Dear friends, I wanted to share a strategy that I use. Some of you may also use it and others might find it useful.
I use several translations in my ministry to accomplish the purposes of the church. Let me share some examples.
1. I use the Authorized Version (KJV) in preaching in nursing homes and conducting weddings and funnerals. The poetic nature of this translation lends itself to ceremony and is very comforting to those who grew up with it. The KJV is still a beautiful traslation.
2. For personal study and preaching I use the Christian Standard Bible. It is a wonderful translation and I find it both clearly and acuratly relates God's eternal Word to today's people. Prior to the CSB I used (and still do sometimes) the NASB.
3. We often minister to the homeless and destitute in our community. When ever we give food or clothing to someone I give them a marked CEV New Testament. The CEV is written on a very low reading level an is easily understood by even the least educated. The CEV is not nessecarily the clearest translation (as it uses a somewhat limited vocabulary) But yet it gets the message across.
Any way I hope I might have shared a usable strategy for some. Hey maybe you might even share a idea with me.
:type:
Multiple Translations = Multiple Uses
Discussion in 'Bible Versions & Translations' started by BCF Jeff, Jul 7, 2006.
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Sounds like a good strategy to me.
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As much as the KJV is revered among senior citizens I do not think they really understand as much of it as they think they do . I think the NKJ would be a better choice for them .
I really appreciate the HCS , I think is ideal ( with some fine-tuning ) .
For young children or adults with a low reading level I would suggest the NIrV . It is quite suitable for the audiences you describe .
Anyway , that's my take BCF Jeff . -
Thanks Rippon. I'm not really familiar with NrIV.
I heard a rumor (I haven't verified) that one of the newer versions of NIV is or will use gender nutrual language in respect to the Father. Has anyone else heard this and varified it. -
The Rumor Mill is going full steam ahead . The TNIV has nothing to do with language that turns God the Father into God the Mother or anything out there in never-never land .
There was a liberal Catholic organization : Priests For Equality which released The Inclusive Bible in 2004 . It is as extreme as it gets . Adam was not referred to as a man but an "earth creature " . The terms husband and wife were deleted in favor of partner . They did not want to offend their homosexual readership .
I can't verify this ( maybe I shouldn't say it -- but ) Tony Campolo apparently endorsed it . His son was a guest speaker at an Evangelical Free Church that I was attending years ago . The regular pastor was not there . Junior said some very irreverent things to the degree that I walked out . I shared my displeasure with the pastor when he returned . -
I used to use the NASBu and the NIV together a lot, I guess I was the Holman's target audience. It could use a little revision but it is my bible of choice! -
Versions
The last four years I have used mostly the ESV and HCSB .This year I am reading the Bible through in the Updated NASB . I will probably go back to the HCSB after reading the Updated NASB .I really like the HCSB . -
i've not used the HCSB as much possibly cos it's not free on e-sword. but this gets me curious. currently i have ESV set as default for an up-to-date English traditional bible on that software.
The Message also does a fabulous job in putting it into contemporary American idiom. for literalist preachers, it helps put words in their mouth when paraphrasing/translating on the fly in their sermons--i.e. they'll read outta a literal version then read out whatever The Message renders it, n BINGO, it somehow comes out right. :laugh: -
The HCSB used to be free on E-sword but I think they wanted to start charginging for it like the NASB does. B&H and Rick Meyers couldn't work out the difernces so it was pulled. some of us got it when it was there. I put the module omn a jump drive so I could use it when I got a new computer aa few months ago. I have given it to other people. There may be some rougue sites where you could get it.
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I would have huge ethical issues if someone other than B&H tried to sell it! I don't think I could ever have a problem giving away the word of God regardless of whether it is printed or electronic! -
And I don't think GOD is against distribution of His word. -
Software is licensed. So if the license says it is free and you can distribute it freely as long as you dont charge for it, then you can do so even if they don't allow it anymore in current licenses. So feel free to use it and feel free to share it, as long as it's ok in the license you agreed to.
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The text only is available (no Translator footnotes). -
Gold Dragon Well-Known Member
When talking to older folks and KJVO folks, I use the KJV 1769 since it is most familiar and comforting to those folks. The NKJV will probably become more useful for this as time goes by.
When talking to folks in my church and the average north american evangelical, I use the NIV. It is the pew bible at our church and the most commonly used translation among NA evangelicals.
When talking to folks in mainline or Catholic churches, I commonly use the NRSV since that is one of the more common translations in those types of churches.
When talking to biblical scholars or doing word level studies, I turn to the NASB since its high level of formal equivalence lends itself well to that type of study and relationships in Greek and Hebrew.
When talking to non-Christians, high schoolers or to get a different, highly interpreted take on a passage, I will often go to The Message. Its colloquial style often makes people think twice about their preconceptions of the bible as a boring and irrelevant book and piques their interest to look further. Sometimes it is also useful to get a different take on a passage that I am very familiar with so I myself may be able to see it in a different light.
For my personal devotions and casual reading, I tend to use the ESV. It strikes a good balance of formal and dynamic equivalence that I find useful. -
Good post, Gold Dragon. The translations you have selected seem to fit the users very well.
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From a legal point of view, you could argue that it was "grandfathered" and therefore placed in the public-domain during this time, but unless you have a LOT of money to fight the publisher's and writer's (copyright owners), then I wouldn't be very careful. In almost every patent and copyright case I have been involved with, it is usually the person with the deep pockets that wins and they never make it to court.
Also, remember, if you are talking about the "translation"; HCSB, you are not necessarily talking about "software", but the "translation" copyright itself. There are different laws for each. See www.uspto.gov. -
:flower: This flower is somewhat less than fabulous but maybe it will brighten you day. :p :laugh: -
From a MORAL view, one must ask, "Am I doing something dishonest?" Each situation is unique. For example, if I'm distributing copyrighted material outside the bounds of the law, knowing I cannot be caught by mankind, GOD knows, and I'll be sinning. However, in the case of the HCSB, I see no requests by Mr. Meyers NOT to use it , and the HCSB publishers granted him permission to use their text in esword, knowing full well that it would be widely distributed. They also knew that many people want a Bible they can hold in their hands, that they cannot readily take a PC to church, and that reading their text electronically would lead many people to buy their Bible.
Again, I would PRAY about the matter if I had any doubt about the HONESTY of distributing such material.
And lemme add that I very-much agree with the use of multiple versions for multiple works. When going door-to-door, I keep several versions handy, trying to have the right one to match the situation, not knowing who's gonna come to the door when I knock. -
Phillip said:
From a legal point of view, you could argue that it was "grandfathered" and therefore placed in the public-domain during this time, but unless you have a LOT of money to fight the publisher's and writer's (copyright owners), then I wouldn't be very careful.
And just to clarify further, remember not to confuse "public domain" with "freely distributable."
Just because B&H (whom for the sake of argument I shall assume are the copyright holders) allow the HCSB to be browsed freely online (e.g. at Bible Gateway) or offered it as a free e-sword download at one time, does not mean they have relinquished their rights to the work for all time.
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