Why that version?Do you catch yourself switching to another version when it bolsters a personal belief?Just asking tough questions over strong coffee.Me personally, I use the NLT. The reason? The readability of it coupled with the average reading level of a congregation. Guess all those years of teaching high school rubbed off on me________________
The majority of my life I’ve used the KJV because that is what I started on at the beginning. About 6 or 7 years ago I began using the NKJV because the AG church I had recently begun attending used more modern translations, and I didn’t want to appear to be from the stone age. Just within the past six months I have been preaching from the ESV as well,which seems to be a good compromise for me________________“Hell will be filled with people that didn’t cuss, didn’t drink, and may even have been baptized. Why? Because none of those things makes someone a Christian.”
I’m shocked. I am sure the KJV is used by the Holy Spirit. Most of the interpretations I ‘heard’ in church growing up were from it.Sorry I couldn’t control myownself.My wife reads the NLT, I do use the KJV for reading that is what I have on my ‘Fire’. Lately I taught SS for the first time in years and automatically used the KJV. for scripture.I will admit that in my early years many frowned on ‘new versions’ of the Bible and it was ‘nearly a sin’ to use anything except KJV in a COG. Old habits die hard, this is the first time in years I have thought of that.But I am sure you hit a truth here RR: ….. The readability of it coupled with the average reading level of a congregation. Many forget the importance of that statement.________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
I switched to the NKJV a few years ago.One of my sisters-in-law rejects anything that does not read in archaic English.I use the NLT for amplification.I also like the CSB, printed by our Baptist brethren________________Charles A. HutchinsSenior Pastor SPWCCongregational Church of Godwww.spwc.church
NLT & NKJVMore and more using the Passion Translation and The Voice for the reasons you mention. We give away the Voice to new attenders and new followers of Jesus. Our on-ramp to following Jesus is to just get acquainted with him over three weeks. This is before any class or systematic approach.We give the Voice and a notebook and this assignment….1. Read three chapters of John per day, completing this biography of Jesus in one week.2. Do this three times consecutively (three weeks) while writing down everything that causes you to have an ‘aha!’ moment or that you see something about Jesus that you did not know.3. During this process, and at the end, you have an assigned ‘buddy’ to share your discoveries with or ask questions to. People are being amazed________________Live an epiK life!Discover More…www.refocusing.orgA Mission in Formationwww.bluewaterinthekeys.com
The KJV and the other KJV…
One of the things that ministers are called upon to do is to explain and give the sense of the passage in question. I almost always use the KJV, since ours is and older church, and the people grew up with it. But when I feel that the language is too archaic, I will use another version (none in particular; just the one that I think will give them the best understanding).I pastor in Jasper, Florida, so sometimes I will say Let me put that in King Jasper English, and I use my own words.I also add in words to a verse to keep from having to read the three verses ahead of it. For instance, if it says, He said unto them, I might quote it as JESUS said unto them….
Because it makes a point you’re wanting to make or the translation you started with weakens your point________________