If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

What Version of the Bible do you read?

When I'm just reading I usually use the New Living Translation (NLT). Right now I'm in the middle of "Breaking Free" Bible Study by Beth Moore and she uses the New International Version (NIV) for that, so that's what I use when doing her studies.

But recently I've been noticing a lot of blogging and tweeting friends quoting from The Message. So anyway, I've downloaded a free Bible App to my iPod Touch and I've started reading some from The Message. My husband (our pastor) has challenged us to read the book of Philippians every day this week. So yesterday I read it from The Message. I have to say I loved it. It was very clear and in places even cracked me up. Here's a quote from the 1st chapter of Phillipians: "18 So how am I to respond? I’ve decided that I really don’t care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on! And I’m going to keep that celebration going19 because I know how it’s going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done.20 I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a pulpit!21 Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.22 As long as I’m alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I’d choose.23 Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better24 . But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it’s better for me to stick it out here.25 So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God"  I can just almost imagine Paul saying some of those things using just those words. Now wait a minute, I know Paul didn't speak English, but I can use my imagination. Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more from The Message.

So, I was just curious, what version do you use and why? Inquiring minds want to know.

14 comments:

  1. Cathy I read KJV :)

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  2. I prefer the NIV, although our pastor uses the NASB. My hubby uses the NASB & NIV {& occasionally The Message} when preparing to lead our Lifegroup {Sunday school class}. The Message hasn't grabbed me yet. And, there are times when a word is just spoken so powerfully through the KJV. There are some verses that are so beautifully & poetically spoken through the King Jimmy! :) I guess the bottom line is that I just LOVE God's word that is speaks to me!!!
    Wylie

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  3. I agree Wylie! For example I want to hear Psalm 23 in KJV only! That's just the way I know it and love it.

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  4. Good morning, Cathy~

    I have a Thompson Chain Reference Bible that I have had for almost 30 years. It was given to me by my sisters when I was to go into The Salvation Army Training College. It is the only one I use!

    Some of the women in my Sunday School class use The Message and they love it!

    Blessings~
    Laura

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  5. I've always used a NIV... but have found a love for the Message lately too... so got me a parallel version of NIV/Message that I LOVE!!! Just hate how chunky it is...

    so I carry my slim NIV with me... just familiar with that version

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  6. I've used the NIV ever since it came out 30+ years ago.

    I like looking things up in The Message to see how it's worded, but for regular study and reading I prefer the NIV.

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  7. I use them all!!! :) I love to parallel. I think it really helps to understand the full message that God intends for us to get. When I teach, I usually use the Amplified because it provides an extended explanation of what is being expressed. I posted yesterday with Phillipians 1:21 as my Scripture foundation. Isn't God good like that?? :)

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  8. My husband uses the message...we politely refer to it as the Duh Bible because DUH it makes it soo clear!!! ;)

    I use the Student Bible and I love it. I have never steered away ;)

    Glad you like the message too, I think it is a great version!

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  9. I like to switch it up, I've read the NIV and NKJV quite often, right now I usually read the KJV but I also have a copy of the Recovery version (at least the new testament) and when I'm on the computer I look up passages on th internet and compare to many more versions, If I"m not home I read KJV because that's my smallest copy and the only one I can fit in my purse (I don't have a cellphone so I can't do the app thing)

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  10. I use the New American Standard Inductive study Bible for study and for reading I use lots of other translations (NLT, the Message, etc.).

    It is all about being in the WORD...and GOD will reveal it to each of us if we just jump in and open our hearts no matter what translation we use.

    Hugs, love, and prayers,
    andrea

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  11. I use the KJV. Always have.

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  12. MY Bible from so many years ago...the one with all the writing and highlighting is the NKJV & I love it. That is the version I use to memorize too.

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  13. I usually read the NIV, but all the scriptures I know by heart are from KJV. And to me..they just don't SOUND right in any other version. I noticed it when my kid were learning verses for Awana, or in VBS, or even in GAs and Sunday school now. They just don't sound right to me. But I do love my NIV. I'd never heard of the Message until this past Wednesday night at Bible Study. My friend has a dual Bible..NIV one side of the page, the Message on the other, and we were comparing a verse, and OH MY..how newfangled it sounded to me.
    That kinda bothered me.
    I'm not one big on change anyway...so don't go messin with my scriptures! LOL
    I'm glad it's there tho..for those that need it. People won't study the Bible these days the way we use to. Everything in life has to be made easier, so naturaly, I guess the Bible does, too. But if it gets them in the Word...then it is serving a good purpose!
    :)

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Thanks for visiting and commenting. Have a wonderful Day!

Cathy