Quote:
ORIGINAL: DaveH
The KJV is certainly a good one, but not the only source. I read the NIV and NASB because they're easier to understand and I've never had a disagreement with any of my fellow church members, my pastor or my parents (ALL KJV backers) over what one version said versus another. Certainly the wording is different, but the meaning is the same.
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I agree with you here Dave. I also believe the KJV is a good translation, but not the only legitimate translation. Besides reading from the KJV, I also read from the NKJV and NASB, as you do. But currently I read mainly from the English Standard Version (ESV).
Since languages are not exact codes, and often times one language will not have an exact equivalent in another language, I believe it is very profitable for any student of the Word to study from a few different translations.
The translators of the original 1611 edition of the KJV believed the same way, for in the preface to that edition we read:
"Therefore as S. Augustine saith, that
variety of Translations is profitable for the finding out of the sense of the Scriptures: so diversity of signification and sense in the margin, where the text is no so clear, must needs do good, yea, is necessary, as we are persuaded." (emphasis added)
We also read in the preface:
"...it hath pleased God in his divine providence, here and there to scatter words and sentences of that difficulty and doubtfulness, not in doctrinal points that concern salvation, (for in such it hath been vouched that the Scriptures are plain) but in matters of less moment, that fearfulness would better beseem us than confidence..."
"They that are wise, had rather have their judgments at liberty in differences of readings, than to be captivated to one, when it may be the other."
"...we have not tied ourselves to an uniformity of phrasing, or to an identity of words, as some peradventure would wish that we had done, because they observe, that some learned men somewhere, have been as exact as they could that way."
About alternate translations, the translators of the 1611 edition write in the preface:
"Now to the latter we answer; that we do not deny, nay we affirm and avow, that the very meanest translation of the Bible in English, set forth by men of our profession, (for we have seen none of theirs of the whole Bible as yet) containeth the word of God, nay, is the word of God."
All this was said by the very ones who were inspired to translate the KJV from the Textus Receptus manuscript.
RE: Why We understand Differently!
