you know that in my Bible app alone, there are currently 3,840 different Bible versions in 2,456 languages? I find that amazing!
Also, there are many books written on the topic of different Bible versions. I will include some resource links at the end of this blog in case you are interested in learning more in depth about this subject. A blog covering this very important topic is truly only the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to know.
Bible History:
First, we will cover a little bit of Bible history. Did you know that the Bible has 66 books written by over 40 authors over a span of 1500 years? Absolutely Incredible!! The Bible is divided into two sections: Old Testament and New Testament. The Old Testament has 39 books and the New Testament has 27 books.
The Old Testament predicted the coming of Jesus.
The gospels in the New Testament are sharing “Jesus is Here.”
The rest of the New Testament shares “Jesus was here and He will come again.”
Bible Versions & What Is Right for You:
According to Answer The Bible.com, there are four different translation philosophies of Bible versions. When translators transcribe the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek language into our modern language which include one of the following philosophies:
- Word-for-word: This philosophy translates the original language as closely as possible – literally word for word.
- Thought-for-thought: This philosophy translates the meaning and ideas behind the words – general thoughts. It can make the text easier to read.
- Paraphrase: This philosophy translates very loosely, and exact words could be lost, but the general idea is there.
- Dynamic equivalence: This last translation philosophy is a balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought. The goal is to be readable and consistent with the original text.
Bible Versions and Philosophy:
Answer The Bible.com also goes into detail and gives examples of specific Bible Versions:
- When they started
- Translation philosophy
- Readability
- What is it best for
Below you will find several different kinds of Bible Versions. If you would like more detailed information, please go to https://www.AnswertheBible.com/Bible-Versions.
King James Version (KJV)
- Publication date: 1611
- Translation philosophy: Word-for-word
- Readability: Difficult
- Best for: Literary/historical significance
New International Version (NIV)
- Publication date: 1973 (NT), 1978 (complete)
- Translation philosophy: Dynamic equivalence
- Readability: Easy to moderate
- Best for: Bible study and modern reading
New King James Version (NKJV)
- Publication date: 1982
- Translation philosophy: Word-for-word
- Readability: Moderate
- Best for: Fans of the original King James
New Living Translation (NLT)
- Publication date: 1996
- Translation philosophy: Dynamic equivalence/thought-for-thought
- Readability: Very easy
- Best for: Clear understanding
English Standard Version (ESV)
- Publication date: 2001
- Translation philosophy: Word-for-word
- Readability: Moderate
- Best for: Serious study, preaching, memorization
CONCLUSION:
The most important thing when choosing a Bible version for yourself is to ask yourself some questions:
- Is this version easy for me to understand?
- Is this Bible translation easy for me to memorize?
- What are the most important factors to me? Word-for-word? Paraphrase? something else?
For me personally, I started reading the NIV Student Bible because my mom gave that Bible to me. Because I was a student, it had a lot of sections that were helpful for me to understand. NIV was the Bible version that I started to memorize scripture. Even to this day, I will recall the NIV version of scripture over any other translation.
Later in my life, the church I attended started to use the ESV version, so I started to read that version too and I liked it. The current church I attend also uses the ESV version. So, my two favorite versions are NIV and ESV.
The Bible is Living and Active and it will change your life if you read it!
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is alive and active. Shaper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS FOR YOU:
- Have you read the Bible consistently?
- Do you have the desire the read the Bible? If not, pray and ask God what is getting in your way?
- How might your life be different if you chose to read the Bible consistently for a period of time?
CHALLENGE:
- If you haven’t done so already, try the 30-Day Bible Reading Challenge. Pick a book in the Bible and start reading at least one chapter a day. The book of John is a great place to start. Pray before you read to ask God to help you understand what you are about to read. Also, ask the Lord what He would like you to learn.
- If you completed Challenge #1, are you ready to take the 90-Day Bible Reading Challenge? Pick a book in the Bible and start reading at least one chapter a day. When you are finished pick a second book. Some possible options are John, Proverbs, and/or James. Pray before you read to ask God to help you understand what you are about to read. Also, ask the Lord what He would like you to learn.
- If you completed Challenge #1 & #2, what are your thoughts about reading the Bible in a Year? There are a lot of Bible in a year programs. Check out what your Bible app has available or there are Bibles that have specific programs you can follow as well. Pray and ask God to help you complete the reading program. If you fall behind, that’s ok. Every if it takes you two years, your soul is getting the nourishment it needs.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for providing so many translations of Your Word today. What a blessing it is to have the freedom to read Your Word and learn from you. Show me which Bible version would be best for me. Thank you for loving me and guiding me.
I pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
HELPFUL RESOURCES:
Website:
Bible Apps (FREE):
Another great option is to have a Bible app downloaded on your phone. It’s free and available to you 24/7! There are so many Bible apps to choose from, but here are some of my favorites.
- Bible (by Life.Church)
- Bible Gateway
PodCast (FREE):
- The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble – This is a great audio summary of what you have read in the Bible. For the past three years, I listened to the Bible Recap on the Bible app by Life Church and then listened to The Bible Recap Podcast afterwards to hear the summary of what I read. I always learned new things and find it so helpful!
Bibles:
There are many types of Bibles out there and many versions of Bibles. My two favorite versions are NIV & ESV. Feel free to click one of these Bibles links (if you don’t have one already) or find another Bible that best fits what you are looking for. I used the Daily Walk Bible NIV for years. It was also great because it gave you six days of reading and on the seventh day you are able to read a summary of the past week and be able to catch up on your daily reading, if needed. See below for links.
NIV BIBLES:
ESV BIBLES:
Books on the various Bible Versions:
Here are two different resources (of many that are out there) that cover the topic very well and could help you better determine what Bible version is best for you. If you would like to study the topic further. The books are:
- One Bible, Many Versions Are All Translations Created Equal? by Dave Brun
- Bible Translations for Everyone: A Guide to Finding A Bible That’s Right for You by Tim Wildsmith
Affiliate Disclosure: “The links under the Helpful Resource” page of my blog are affiliate links. If you purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend resources I personally trust and believe will benefit first generation Christians.”
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If this blog has helped you in any way or if you have a specific question regarding being a first-generation Christian, please email me at Denise@DeniseLBeyerle.com or go to my website www.DeniseLBeyerle.com.
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