White Rabbitt Posted January 13, 2017 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 7 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 219 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 190 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/28/2014 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/31/1950 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Okay, my turn. If someone were to hand me a Bible written in Greek, I would look at it and say, "that's all Greek to me". That's how I feel about the KJV. It's all greek to me. It is not the same English I speak. So why should I try to read something I don't know how to read? Especially when I have a perfectly good Thompson Chain Reference Bible NIV Large Print 1984 edition available at my fingertips that I am well versed in using. I speak English, American English. I'm an American. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran C Posted January 13, 2017 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 337 Content Per Day: 0.13 Reputation: 214 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/11/2017 Status: Offline Share Posted January 13, 2017 Just now, White Rabbitt said: Okay, my turn. If someone were to hand me a Bible written in Greek, I would look at it and say, "that's all Greek to me". That's how I feel about the KJV. It's all greek to me. It is not the same English I speak. So why should I try to read something I don't know how to read? Especially when I have a perfectly good Thompson Chain Reference Bible NIV Large Print 1984 edition available at my fingertips that I am well versed in using. I speak English, American English. I'm an American. This is pretty much how I feel. If a person wants to understand the bible, they should be able to understand it. When reading the KJV you have to FIRST translate it, and THEN understand what it's saying. This is too much work for most persons. I also like the NIV and there are excellent study bibles in this version, for instance the Zondervan Publishing House. Personally, I believe that the NASB is the best bible as far as translation goes. When I check it against the YLT, it Always comes out the same. Some believe the KJV is holy or that God personally wrote it. This is my personal opinion - any bible is a good bible if the reader is able to use it and understand it. Other versions are NOT watered down, in fact I'd say they're more accurate. A really good modern bible for young and new Christians is The Message. it reads like a book. Hopefully these readers could graduate to a more traditional bible once they "get the message"! Fran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
existential mabel Posted January 13, 2017 Group: Royal Member Followers: 7 Topic Count: 151 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 3,149 Content Per Day: 1.05 Reputation: 2,066 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/12/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted January 13, 2017 1 hour ago, shiloh357 said: The KJV is a great version because it preserves aspects of the Greek grammar that is not found in modern translation. For example. The words "ye" and "thee" that are seen by many as just archaic words, actually reflect the original Greek. "Ye" reflect the plural "you" and is used exclusively for addressing a group of people. "Thee, "thy," "thine" reflect the singular "you" and these are reflections of the original Greek that has a plural "you" and a singular, "you." And the verses that are missing in the modern versions or are included as footnotes are not obscure verses that have no doctrinal content. Many of them have important information. I am not a KJV only person, but it is a far better, and in some ways, a superior translation to much of the modern translations, especially the NIV which is dynamic equivalence translation and is some in the Jehovah's Witness cult are turning to the NIV as they feel it reflects their theology along with their Watch Tower translation. I had a JW come to my door and he had an NIV with him along with Watchtower literature. i assume this is not the same with the NKJV? which is the one i refer to . not a scholar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighbor Posted January 13, 2017 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 18 Topic Count: 952 Topics Per Day: 0.35 Content Count: 13,568 Content Per Day: 5.03 Reputation: 9,047 Days Won: 6 Joined: 12/04/2016 Status: Online Birthday: 03/03/1885 Share Posted January 13, 2017 6 minutes ago, existential mabel said: i assume this is not the same with the NKJV? which is the one i refer to . not a scholar Actually, my personal preference of the three is the American Standard Bible 1901. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 28 minutes ago, existential mabel said: i assume this is not the same with the NKJV? which is the one i refer to . not a scholar yes, it would not be the same with the NKJV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Posted January 13, 2017 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 8,142 Content Per Day: 2.35 Reputation: 6,612 Days Won: 20 Joined: 11/02/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted January 13, 2017 1 hour ago, Fran C said: When reading the KJV you have to FIRST translate it, and THEN understand what it's saying. This is too much work for most persons. How is it that for several hundred years this was not an issue? Actually there is a very small portion of the KJV that would be deemed to be "difficult to understand". The publishers of modern versions made this an issue since they wanted people to discard the KJV and purchase their Bibles. But children were memorizing and understanding the KJV in times gone by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 1 hour ago, Fran C said: If a person wants to understand the bible, they should be able to understand it. When reading the KJV you have to FIRST translate it, and THEN understand what it's saying. This is too much work for most persons. The KJV is written on a 5th grade reading level. So understanding it from the standpoint of English isn't the problem. Maybe spending some time in prayer before reading and letting the Holy Spirit illuminate the Scripture to one's heart would make it far more understandable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran C Posted January 13, 2017 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 337 Content Per Day: 0.13 Reputation: 214 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/11/2017 Status: Offline Share Posted January 13, 2017 6 minutes ago, Ezra said: How is it that for several hundred years this was not an issue? Actually there is a very small portion of the KJV that would be deemed to be "difficult to understand". The publishers of modern versions made this an issue since they wanted people to discard the KJV and purchase their Bibles. But children were memorizing and understanding the KJV in times gone by. Hi Ezra, You bring up a good point. Here are my reasons: 1. People spoke more in the Language of the KJV at that time and for many years after. But our Language has been changing all along and has become more and more contemporary as the differences in Language have been adopted. Did you know that the word "ain't" is now accepted English? The same theory I have would also apply to Shakespeare. If you changed HIS wording, you'd loose a lot and it would NOT be the same. However, it matters only to a certain point whether or not he is to be understood in his original Language. The bible, on the other hand, is a very important book (the most sold in the world as a matter of fact) and MUST be understood to receive the Word of God. One should not have to study both the LANGUAGE and the CONCEPTS. 2. In this day and age, when education is on the decline and many high school students cannot even read simple English, I feel it is very important to also reach out to them and make available the bible in a Language they could better understand so as not to keep them out of the Kingdom. I'm not saying that the KJV should not be used. I have that and also the NKJV (which I don't use, I don't understand the reason for it). The KJV is the most beautiful and poetic and I have many verses memorized in this version. It can be a drawback, however, for study. NOT for those, like yourself, who are used to it from the beginning. Fran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Posted January 13, 2017 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 8,142 Content Per Day: 2.35 Reputation: 6,612 Days Won: 20 Joined: 11/02/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted January 13, 2017 1 minute ago, Fran C said: 2. In this day and age, when education is on the decline and many high school students cannot even read simple English, I feel it is very important to also reach out to them and make available the bible in a Language they could better understand so as not to keep them out of the Kingdom. I am in full agreement that an updated KJV would be more helpful today (if not a fresh faithful translation). The NKJV could have become a very good substitute, but the translators chose to tamper with the text instead of simply updating the language. However, it is now too late to fix th problem since textual critics and scholars did not honestly admit that they were on the wrong track since 1881. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran C Posted January 13, 2017 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 337 Content Per Day: 0.13 Reputation: 214 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/11/2017 Status: Offline Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) 18 minutes ago, shiloh357 said: The KJV is written on a 5th grade reading level. So understanding it from the standpoint of English isn't the problem. Maybe spending some time in prayer before reading and letting the Holy Spirit illuminate the Scripture to one's heart would make it far more understandable. You could check my post below to Ezra. There's no sense in repeating anything. Kids in the 5th grade today have trouble reading English, let alone Old English. This is a general statement and does not refer to everyone My kids were reading when they wee 3 years old. This is not the norm. If a person can understand the KJV, fine. I have nothing against it. Fran Edited January 13, 2017 by Fran C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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