.... for a young person (age 14) whose knowledge of English is very elementary at best (He's a refuge from Nepal), but recently has trusted Christ as his Savior and is very much interested in reading an English Bible so that he can grow as a new babe in Christ.
Most of your posts are very sound and well-thought-out.
But to recommend the ESV for someone who has a very elementary grasp of English at best, is a terrible choice. I wouldn't even recommend the NIV -it would be too far above his capabilities at present.
And the ESV doesn't even use standard English despite its name.
You want to stay with a translation that is as true to the manuscripts as possible. Dynamic Equivilence are a bad way to go. I used to use the ESV but some places in scripture lose its original impact due to so called "readability".
While it may be more difficutlt to learn "readability" should be a low consideration on the totem pole. It more often than not weakens passages of scripture.
The ESV is a fine translation. Its English is readable. I am going to assume that this young man is going to have some help learning English. If so, let him learn from a good translation. While I recommend the ESV the NKJV, NASB, and even the NET would be fine. If he was on his own with no help learning English I would recommend he go to the Bible League and compare their Nepali translation with his hard copy English translation.
I would suggest the NIV. It reads the most like conversational English, something the ESV falls short at accomplishing. I would not go with the NIrV because it dumbs down the text too much.
That term is bandied around here way too often. Most of the time it is not a valid concern. Don't disparage it. Have you ever read it? I have given a number of NIrVs away in South Korea --not here yet.
Do you realize that the NIrV was designed for young children (of native English speakers) or for those in which English is not their mother tongue?
It uses simplified English because the users would be confused with higher registers of English. It bridges the gap. Once a better understanding of the language is gained the student can advance to something like the NLTse. Step-by-step.
The boy has a very elementary knowledge of English at best. The NIV would be too much too soon.
You obviously need to read more. But steer clear of Ryken.
Any translation is better than no translation --but the ESV! There are better versions out there without reverting to a PEV (Poor English Version). You should consider the NIV for them (Nicely Intelligible Version).
Hmm... unwarranted bias creeping through once more. My position is that the NASB has some rough spots --but all in all it reads better than the ESV a little more often than not.
Rip - no one asked you to criticize my choice. I didn't criticize yours. The op asked for OPINION on recommendations.
You have the right to be disagreeable, but because you SAY the NIV would be too much for him does not make that a fact. Or that you don't like the ESV (again, your choice). Or you think Formal Equivalence is not that big a deal (again, your position and you have the right to it).
How 'bout we HELP with our ideas to help this new believer. :tonofbricks:
Considering that my preference is the NASB, I tend to want to use that as my frame of reference. I had posted a thread about the International Children's Bible for instances such as this - an easy-to-read alternative to the NIV or ESV
After comparing quite a few children's translations to the NASB, I thought the ICB had done the best job at conveying the same wording as what I use, just in simpler language. I really like it, especially at places where many translations are guilty of doctrinal leading
It was said in that other thread that Nelson changed the name from ICB to Holy Bible: Reader Friendly Edition
This is a debate forum. You have criticized my opinions on Bible translations on a number of occasions. There has to be interaction with other posters in a given thread. All posters do not walk in lock-step.
To disagree does not = disagreeable. Agreed?
Well, consider this. I have had much more experience teaching ESL than any of you individually or perhaps collectively.
The poster is not a new believer --but he has made a request regarding a 14 year old who struggles with elementary English. The NIV would not be appropriate. The ESV would be even more of a mistake.
Why not the Nlt for him to read and use then? reads easier then the Niv even, and is accurate enough to have him get the message of the Bible, correct?
I am referring to the second/revised edition of it ...
The NLTse is at a middle school reading level. The NIrV is aimed at just under the third grade level. For the boy in question in the OP the NIrV would be much more suitable than the NLTse.
You have
just accept that some here like the Kjvo, which is their choice, while others here
seem to be highly niv !
And one wishes that both the Niv/esv were nothing done as bobles versions, it seems!
There are some on the BB who claim that the NLT is not a real Bible. The NIrV is a real Bible. It's the Word of God. Don't be careless with your words. And please remember the rules on this forum.