Which Version Should You Trust?

The same gospel which was preached on the day of Pentecost was as true when it was preached 2,000 years ago as it is today.  There is no new revelation. There is no new interpretation. There were no mistakes made in God’s Word. God’s Word was infallible when it was written, and it’s infallible today.  Yet so many today have no faith in God’s Word. They have plenty of faith in man’s words, and their own ideas. Jer 44:16,17 However, can they trust God for truth? Jn 17:17 Has man rewritten the bible so often that we have lost trust in it’s validity?

Seeking A New Version

How often when one doesn’t agree with what the bible stipulates, mankind will grab another version in hopes that it contradicts the first. How often someone will say that the King James Version is outdated, that is, until all other version disagree with them. There is a word for this kind of behavior. It’s called rebellion. How often does one seek validation from another bible version just to prove their doctrine. It’s what Eve did in the very beginning. She couldn’t take God’s Word on it, so she sought for new version: The Devil’s version.

The Devil’s version agreed with her, and she ate of that which was forbidden, and gave it to her husband to eat as well. It cost them the Garden of Eden. It brought death into the world. It brought work upon the man, and bearing children upon the woman.

Seeking a second opinion has always seemed wise to man, but when it comes to God’s Word, it often brings destruction.

Which Bible Version Should We Trust?

Actually, there are a few versions of the bible which can be trusted and don’t contradict each other. The King James Version was completed in 1611, and was written in old British English. Therefore, it has many words which don’t mean what we expect them to mean. For instance, “Study” in 2 Timothy 2:15 does not mean to read and learn as most Americans think it to mean. It’s actual meaning is “To Be Diligent”  The American Standard, and New King James  bible are still a trusted versions which coincides with the KJV and updates the archaic words very accurately.

There are a few versions of the bible which have been written which should be avoided for a variety of reasons. Many of them have been written by narrow range of denominations.

1  New Jerusalem bible – Catholic
2  Clear Word Bible – Seventh Day Adventist
3  Conservative Bible Project –  Fundamentalist
4  God’s Word Bible – Lutheran
5  New American Bible – Catholic
6  New World Translation – Jehovah Witness

HOW THE TRANSLATIONS DIFFER

Literal Translations:

A literal translation tries to remain as close to the original text as possible, without adding the translators’ ideas and thoughts into the translation. Thus, the argument goes, the more literal the translation is, the less danger there is of corrupting the original message. The American Standard Version, (AS) The King James Version (KJV), The New King James Version  (NKJV)and The Revised Standard Version (RSV) are examples of this kind of translation.

Dynamic Equivalence

A dynamic equivalence (free) translation tries to clearly convey the thoughts and ideas of the source text. A free translator attempts to convey the subtleties of context and subtext in the work, so that the reader is presented with both a translation of the language and the context. The New Living Translation (NLT), Good News Bible, and The New International Version (NIV) are examples of a translation that uses dynamic equivalence.

Functional Equivalence

A functional equivalence, or thought-for-thought, translation goes even further than dynamic equivalence, and attempts to give the meaning of entire phrases, sentences, or even passages rather than individual words. Paraphrase bible version are typically not intended for in-depth study.  The Message Bible and The Living Bible are examples of this kind of translation.

Conclusion: As you can see, not all versions of the bible are trusted sources for truth. I would never trust a bible written solely by one or two denominations.  I would never trust a bible that whose translators attempts to interpret the scripture. 2 Pet 1:20 I would never trust a bible that was paraphrased. I would never recommend misusing a bible version in order to obtain a different message the bible never intended it to mean. 2 Cor 1:18 When one blends a variety of versions of the bible they also are in danger of getting a skewed message.

The bible is still God’s divine Word. The bible is still perfect in every way. Yes, mankind has muddied the water when it comes to which translation to trust. One doesn’t have to be an expert on Koine Greek to determine the meaning of God’s Word. What one does have to be good at is obeying God’s Word as is. Trust the literal bible versions, and accept them as truth, and obey them as truth, and truthfully one will be saved. Jn 8:32