week 2 - John Meister

pg 53 Bible translations - NASB, NKJV, KJV, NET, TLB, NIV
The New American Standard Bible (NASB) — Translated in 1971 by 58 scholars of the
Lockman Foundation, from Kittle’s Biblia Hebraica and Nestle’s Greek New Testament 23rd
ed., which include the Alexandrian Family codices. It is said to be the most exact English
translation available.
The New King James Version (NKJV) — 130 translators, commissioned by Thomas Nelson
Publishers, produced this version from the Byzantine family (Textus Receptus) in 1982. This is
a revision of the King James version, updated to modern English with minor translation
corrections and retention of traditional phraseology. This is a very good version.
The King James Version (KJV) — Translated in 1611 by 47 scholars using the Byzantine family
of manuscripts, Textus Receptus. This remains as a good version of the Bible. It has been the
most reliable translation for over three centuries, but its Elizabethan style Old English is difficult
for modern readers, especially youth. This is still a good translation, the language forces one to
study the words and understand their meaning. Also excellent for memory work because of the
challenging language.
The NET Bible (New English Translation) is a completely new translation of the Bible, not a
revision or an update of a previous English version. It is being completed by more than twenty
biblical scholars who are working directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic,
and Greek texts. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic
version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD-ROM.
Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the
NET Bible without cost for personal study. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible
with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others.
The Living Bible (TLB) — A paraphrased rendition of the King James Version by Kenneth Taylor
in 1971. This is not a genuine translation, but is a type of phrase-by-phrase commentary that
was originally intended to help the author’s own children understand the scriptures. It is useful
for inspiration and commentary, but for serious Bible study it should only be used in conjunction
with a legitimate translation. This is an excellent version for a first read. After reading this
version reading either KJV or NASB makes the Bible comes alive with greater depth and
meaning. It was my first read and when I read an RSV I couldn’t believe how much more was
there. It was exciting!
The New International Version (NIV) — Over 100 translators completed this work in 1978 which
was composed from Kittle’s, Nestle’s and United Bible Society’s texts, which include the
Alexandrian Family codices. This is considered an “open” style translation. It is an easy to
read version. (BEWARE OF GENDER NEUTRAL VARIATIONS OF THIS VERSION -
because this translation uses a more liberal translation style, I do not like it for study.)
(see example of error found in this translation in 2 Corinthians 10:3ff on the next page)
NOTE: Bible translation information above extracted from article found on:
http://www.victorious.org/translat.htm and edited.