Not a serious Christian?

[GraceC]

I was at church tonight and made mention to a friend that I was having trouble choosing between the KJV and NKJV as my main reading Bible. The pastor preaches from the NKJV. I also said how I'm even considering the NIV since I enjoy being able to understand what I'm reading so easily. She said that the NIV has way to many problems, missing lots of things that are in the KJV and NKJV, and that serious Christians would never choose it. Is she right? Should I just cut the NIV from consideration?

 

[Deborah13]

Should I just cut the NIV from consideration

Maybe not cut it from consideration but I have the tendency to agree with her as far as it having some problems. Seeing you have access to internet, you could go to biblegateway when you want to read an easier text. But I personally think that the NASB is pretty easy to read and quite good.
I do use KJV most of the time but that's mostly because that's what I've always used but I do compare with others.

 

[Angel]

I like to use the Amplified Bible.

I don't know the reasons whether or not the NIV is "bad", but I do not believe that if you don't read the KJV, NKJV then your not a serious Christian. She is manipulating you with fear, and projecting her opinion on you when honestly its between you and God. Pray about the Version to use. Have you ever been to Biblegateway.com? They have many different complete online translations of the Bible. You should check it out!

 

[TOG]

I once read an interesting quote...

The best Bible version is the one you read.

Every Bible version has both pros and cons. For example, the King James Version is a fairly accurate translation in most instances, but the archaic language makes it hard for many people to understand. If you find it difficult, then the KJV is not the version for you. The New International Version is uses more modern English which is much easier to understand, but it has other issues which bother some people. If you don't feel comfortable reading the NIV, then you should find something else.

We can tell you our personal preferences and technical details such as what text various versions were translated from, but in the end you have to find a version you're comfortable with. The most accurate Bible translation in the world won't do you any good sitting on the shelf.

 

[faeriecat]

I read NKJV, my gentleman reads ... NIV I think. And he is certainly the more grounded in scripture of the two of us.

We also like to bounce online to see what other versions say about a verse, sometimes it helps clarify things, especially that amplified version.

 

[stovebolts]

I was at church tonight and made mention to a friend that I was having trouble choosing between the KJV and NKJV as my main reading Bible. The pastor preaches from the NKJV. I also said how I'm even considering the NIV since I enjoy being able to understand what I'm reading so easily. She said that the NIV has way to many problems, missing lots of things that are in the KJV and NKJV, and that serious Christians would never choose it. Is she right? Should I just cut the NIV from consideration?

I don't know about the "Serious Christian" aspect of it, but as far as being a good student in God's word, you certainly would't want to throw the KJV away.

Personally, I spend more time in my NIV than I do in the KJV. But when I study scriptures, especially in preparing for a class I always reference the KJV because it is truer to the original meaning of the text than the NIV in many cases.

 

[GraceC]

Thanks everyone, for those of you who use the NIV or know someone who does...are you/they using the updated NIV or the 1984 version?

 

[farouk]

Thanks everyone, for those of you who use the NIV or know someone who does...are you/they using the updated NIV or the 1984 version?

I don't read the NIV and I guess asking other people what they read is the thing.

The NIV folk prepared 'a gender inclusive' version about 20 years ago (weeding out patriarchal language so that people wouldn't be 'offended', leaving aside the question of how doctrine fits in with revelation from 2000/25000 years ago) but it hit a lot of criticism and so they didn't promote it. But because they had spent so much money on the 'gender inclusive' edition, they brought it out again some years later, called something different.

When I related orally to people, I myself might well used gender inclusive language. When chatting about this and that, I'm not a divine oracle, though, purporting to be God speaking through the mouths of the patriarchs. My instinct is not to mess with Scripture, simply because some trends may be fashionable.

But neither would I accuse someone of not being a serious Christian simply because they used an NIV, in whatever edition.

Blessings.

 

[stovebolts]

Thanks everyone, for those of you who use the NIV or know someone who does...are you/they using the updated NIV or the 1984 version?

I'm going to assume I'm reading the 1984 version. Honestly, I didn't know they had an updated version.

 

[WIP]

I was at church tonight and made mention to a friend that I was having trouble choosing between the KJV and NKJV as my main reading Bible. The pastor preaches from the NKJV. I also said how I'm even considering the NIV since I enjoy being able to understand what I'm reading so easily. She said that the NIV has way to many problems, missing lots of things that are in the KJV and NKJV, and that serious Christians would never choose it. Is she right? Should I just cut the NIV from consideration?

I don't know about the "Serious Christian" aspect of it, but as far as being a good student in God's word, you certainly would't want to throw the KJV away.

Personally, I spend more time in my NIV than I do in the KJV. But when I study scriptures, especially in preparing for a class I always reference the KJV because it is truer to the original meaning of the text than the NIV in many cases.

I agree and personally, anyone that is asking the question you are is probably more serious than the average self-proclaimed "Christian" one might encounter.

 

[farouk]

I read NKJV, my gentleman reads ... NIV I think. And he is certainly the more grounded in scripture of the two of us.

We also like to bounce online to see what other versions say about a verse, sometimes it helps clarify things, especially that amplified version.

[MENTION=91283]faeriecat[/MENTION]:

NKJV is kind of like the King James, with some archaisms modernized. Hardly the difference between a 'serious Christian' and a 'non-serious' one, right?

Blessings.