MY FAVORITE BIBLE VERSION AND WHY

Good Evening to All!

Just for a little change of pace, I thought I would do something a little different tonight. I belong to a blogger community called "Faithful Bloggers. The owner of the community started something called "Faithful Blogging Prompts. This is where each week she puts up a new topic to blog about. This way, if anyone is stumped on what to write about, or has writer's block, they can take this idea and run with it. I don't use them all the time, but sometimes if I like the topic I will.

This one is near and dear to me because I cannot count the times in which I have stated, be careful which versions of the Bible you read.

I like several versions, but my favorite "just to read" is the King James Version. It is supposedly the most accurate. Shockingly, my LEAST favorite is the New International Version or "NIV". I will sometimes use it to study by, but I have my trusty Thompson Chain Reference King James Version, my New King James Version (I like it because it has easy reference) and My Message Bible handy.

Now that I've got you all confused and thinking I'm wishy-washy, let me explain my reasoning. First, I will start of by explaining why I don't care for the NIV. It is NOT very accurate. For example, in the King James Version, Matthew 18:21 says; Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Matthew 18:22 replies Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but Until seventy times seven.

Now Matthew 18:21 in the NIV is the same as King James, but in verse 22 is where it goes way off course. It says: Jesus answered, "I'll tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Now any way you look at it, even if a person is lousy in math, they know that 7 X 70 = 490 and NOT 77.

I know that 77 times would be possible in a day, because (not that I have counted, I might try that sometime though) I am a person who is ALWAYS apologizing for everything. Call it low self-esteem, or someone with a horrible guilt complex, I don't know, but I'm always apologizing whether I need to or not. If I haven't done anything wrong then I apologize just in case I do! LOL! Anyway, my point is 77 times asking for forgiveness sounds feasible. BUT on the other hand 490 times, I doubt it. what this is say is we should always forgive. It is being used as an infinite number. Those two versions of this scripture is as different as night and day.

Not only that, but if you will read the Book of Psalms, in both versions, you will find a full passage of Psalms which is in the King James Version is completely missing in the NIV. I like the NIV because it is easy to understand, but I am always careful to match it to the KJV to make sure it is accurate. Not only for my benefit, but also for my readers or those to whom I give a Bible Study. I would not want to be responsible for giving out wrong information, or leading someone astray. I would answer to God for that when "Judgment Day" comes."

I enjoy the Message Bible also. The thing is I would prefer to have the numbered version. I bought my Message Bible before the Numbered version came out. The un-numbered version is hard to compare if you are trying to use it as a study Bible and going back and forth in different versions. It doesn't come close to reading like the other versions as it is in contemporary language, so it is hard to study the way I like to. Now when I get some extra money, I plan on getting the numbered version, and using it a lot, (side by side with my King James, and my New King James.

Just in case you can't tell, I just like studying the Bible. Now let me clarify, I'm NOT putting the NIV down. I know that it is the Most Popular Version at this time, BUT we just have to be careful and make sure the scriptures line up with the King James Version.

Why don't you leave a comment about your specific preference of Bible Versions? I look forward to hearing from you.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!