Hubcrafter, I agree with you regarding different languages and the Bible. However, when you start talking about which version in English... that is when it becomes NOT ok for you to answer this question. You are either an evil liar, (which I don't believe but is still possible), and/or blind though well intentioned.
We could go into a heavy debate with thread after thread, but it all boils down to this point: The Bible says the words of the Lord are Pure words, pure as silver tried in a furnace 7 times, and that the Lord shall preserve them forever and ever. However, you just said, " No. The Gospel is not a perfect group of words."Oh Really?
Our God, our Perfect God who created you, me, and the universe with the sound of his voice and the wave of his hand.... cannot put together a perfect group of words? I say - HOG WASH!Hubcrafter.... HOG WASH!... my friend. Either the Lord perserved his perfect and pure word like he said he would, or God is a liar - or you are simply mistaken.
But the Bible says, let man be a liar and God be true. So I am supposed to believe you now? Is this how you explain away all the verses in all the bibles that don't match up from Bible to bible?
Is this how you explain away all the verses that suddenly disappeared and are no longer even there? But Harlan, we have all these scholars (men) with evidence and this and that and they wrote this book and said this and they said that and showed this and that....Let God be true and man be a liar....Either God preserved his word or he didn't. And if he didn't then he is a liar and we have no business following him.
We might as well all go get drunk and indulge in illicit behavior because that is as good as its ever going to get. The simple fact is there are several versions of the Bible because these large publishing companies have changed the word of God so that they can copyright it and peddle it for mammon. Every bible version has a copyright that prevents you from going into business and printing the word of God - unless you change it just enough to call it your own.... except one Bible.
There is one that anyone can print anytime, anywhere as much as they want and not get sued for copyright violation.... think God would have preserved his word THAT way? Or in the trusty hands of Rupert Murdock? Who btw, owns the NIV.
Do you believe God picked a large corporation to protect and perserve his HOLY word forever and for profit and for profit-forever? Hmmmmm? Yes, I am going to write a hub on this - soon as I get home from this boat.
( Working on the oil spill) - Harlan.
I probably have a different answer from Mr. Harlan Colt, but this is what I say: The King James Version is true, because it never passed through the hands of the biased Catholic Church. All other bibles were derived from the Latin Vulgate, and Latin can be a very tricky-- not to mention vague (I know from experience)-- language to translate. Greek and Hebrew were the languages the Bible was originally written in, and it was from these scripts that the KJV was translated.As far as "Let God be True and Man a Liar" (noticed in his response~ ) this is true if man is telling you what to do with your morals, etc. However, man can change written script.
It won't be without consequences, however, as stated in Revelation 22:18-19:"For I testify unto everyman that hearth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."The Bible's text can be changed, but there will be consequences. However, like Mr. Colt stated God has preserved like his people, a true volume of s Word has passed unscathed through all the treachery around it. Through the evidence, I believe that Bible to be the King James Version.
I am not Harlan Colt, obviously, lol; but I'd like to make a comment if it's OK. Today there are literally hundreds of different translations of the Bible in use every day. Why?
Because the world has hundreds of languages..and God's desire is that all the world should have the opportunity to hear Yes. Yes. The original question is more about ENGLISH translations...yes?
The same God is in charge whether the Word is published in Greek or Swahili. He is able to get Do I worry over which English translation is best, most correct, most perfectly suitable...etc.No. The Gospel is not a perfect group of words.
The Bible itself is not sent out into the world SOLELY for it's THEOLOGY. God says It lives. The Spirit of God uses the Word to convict us of our sins..to lead us to ..to find Jesus Christ.It doesn't require Shakespearean English to do that.
Here's the real deal about our God. S power is not limitted by my strength or the beauty of a translation or the education level of the hearer...in fact....God says s power is magnified by our weakness. I am convinced that God is able to share s loving gifts of grace and mercy and the gift of the Gospel itself...through whatever translation He desires.
God does not want for a publisher or an author or a printer or a preacher....s message will go out into all the world. I care very little about how many translations God might empower to do Nor am I moved by the plain truth translated by sinful men any more or less than the plain truth published by skillful theologians.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.