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!

Featured What Bible version does your Church use?

Discussion in 'Bible Versions & Translations' started by The Lamb Rescued Me, Nov 22, 2019.

  1. The Lamb Rescued Me

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2019
    Messages:
    32
    Likes Received:
    22
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Just wondering what Bible version(s) your Church uses, and if you use the same version or a different one and why?

    Our Pastor uses the NIV, and we have NKJV in the pews.

    I use the NKJV because I like to use a different version than the Pastor uses just for variety.

    Joe
     
    • Like Like x 1
  2. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2010
    Messages:
    24,988
    Likes Received:
    2,268
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Our church uses the ESV. I read the NIV because I find the ESV to be clunky in areas and lacking in clarity. I consult the NJKV on some verses for comparison purposes. I agree with your reason for using a different version than the pastor.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  3. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2004
    Messages:
    7,333
    Likes Received:
    210
    Faith:
    Baptist
    It depends on who is preaching. We have three locations, and a single team of elders is over all of the locations. Each site has an elder serving as the lead pastor for that location, and there is an elder who serves as the primary leader or "directional pastor" for the church (all locations together) as a whole. Our church's founding pastor (who just transitioned to an outreach/missions focus--he was formerly the primary leader) is also on the preaching "docket," so to speak.

    My location's lead pastor uses the ESV. The founding pastor uses the NASB. I believe the overall directional pastor uses the ESV, but he hasn't been in his position long enough for me to know if that's a regular thing or if he switches. My location is where the founding pastor usually preaches (it has been the "home base" of sorts--the original location), so most of the preaching is split between my location's lead pastor and the founding pastor. The new directional pastor used to be the lead pastor at one of the other two locations (his brother is now the lead pastor at that location), so that's his "home base" for the most part, although he does preach at each location from time to time.

    I know that's probably as clear as mud, but suffice it to say that we don't really have a translation that we officially use, but the NASB and ESV seem to be the go-to translations.

    At the moment, I'm using the ESV as my primary Bible, but I usually refer to both the NASB (somewhat more formal) and the CSB (somewhat more dynamic) in study. I occasionally consult the NKJV, especially for variant textual readings, as the notes are quite helpful.

    At times I'll read the NLT if I'm looking for a smoother reading, especially if I'm fairly tired or if I'm reading extended narrative passages. Most of the time I would go with the CSB in these situations, though.

    I'll sometimes consult the KJV if I'm reading an older commentary that refers to it, but I don't use it as a primary text.

    I'll even look at the NRSV in some circumstances, but I know the bias issues that are involved there. It is my primary text if I need to look at something in the apocryphal books. I don't consider them Scripture, but sometimes they are helpful for reference, like any other extrabiblical text.

    I know the ESV has editions with the apocryphal books in them, but I don't see the need to waste my money for another translation of non-inspired texts I already have in the NRSV. If I'm looking for another angle (very, very infrequently), I look at the KJV translation of them.

    My primary use of the NRSV is whenever I'm wanting to have a quick snapshot of what a mainstream liberal interpretation of a text might be. A couple years ago or so, I picked up a used HarperCollins Study Bible (NRSV) for this purpose, but I'd definitely not use this one as a main text by any means!
     
    • Like Like x 2
  4. OnlyaSinner

    OnlyaSinner Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2013
    Messages:
    1,080
    Likes Received:
    170
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Our pastor quotes from the KJV when preaching, and that's the version in the pews. He'll sometimes ask if someone has a different rendering of a verse/passage, most often on Sunday evening or Wednesday. I've read from the KJV for decades, so I'm up to speed on most of its anachronistic usage and I love the 17th century language, but I'm okay with any version in English made by those seeking to serve and glorify God and who have produced a product held to be reliable by those with far greater knowledge of the subject than I have.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Useful Useful x 1
  5. agedman

    agedman Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2011
    Messages:
    11,023
    Likes Received:
    1,108
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Pastor uses the ESV, I use the NASB and ESV with occasionally the NKJV.

    I don't get into the others.

    They are just too far removed from what I consider a truly faithful presentation.

    I am not opposed to folks using them, it is just my own value of God's word for me does not extend to reading and studying those renderings.

    But then, most of those using those other texts don't usually do much in the way of scholarly study, because the texts are not written for that purpose. The purpose of the renderings had a different focus.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  6. robycop3

    robycop3 Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2000
    Messages:
    14,362
    Likes Received:
    668
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Our church uses the NKJV, but out pastor will quote certain Scriptures from other versions, whichever he sees gives the best rendering of a particular Scripture. For instance, he quotes the 23rd Psalm from the KJV, & several passages of Revelation from the ESV.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agree Agree x 1
  7. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2002
    Messages:
    9,469
    Likes Received:
    1,228
    Faith:
    Baptist
    The church offers the New International Version to visitors

    The pastor preaches from the New American Standard but recently has been quoting the Phillips Paraphrase in his sermons.

    I change versions often, currently I’m using the English Standard Version.

    It’s so easy to switch and compare versions with an electronic bibles that I tend to use what the pastor preaches from and keep my version open in a frame too.

    Rob
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agree Agree x 1
  8. alexander284

    alexander284 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2005
    Messages:
    1,497
    Likes Received:
    335
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Our pastor uses the NASB. Our church uses the NIV. I use the CSB.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  9. Rob_BW

    Rob_BW Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2015
    Messages:
    4,320
    Likes Received:
    1,242
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Our pastor uses the KJV, the members use whatever they'd like.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  10. Shoostie

    Shoostie Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2019
    Messages:
    668
    Likes Received:
    66
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I know this is probably not the place to debate Bible versions, but why would the pastor spend time quoting from a paraphrase? Why can't he just quote a tight translation, like the KJV or ESV, and explain what it means in his sermons?

    Most translations butcher numerous verses, and paraphrases butcher every verse. In Phillips paraphrase, John 3:16, "For God loved the world so much..." John 3:16 says absolutely nothing about God's degree of love for the world.

    Maybe your pastor is just trying to sound cool?
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  11. evenifigoalone

    evenifigoalone Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2013
    Messages:
    1,846
    Likes Received:
    324
    Faith:
    Baptist
    My pastor uses multiple translations, and often talks about the meaning of the original Greek of a specific word

    Sent from my SM-J737T1 using Tapatalk
     
    • Like Like x 1
  12. rlvaughn

    rlvaughn Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2001
    Messages:
    10,544
    Likes Received:
    1,558
    Faith:
    Baptist
    We use the King James Version.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Winner Winner x 1
    • Friendly Friendly x 1
  13. agedman

    agedman Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2011
    Messages:
    11,023
    Likes Received:
    1,108
    Faith:
    Baptist
  14. robycop3

    robycop3 Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2000
    Messages:
    14,362
    Likes Received:
    668
    Faith:
    Baptist
  15. HeLives4me

    HeLives4me New Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2005
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    5
    Faith:
    Baptist
    It's kind of confusing, The Pastor uses NASB, the Sunday school material is CSB, and I use NKJV or KJV..

    Most of the time there is not much difference between NKJV and NASB.

    I grew up at churches where we all had one translation...

    VW
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Funny Funny x 1
  16. Sue Dixon

    Sue Dixon New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2019
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    2
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Our new pastor uses the ESV which I now have one of. Mainly I read the NKJV but also use the old NIV and a church I started going to for Sunday evening and Wedn evenings uses the NAS. The church with the new pastor only has Sunday morning Sunday school and church which is why I started with the other church with the evening Bible study.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  17. alexander284

    alexander284 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2005
    Messages:
    1,497
    Likes Received:
    335
    Faith:
    Baptist
    My three favorites are the NIV, NLT, CSB.
     
  18. The Lamb Rescued Me

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2019
    Messages:
    32
    Likes Received:
    22
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I can remember when our whole church used the same translation . .
    .
    I also go back and forth between the NKJV and the KJV.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  19. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
    Moderator

    Joined:
    May 22, 2002
    Messages:
    11,384
    Likes Received:
    944
    Faith:
    Baptist
    My pastor preaches from the King James. The pews have the NIV. He will now and again say, "This could have been translated a little better and said....."

    And he will sometimes say, "How does another translation say this particular verse."
     
    • Like Like x 1
  20. alexander284

    alexander284 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2005
    Messages:
    1,497
    Likes Received:
    335
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I agree that it was much simpler when the pastors and teachers, the evangelists, and the pew Bibles were identical (as far as Bible versions/translations are concerned.
    As far as which Bible is the one of choice, however, I imagine that ought to be thoroughly discussed among the pastors, teaching staff, evangelists, preachers, ministers, etc.
    And I believe it is something that ought to be addressed directly during church services (e.g. the sermon, Sunday School, Bible studies, prayer meetings, meetings of the elders, etc.)
    In my opinion, this would definitely benefit both current members (who need discipling) and newcomers (those who are attending the church for the first time as visitors, new believers, the newly baptized, etc.).
     
Loading...