Teen looking for the right Bible

Jack Chick's stuff is full of deception, and incorrect/misleading information. Especially on the topic of translations. It is wise to disregard anything that comes from Jack Chick.

As for advice, since you're 17, I suggest the NIV Teen Study Bible. It's the one I got my own kids when they were high school aged.

 

Ignore chick. He's loose with the facts.

If you're going to be preaching to the lost, I suggest a translation that is readable/understandable to an unchurched person. Lots of translations are good for that. Be careful about paraphrases...that's just one man's opinion of scripture.

There are a couple of translations that run into some controversy here (TNIV and NRSV come to mind) because of "inclusive language" issues and such. But there are lots of good translations out there...NIV, NKJV, ESV, NASB, and others.

God's best to you,
RB

 

Don't trust anything from chick.com about Bible Versions. The link above is basically full of KJVO propaganda most of which are absolute lies.I would recommend the ESV,NASB, NKJV, HCSB, all are excellent translations.

 

Hello JRG

Welcome to the BB.

A tough topic indeed, seeing most on this board are against Jack Chick, they will tell you to steer away from him.

I would say pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as to what Bible to use. I am KJV because I believe that is the Word the Lord would have me read.

I encourage you to visit these two sites for great articles on Bible versions...

www.av1611.com
www.wayoflife.org

another great site for translation history is
www.middletownbiblechurch.org

 

There are several good teen and young adult editions of the NKJV which I recommend.

I wouldn't worry myself too much about Chick's take on version. Do some more research.

 

Absolutely. Any person who considers Chick truthful and authoritative on teh topic is either naive, or ignorant to an extreme.

Good avice for anyone.

These sites espouse the false doctrine of KJVOism. They should therefore be avoided. In fact, one one of the sites is David Cloud's site. Cloud is a collaborator of Chick, and should be avoided for the same reasons Chick should be avoided.

 

Don't take info from a Chick publications site!!! His info is fraught with much error and inaccuracy. There have been threads on the BB previously discussing Chick. In some circles, Chick is a joke.

It would be good to understand the difference between the formal equivalence (more word for word) and dynamic methods (more thought for thought) of translation. Every translation is based on decisions on how to render expressions from other cultures and other times (in the case of the Bible) so it depends a lot on the philosophy of translation that you like.

The NASB is highly regarded by scholars as a good translation. Both the NASB and KJV are more toward the formal equivalence while the NIV and NLT are more the dynamic. But there are other good translations as well -- the ESV, for example. All have good and bad points.

Another difference is the source of texts. The KJV and the modern versions like the NASB, NIV, and others, use different texts for translation.

Read these:
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=663
http://www.participatorystudyseries.com/versioncomp.php

Here's a chart:
http://home1.gte.net/deleyd/religion/solarmyth/bibles.html

 

David Cloud is not a collaborator of Jack Chick's, He is a Brother in the Lord.

David Cloud has been studying the Word of God for more than 33 years and has revealed many false teachings in other translations and books.

 

Amen! Perfect advice Brother SFIC!

 

middletownbiblechurch.org is an excellent site. Much history can be found on the versions of the Bible. Great research.

The more I read on MBC, the more I cherish and hold to the truths written in the KJV above any other.

 

If you are being lead by the Holy Spirit to use the KJV and are familiar with the Elizabethan english of the 1600s found in it, then by all means use the KJV.

Definitely do not use the KJV because of the horrible mistruths found on sites like Jack Chick's site and KJVO sites.

 

Oy! Watch out for the King James Only people, websites, books, etc.

The KJV is a good translation, but it isn't perfect. No translation is perfect, they are all the work of men.

The basic logic can boil down to this. If A is not perfect and B is not perfect, one cannot say that A should only be used and B is a false, corrupt, evil, whatever.

But you can have confidence in pretty much any major translation (Cult translations and Paraphrases not included of course ) that they have it right. You won't be lead astray by using any of them, taking them as a whole. Don't worry about Jack Chick or any of the like, they are all just looking for a cause to trumpet other than the Gospel of Christ.

 

Two major advantages of the KJV/NKJV

Translated from the Byzantine textual body.
Translated using formal/literal equivalence whenever possible.

 

My favorite Bible as a Teen was The Transformer NKJV Teen Study Bible from Thomas Nelson Publishers and Youth for Christ International, I believe Dr. Jay Strack or Jay Kesler is the editor for this edition.

I don't know if it is still available, but I remember many life-changing personal Bible studies I had with it between the ages of 14 and 18. I was saved at the age of 17, this may be why this Bible stands out in my mind from all of the other Bibles that I have had. I used that Bible up untill I got my NKJV Scofield Study Bible as a High School graduation present, that is the Bible I still use today.

 

Yes, there are several excellent translations. I am a firm believer in formal equivalent translation so I would advise considering:

From the Byzantine text body
KJV
NKJV

From the Alexandrian texts
ASV
NASB
ESV (I think I am correct here)

Take SFIC advice, research and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance

 

The KJV is an excellent choice, and if you are going to PCC you might as well settle in and use it for the next four years. My daughter is graduating there in May.

 

Uses Gender nuetrality to much IMO others have suggested otherwise.

The NIV isn't perfect but neither is anyother translation. It's a good overall translation.
The NASB and ESV are both extremely accurate. I have the upmost confidence in both. The SBC churches up here use the NASB we (BGC) use the ESV but both are great translations from the original languages.