What is the Worst Bible Translation?

The Mormon church does use the Joseph Smith translation... not always... and he didn't finish it before he died... but it is there. I believe if you look in their "quad" (Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, Doctrine and Covenents, and the Bible), you will find it. At any rate, it can also be found here http://scriptures.lds.org/jst/contents

 

interestingly, Smith's translation isn't considered "Scriptures" (which are, namely, the KJB OT, KJB NT, BOM, D&C, n PGP), but merely one of several "Study Helps."

See http://scriptures.lds.org/contents

 

Isn't there a version of the Bible called "The Feminist Bible", or something like that?

 

If you have ever tried to teach a group of high school aged young people that read on a 3rd grade level, you would thank your lucky stars for the attempts of the many to make God's Word understandable to the reader. The KJV only for the English speaking world argument is so bogus it makes me gag! No the translations aren't perfect, but friend neither are you.

 

saved by grace 1999 said:

And, I just can't understand what the NLT is saying.

Maybe you're just not spiritual enough to understand it (1 Cor. 2:14).

 

Dear saved by grace 1999 aka Abby~ "Have I told you lately how very much I admire your strength & courage to stand your ground for the Lord's sake? Well, I do! For a lil'ol 14yr.old gal, saved only 3yrs, you have more wisdom & spirituality in your dainty little pinkie than some of these clod-hoppers ever hope to gain! I've never read any of these that are named, as the grand Old Book, the KJBible is God's Word. Don't pay no mind to some of the remarks made here: "Some are wise, and some are otherwise."

 

So since "the KJBible is God's Word" does that mean the NKJV, NASB, NIV, ESV are not?

 

So since "the KJBible is God's Word" does that mean the NKJV, NASB, NIV, ESV are not?[Chris T]

That's exactly what it means; and I make no apologies in saying it.

 

So I take it then that the KJV is God's word and others are not. Therefore, where was God's word before the KJV?

[ July 11, 2002, 04:38 PM: Message edited by: Chris Temple ]

 

Kind Sir: "I will not argue with you about God's Word, no more than you would with someone over whether or not there is a sky. Ever since satan first tried to cast doubt on God's Word when he said, "Yea, hath God said...?", men have been trying to change what is written. The KJV faithfully gives us what God said. I've never doubted it, nor did my grandparents, or theirs. I've said this before, the best way to see if a stick is crooked is to place a straight stick down beside that crooked one. You have God's way & you have the devil's way. Where do you think the world & its churches is getting their liberal, wishy-washy ways from? I'm just old-fashioned enough to believe that it really does matter what you read. Now, you're welcome to choose your weapon any way you see fit, but as for me and my house.....

 

By what scriptural standard did you determine what the "straight stick" is and where was this straight stick before the KJV?

 

now what is it about ur house Granny? do u really use it as a weapon?

 

[/QUOTE]So I take it then that the KJV is God's word and others are not. Therefore, where was God's word before the KJV?[/QB][/QUOTE]

Surely, since you're a pastor, you've studied all of this out and have heard of Wycliff and Tyndale. And to the person that made the remark about 3rd graders not being able to read the KJBible...could it be that the government standard for reading has deteriorated that much? How much "formal" education do you think my Grandpa had when he preached day in and day out from his King James Bible? He never even made it to high school. So, that's baloney about the King James Bible being so hard to read! If preschool/kindergarten students can learn to use a computer then they are capable of learning to read good ole plain English. I know a 5 year old girl who can read her King James Bible and if a 5 year old can read it then surely a 3rd grader can.

 

1. I know children who can read menus in Spanish or Italian, but do they understand what they read?

2. Why should anyone have to understand KJV English in order to read the Bible?

If the original English translators like Wycliffe and Tyndale desired that the uneducated plowboy should understand the Scriptures, why should our children have to learn KJV English?

 

I suspect all this "spin doctoring" may have obfuscated the issue. Wycliff/Tyndale were refering to the bible in their own language vice Latin, which was a language reserved for the educational elite in their day. To try to compare their statements to a bible in English being compared to another bible in English is to seriously mis-represent their statement.

 

Good point. It should be the goal of every Bible-believer to have the people understand the Word of God (Cf. Neh 8:1ff)

 

So if Wycliff and Tyndale were the Word of God, by what authority did the KJV translator's change it and make it different (becuase things that are different are not the same remember)? But now that I think of it, was it Wycliffe or Tyndale that was the Word of God (because things that are different are not the same)?

The KJV cannot generally be read by a 3rd grader today or a 6th grader. In 15 years of youth ministry, I have never seen a child who was comfortable with the KJV. Three weeks ago, in our children's Wednesday Bible class, we were reading from 1 Timothy and I was watching the faces of children who were totally lost in the language. I told our children's leader, it's time to switch. These kids deserve to have a Bible in the language they speak.

But more to the point Granny, I ask again, By what scriptural standard did you determine what the "straight stick" is and where was this straight stick before the KJV? If it was Wycliffe or Tyndale, why did it change? Was it no longer good enough? If it was no longer good enough, then why is it wrong to seek a new translation today? If the old translations were still good enough, then why seek a new one in 1611?

 

Quotes--"So since "the KJBible is God's Word" does that mean the NKJV, NASB, NIV, ESV are not?[Chris T]

That's exactly what it means; and I make no apologies in saying it"

UMM...i thought the original Greek and Hebrew are God's word...the rest...translations. God inspired the writers, no where in the Bible does it say He inspired translators.

Thats all I am saying.

 

So, those of you who hold to the idea that there is no translation that is the true and perfect Word of God are calling God a liar. If one thing is *supposedly* incorrect in the KJV, or any other so-called version, then it is not the true and perfect Word of God. Psalms 12:6 and 7 says that God's Words shall be preserved for ever. I say, let God be true and every man a liar. (see Romans 3:4)

You see we all have a line...some of you draw it with the NIV, NRSV, TEV, Good News, Mormon, NASB, etc. But the truth of the matter lies with what text were the versions taken from? For those of you who are *lurking* and wondering, I suggest you study this out for yourself. Someone has already "hinted" at the book, "Things That Are Different Are Not The Same" by Dr. Mickey P. Carter. This is a good resource to begin your study. Also, "New Age Bible Versions" by G.A. Riplinger is an excellent resource.

And as far as lowering the reading standard so illiterate children can be classified as readers...that's what's wrong with society today...too many standards have been lowered or completely dropped. What's wrong with challengeing folks to at least be as smart as past generations. We claim to be smarter in other areas such as technology but when it comes to God's Word most people claim ignorance. Why are students who claim they can't read or understand the KJBible quickly handed, by supposedly saved mature Christians, another *newer* so-called version of the Bible while these same students who whine the same thing about reading Shakespeare in government schools are commanded to read it anyway? Shouldn't we as Christians have more backbone about God's Word than a government teacher with Shakespeare?

{attack snipped}

[ July 12, 2002, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: TomVols ]

 

well, do u believe, though, that:

wld u defend other versions of God's Word if any of them had "one thing *supposedly* incorrect"?

hmm, what impressed u about her? her honesty? her humility? her divinity perhaps (u know, "God-And" Riplinger )?