Living a hedonistic lifestyle in big liberal city for many years has caused me to stray from the path of God. The events that have unfolded in these last few months brought me here. I want to get my life in order and get back on track to what really matters.
I'm planning to get a bible and start going to church so I'm looking for some newbie advice on where to start? Which version can be trusted? Which type of Church hasn't been compromised? Any green flags or red flags to look out for?
This!
Me too..... just to read the difference in John 3:16 alone. Loved (KJV) vs Loveth (Geneva). Amazing. Praise the Lord.
Im the same as you bought a King James Version its the oldest readable english bible for so far I could figure out
Sorry for posting a non-Q related topic here but TDW just has too many shills running wild I just don't trust the comments there anymore.
Edit: Thank you for all the advice. Seems like KJV is the way to go. I might also get NIV and NLT since most people here are saying they may be helpful for beginners. Loving the positivity and support on this board! Cheers!
https://youtu.be/ctT6kQij6Do
No worries I actually asked the same question on the Donald before it was overrun.
My first couple of times through I used the NIV. I regret it to this day. Without a long discourse on the subject, my advice is start with and stay with the King James Version.
Don’t turn to religion...it’s about a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The closest translation in English to the original languages of Scripture is the NASB or New American Standard Bible.
Jesus prayed this prayer for us in the Gospel of John chapter 17, verse 17 “Sanctify them in the truth. Your Word is truth.”
If you want to grow in Christ, stay in the Scriptures and don’t follow anyone who strays from.
King James + A Strong's Concordance
Unlike other versions, which attempt to "literally translate" the Bible, the King James is word for word. There are many times people can argue over the English word chosen as being a poor choice, but other versions replace entire sentences with the "meaning" that some translator gave the verse.
Sometimes those translators are atheists and muslims. Sometimes it's a group who spent 90% of their day arguing about injecting ideologies into the interpretation.
Each new literal translation is further and further from the original text. They started replacing "gendered" words decades ago. Would you rather read a CNN "quote" of a Trump Tweet, or read the Trump tweet yourself? Think the same thing with the Bible. "Literal translations" should be called "Commie translations" IMO.
You should want as close to the original as possible, maybe without having to learn a foreign language, and that's where the Strong's comes in.
A Strong's provides a full definition of the original word used, so that you can fully interpret the verse yourself. Words are rarely if ever incorrectly translated, but there are many times that English simply does not offer a compatible word, so any translation can be called wrong or incomplete.
There is also so much of our modern language that has been corrupted, WE don't even understand the difference between words like Fear and Terror, or the connection between words like Fear and Respect.
Just my two cents.
For someone new to the faith I recommend the New Living Translation. You should buy a study Bible because it will have explanatory notes at the bottom of the page and an introduction to each book in the Bible. As far as which churches you can trust, that's very complicated. rather than give you a direct answer I'll say that you should get to know the bible really well, and you should start with a new testament by the way, and then you should compare the teachings of the churches to what you find there.
Literary Translations == Commie Translations.
Do you want to read the Bible, or someone else's interpretation of it?
If you are going to read someone else's interpretation, shouldn't it be from someone you trust? Or an unnamed group of Communist Institutional Graduates?
New translations are mainly a copywrite scam, to keep a for profit hold on printing a 2000 year old text.
A study Bible is still a good suggestion. A good study Bible will explain the passage in clear terms while still letting you read a direct translation. Mine has a limited Strong's in the back too, very handy.
Yeah I totally disagree. Literary translations are readable. They're not communist. They are written at a lower reading level which requires them to be less word-for-word. However, the occasional bad translation is more than made up for by the fact that this new Christian will actually read this version of the bible, compared to the ones that are more literal but unreadable.
They started by replacing gendered words decades ago. There should be a little blurb about that right in the beginning of the NLT.
You're thinking of the NIV 2011. that was the first big gender-neutral translation. While I disagree with it, it doesn't affect the meaning as much as you would think. Basically they try to replace "him" with "they" and "mankind" with "humanity" etc.
NKJV New King James Version or ESV English Standard Version or NASB all good
Throw religion out of your mind and pursue relationship with Jesus Christ He won’t disappoint you. Welcome back
Remember freedom in Christ. God is Love. Don't get bogged down in legalism.
KJV, NKJV. A good comparative and a chronological. Strongs concordance and a Bible dictionary are helpful.
New King James Version! Study Book of John in particular!
King James b/c it's all I got. Seems to be the most important "MAP" Q spoke of in my mind.
Watch Jordan Petersons video bible series.
Also when you're starting the Bible for the first time you might try using the Bible project website they have very helpful explanatory videos
I have a Catholic bible and a hotel bible that I jacked from a Floridian hotel. I was raised Catholic and am communed in the church but I haven't practiced since my confirmation mainly because of the church's lack of action on the pedophilia. Though to be fair my brother and I were never subject to any abuse. The Catholics in my area like collection money more than little boy booties.
Now I identify as a gnostic christian because it's basically pre-Papal christianity. I like the lord Jesus and his teachings. Not the worldliness of a church.
So I wonder if you would be able to answer this then, why are there so many statues in Catholicism they seem like idols to me they litterly pray to mary It seems like idol worship to me.
Well I mean the only Catholics that I've heard talk about statues are the clergy. Me personally I don't mind them. They're nice to look at when you walk around a church while you think to yourself in quite contemplation. Most of the statues at my old church looked like they poured concrete into a mold. There weren't any fancy marble statues or anything. Honestly I think more money went into the bread and wine for the sacrament than went into the statues that stuff tasted real good they had their own bakery ran by the sisters. lol
Having never read the full bible yet I would recommend Matthew as it's the chapter that contains Jesus' most basic and important teachings, laid out very plainly. I also really enjoy proverbs.
And I have the english standard version.. can't tell you much about the different versions to be honest
KJV or sometimes I use NLT or NIV just to make reading easier, I read the scripture before I go to sleep.
Study the scripture and get to know what Jesus did and take your faith from there. Pray for understanding from God before.
When it comes to church I'll only go old time protestant denominations. I like the Presbyterian church.
King James New Testament, Nice place to start is with the Proverbs & go from there. Wish you the best, May God Bless
P.S. careful which Church you choose ... it helps to meet like-minded people but many, MANY, of the mega-churches are compromised (some think all of them are) and most will only talk about Revelation/End Times in study groups. Check out the Lion of Judah videos on YouTube ... they're right inline with this movement we're a part of and very motivational:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvcMkIT_afFIV1VKDmIwupw
I am partial to NIV myself. I find it to be both easy to understand (none of the "thee" and "thou" like in King James version) and also very lyrically especially in Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah. I was raised Catholic, ditched religion entirely as soon as I was out of my parents' house, and much later in life became Lutheran (LCMS).
ESV
I would say NKJV and you don't have to be a part of any denomination just follow what God teaches.
I highly recommend the YouVersion app! Lots of translations, great reading plans to choose from.
(I'm using the Bible App by YouVersion.com. Download it now for your mobile device.
https://j794q.app.goo.gl/P5jRp2muf7Ptasg37)
I also recommend Chuck Missler as the very best Bible teacher I've ever studied with!
Chuck Missler ~ How to Study The Bible ~ Part 1: Getting Started
Dec 6, 2019 https://youtu.be/T4wD0IDkTeA
Keep in mind, the Bible is not just words on a page. It is a supernatural book. You will never exhaust learning new things. God will definitely speak to you through it. Begin by asking sincerely with true intent for the Holy Spirit to teach you. Give your heart to Jesus. You will need the Holy Spirit to understand the spiritual things. But if you sincerely ask, He will reveal Himself to you.
None of them. The translation is very loose and ambiguous. That is why there are so many versions of what is supposed to be the same thing. Use a concordance dictionary to find greater meaning behind words and phrases in a passage.
KJV is the only version that has not been altered in some way. So if you study it use the KJV. For light reading the NIV is good l.
Hi pede!
You can read any version, but just realize that there might be some slight translation differences between the too.
NRSV - New Revised Standard version is the one used by scholars - it's a translation of Jewish and Christian scholars using oldest originals available. This one is nice if you want the "direct" translation, but do know that there is Jewish bias, so some of the prophecies might be adjusted. This is good to see if there is an alternate translation from jewish perspective.
NKJV - New King James Version is very popular but could be harder to read.
NASB - North American Standard Bible - I prefer this one. Easy to read and seems like a very good literal translation
NIV - Another popular one used by churches.
The Message - This book was translated for laymen terms. A lot of context can be lost, so only read this if another version is too difficult. Just realize you shouldn't be quoting from it.
TLDR: If you want to get closer to God, I would say NASB is good. But when you start getting deeper into definitions, it's always a good idea to cross reference with other Bibles. For the most part they will be translated the same, but you have to be careful about making theological choices based on specific translation of a specific line, you want to get context!
People are saying KJV is good, I don't think there is anything wrong with modern translations, I personally read NLT. These translations are under HEAVY study from scholars all around the world, if there was a conspiracy to manipulate through a translation it would have been caught in less than a day. I don't think you're at risk using something like NIV for example.
Read the last 4 chapters of Revelations and get back to me on the translations of men. I was NIV methodist and lost, now KJV Baptist and found.
NIV or a pre-Vatican II Bible. I know the Catholic Church is compromised but that's the Novus Order sect. Head to a Traditional Latin Mass and you will find what you're looking for.
Douay-Rheims
Yes that one too!
Catholic bible. It has 7 additional books which were removed from the Old Testament for the King James Version. I was Protestant for most of my life.
King James and no other.
IMHO - Probably the most insightful translation of the New Testament would be the Kenneth Wuest translation. I wouldn't use it in place of a standard translation, but there's a lot of richness to the Greek that most translations don't capture. Sometimes it's subtle, but it paints more of a picture of what the author meant, or paints a more complete picture. Sometimes it's something like the nature of a gathering of people. We might picture it as being like a mob, but the Greek suggests something more orderly.
One not so subtle verse (which describes the intention of the Greek verb tense) :
Eph 2:8-9 For by Grace have you been saved in time past completely, through faith, with the result that your salvation persists through present time; and this [salvation] is not from you as a source; of God it is the gift, not from a source of works, in order that no one might boast; for we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus with a view to good works which God prepared beforehand in order that within their sphere we may order our behavior.
I don't read the bible or go to church. But I love freedom and the U.S.A.! I know which side I'll be fighting on if things go south.
Let me give you the only correct answer; all English translations of the Bible are not perfect. In fact, any translation of the Bible is not perfect because translating books from one language to another will inherently lose some meaning. Do you want the general idea? The main point? The meat and potatoes? Choose any translation for the most part. You can learn the fundamentals of what Jesus taught and what it means to be a Christian from any translation.
However, ANY super in depth dive where someone tries to determine some higher, specific point by hinging on differences between translations are going to be inaccurate no matter which translation you read; only the source texts in their original languages are suitable for this.
I love Jack Hibbs-a pastor at Jack Hibbs.com. He recommended the NKJV. I'm loving it! I also like old King James. Hope that helps. Best of. Oh i put an app on my phone to listen in car too. It's cool.