1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

NKJV vs , NIV, NASB, RSV- a friendly dicussion only.

Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by Ben W, Mar 10, 2005.

  1. Ben W

    Ben W Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2002
    Messages:
    8,883
    Likes Received:
    6
    Greetings all,

    As most of you are aware I have to choose another version other than the NKJV to use for Bible College. I had a discussion last night with a fellow student who is very much in favour of the NIV bible. His take was that the texts for the NKJV are not modern enough to give a translation that is relevant for today.

    So here is the crux of the question and it would be really good if it could be discussed without getting into a fight. - If you like to use the NKJV, yet are open about using other Modern Versions, what specifically is it about those modern versions that appeals to you? What advantages can they truly offer over the NKJV Bible?
     
  2. Craigbythesea

    Craigbythesea Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2003
    Messages:
    5,534
    Likes Received:
    21
    The NASB, 1995, offers a more precise translation of an eclectic text that represents the finest, current biblical scholarship. For a college student, the NASB stands head and shoulders above the rest, and if the faculty members of your Bible college have earned doctorates from major universities and seminaries, those who teach biblical subjects should be able to tell you in great detail the advantages and disadvantages of each of the commonly used contemporary translations. However, what you have told us about your Bible college simply does not add up.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2000
    Messages:
    4,132
    Likes Received:
    1
    His take was that the texts for the NKJV are not modern enough to give a translation that is relevant for today.

    Nonsense! KJV-only cavils aside, the differences simply aren't so great that they render the Bible irrelevant.

    If you like your NKJV, by all means, take it along.

    Actually, if you're going to Bible college, it's to your advantage to spend a little extra cash for two or three more translations. Your study will benefit from reading a passage in parallel, since translators often do not agree on the exact meanings of words in any given passage.

    Since you already have an NKJV, I recommend adding to your library:

    </font>
    • NASB or ESV: These two versions are evangelical representatives of the more formal or literal approach to translation.</font>
    • NIV: It was translated according to a different, though still conservative, translation philosophy that is somewhere in the middle between literalism and "dynamic equivalency" (aka paraphrase). Also, it's the only popular English translation not part of the KJV genealogy, unlike the NKJV, NASB, and ESV.</font>
    • NLT: A conservative paraphrase.</font>
     
  4. APuritanMindset

    APuritanMindset New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Messages:
    229
    Likes Received:
    0
    If the school uses NRSV, ESV is a good choice. It is close to the NRSV but is much more conservative in it's renderings, and it isn't gender neutral.
     
  5. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2000
    Messages:
    30,285
    Likes Received:
    507
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I use the NKJV since I love the flow of the English language and the nuances.

    I dislike the NASB for the same reason! It DOESN'T have the flow and nuances.

    I would use it (NASB) however, since it has far better Greek basis and is far closer to an accurate English translation of the originals.
     
  6. Ben W

    Ben W Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2002
    Messages:
    8,883
    Likes Received:
    6
    Certainley some great suggestions so far. I have decided that because I really like using my NKJV and Concordance which are both put out by Nelsons, that I am going to see what modern versions in a study Bible Nelsons Publish. I have an NASB here which is quite good, yet I have not ever really looked at an RSV or an ESV, so I guess there is one way to find out! [​IMG]
     
Loading...