Making the Bible Come Alive

Overcoming the enemy and achieving success

How do you make the Bible come alive? The word alive means  having life, not dead, still in existence, or still active with a chance of victory. Making the Bible alive means to make it dynamic and fresh.  But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:4 (NASB95) Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is alive and powerful. The King James version says that the Word of God is quick. The word “quick” is the translation of zon (ζον), a present participle of the verb zao (ζαο) which means “to live, be alive.” The word “quick” is obsolete English. The translation here should be brought up to date. The Word of God is alive, actively alive, and as the tense indicates, constantly active. It is powerful. The word “powerful” is the translation of energes (ἐνεργες) from which we get our word “energy,” and which means “active, energizing.[1]

So, we see that God’s word is constantly active and energizing. The amplified Bible says, “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective].” “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” 1Peter 1:23 (NASB95)

The word of God is alive and it draws all men to God. But today we are talking about how to make the Bible alive or fresh to us. Here are several ways to make God’s word alive to you:

[Memorizing verses]

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) We need to memorize scripture in order to overcome temptation.  The word of God is our weapon against sin and the temptation of the flesh.  “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:11-17 (NKJV)

This is how Jesus overcame temptation. He used the sword of the spirit. Jesus was showing us how to use the word of God to fight off satan and temptation. Matthew 4:1–11 (NASB95) “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’ ”  Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ ” Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” This is what we call spiritual warfare! In the same way, you can memorize scripture and quote it to overcome your temptations.

[Meditation]

We need to meditate on God’s word! “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Joshua 1:8 (NASB95) To meditate means to engage in contemplation or reflection, or to ponder. But this is not a quick, “oh yeah, I remember that.” It means to reflect deeply! Clear your mind of your daily concerns and focus on God. In the Bible, the Greek word for “contemplate” is katanoeō (κατανοεω). It means, “to consider attentively, fix one’s eyes or mind upon.” So, when we meditate, we need to find a quiet place in order to attentively consider God’s word. Then we will hear from God. We take our eyes off the world and its problems, and we fix our sight and mind on God. How often do you meditate on God and His word?

[Using scripture in your prayers]

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:14–15 (NASB95) How do we know what is according to His will? The Bible tells us! The Bible is God’s revealed will to mankind. If it is in the Bible, then it is God’s will. So, if we find a scripture that is a promise to us, it is God’s will for us to have that promise. When we pray in line with God’s will, He hears our prayers. And then we know He will answer our prayer! This gives us confidence in prayer. The Greek word for “confidence” is parrēsia (παρρησια). It means, “free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance.” However, We have our requests’ not always as we pray, but as we would pray if we were wiser. God gives us not what we ask, but what we really need.[2]

Kenneth Wuest translates it this way, “And this is the assurance which we are having toward Him, that whatever we keep on asking for ourselves according to His will, He hears us. And if we know with an absolute knowledge that He hears us, whatever we are asking for ourselves, we know with an absolute knowledge that we have the things which we have asked from Him.”[3]

The amplified Bible says, “And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.  And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.”

[Where the rubber meets the road!]

So, let’s put this into practice. John 15:7 says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (NKJV) When you pray, put the scripture in your prayer. You might pray…”Father God, I abide in you, and Your words abide in me, so I’m asking for you to give me strength, and I thank you for doing it in Jesus name. Amen.” See how using scripture in our prayers gives us confidence!

Let’s look at another verse. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:16 (NASB95) Let’s make our prayer personal this time. Notice how we added “I and Me” to the verse? Pray like this…”Father, I know you love me. And I know that it is your will that whoever believes in Jesus your son, shall not perish but have eternal life. So, I’m asking you to give me eternal life since I believe in Jesus. Thank you, father. Amen.”

Use the actual Bible reference in your prayer. “Father God, Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” So, I’m asking you to give me strength. You said it in your word, and I know it is your will. Thank you, Father. Amen.”

[Conclusion]

If you memorize scripture, and meditate on it, then you will be able to quote it in prayer and supplications to God. You will be able to overcome temptation. The Bible will become alive to you. It will always be fresh and dynamic. You will experience victory in your life. God will answer your prayers and the storms of life will not prevail against you.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57 (NASB95)

 Bible study is a life long habit. | LearningTheBible.org

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[1] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

[2] See Ref. 1

[3] See Ref. 1

Bible Study – Part Three

The benefits of Bible study

Bible study is not just for you to gain head knowledge, learning facts ,or memorizing verses. It is about applying God’s word in your life and striving to become more Christ like.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” (Is. 40:8 NAS)

Knowing God’s Will

The Bible is God revealing Himself to us. It contains revelation knowledge. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ” (Rom. 12:1-2) Our reasonable service is to present ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. How do we do this? By not being conformed to this world, but by being transformed by the renewing of our mind. And how do we renew our mind? By studying the Bible. This is how we prove and know the will of God.  One benefit of Bible study is knowing God’s will.

Divine Guidance

“All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work. ” (2 Tim 3:16-17) “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the present life, and of that which is to come.” (1 Tim. 4:8) Bible study is profitable. The Bible contains God’s wisdom for us to have a better life. Do you have a question about parenting, marriage, leadership, money, health, or work? Study to find out what God says about it in the Bible.

Here we find God’s direction to help guide us. “How sweet are Your Words to my taste! More than honey to my mouth! Through Your Commandments I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” (Ps. 119:103-105) The Bible is more than a manual for Christian living. It has practical instructions for prayer, worship, and how to handle temptation. It is the ultimate self-help book authored by the creator of the universe, because it deals with the root of all mankind’s problems…we are nothing without God and need Him for everything.

“Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it.” (Luke 11:28)

You can’t keep what you haven’t heard! “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17) Need more faith? Study the Bible more often. Consider the history of God’s people and the example of how God deals with them.  All those things happened to them as an example, but they were written for our instruction. (1 Cor. 10:11) How would you know or learn if you don’t read and study the Bible? This is how we learn the character of God too.

Spiritual Growth

Spiritual maturity is a process. Just as in the natural world there are babies, children, teenagers, young adults, and mature adults, so it is in the spiritual too.  John does a good job spelling it out in 1 John 2:12-14. He writes, “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.” (v. 12) Babes in Christ know and have accepted God’s plan of salvation, but they are still carnal and new to the ways of God. “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” (1 Cor. 3:1) Babies drink milk, they don’t eat meat.  “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? ” (1 Cor. 3:2-3) As newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby. (1 Pet. 2:2)

1 John 2:13-14 really shows a great example of the maturing process. “I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.” (v. 13) The fathers here “know God.” They have been around awhile and are mature. They know God and have a deep relationship with Him. But a “father” has children. Spiritually, a father has led others to the Lord and helps to disciple them. He has spiritual children. Then there are young men, they have learned enough of the word to overcome sin and temptation. They have built their house on the rock, and are not tossed to fro like waves on the ocean. They know the word of God and it abides in them. (v. 14)

Lastly, John mentions the children. They just know of God. There are different levels of knowing. You can know someone like an acquaintance. I know my neighbor. Or, you can know someone like your best friend in the whole world, knowing their fears, dreams, hopes, etc. Have you heard the saying, “I know them like the back of my hand?” This is like the mature father knowing God. It is through Bible study that we grow and mature as Christians. Then we can teach others what we have learned. (Mt. 28:19-20)

There is no time to be lukewarm!

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16 NAS) Spiritual success equals habitual study. Spiritual failure equals haphazardly occasional learning, that makes you lukewarm. Wielding the sword of the spirit (which is the word of God. Eph. 6:17) just enough to be dangerous, but not on fire enough to be a skilled swordsmen. It’s time we got on fire, or hot for the things of God!

Knowing Jesus

The apostle Paul tells us that all things are to be counted as loss except for the excellent value of the knowledge of Jesus. (Phil. 3:8) We are becoming more Christ like, just as if we were looking into a mirror and saw Jesus, we are being transformed into His image. (2 Cor. 3:18) “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and ^walk in love, just as Christ.” (Eph. 5:1-2a NAS, 1 Cor. 11:1) “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10 NAS) “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:8-10 NAS)  ”But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 Jn. 1:7 NAS) “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” (Eph. 4:1 NAS)

“The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” (1 Jn. 2:6 NAS)

Jesus said, “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” (Jn. 13:15 NAS) “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” (1 Pet. 2:21 NAS) We have been called to follow Jesus’ example and walk in His ways. Another benefit of Bible study is that we learn about Jesus, our blessed savior.

Hope and Assurance

Bible study gives us comfort and hope during the storms of life. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (Jn. 15:11 NAS) “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33 NAS) Bible study gets your mind off the world and its problems and helps you to focus on the answer…Jesus. “Let ^the peace of Christ ^rule in your hearts, to which ^indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you.” (Col. 3:15-16a NAS)

“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 Jn. 5:13 NAS) By studying we have assurance of salvation and a balanced life (emotions, relationships, etc.). You are free from the guilt of sin because you know: you’re clean (Jn. 15:3), you’re sanctified (1 Cor. 1:2, 6:11), you’re forgiven (1 Jn. 1:9). You know what the unpardonable sin is because you read and study. Talking about the Bible, one man said, “This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.” Peter gives this advice, “Be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that while they speak against you as evildoers they may be shamed, those falsely accusing your good behavior in Christ.” (1 Pet. 3:15-16)

What are the benefits of Bible study?

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” (Col. 1:9-12 NAS)

Bible study is a lifetime habit. | LearningTheBible.org

Bible Study – Part Two

How to study the Bible

In this article we will cover the particulars of how to study the Bible. This is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. In our previous article, Bible Study – Part One, we taught about why to study the Bible, We learned:

• God’s commands us to do it.
• Bible study increases our faith.
• It makes us a success.
• We can’t be lead astray or deceived.

Now we are going to learn some of the different  ways to actually study the Bible. Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” God deserves our reasonable service of regular and systematic Bible reading and Bible study. It is essential for Christian growth and maturity. Bible study renews our mind and helps us think on the things of God. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Phil 4:8) When we study the Bible, God reveals things to us. “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law.” (Ps 119:18 NAS) “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)

” God deserves our reasonable service of regular and systematic Bible reading and Bible study.”

Studying is a feeding process that results in spiritual nourishment and growth; just as newborn babies desire the pure milk of the word. By feeding on the Bible, you grow up. (1 Pet. 2:2) If you are spiritually malnourished, you need to feed yourself by reading God’s word. Did you know that you can be spiritually anemic? If you’re feeling a little under weight, study the Bible for awhile. Do you want to be a 99 pound weakling pushed around by temptation and sin, or a spiritual body builder working out each week with the Bible? Choose to be God’s champion, His warrior. The more you study and learn God’s word, the more you grow and mature spiritually. I have seen children and teenagers who were spiritually mature, as well as, old men and women who were like babies in Christ and the things of God. Hebrews 5:12 points out that, when the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again the first principles of the word of God; and are become such as have need of milk again, and not of strong meat. God’s word has milk and meat in it. As you grow, you are not satisfied with milk anymore and desire something of more substance. Only by a definite systematic plan of study can a Christian understand the great truths and doctrines of the Bible. It won’t happen by haphazard study.

My son, if you will receive my words and hide my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, apply your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, and  lift your voice for understanding;  If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. (Pr. 2:1-5) How precious is the word of God to you? We need to be treasure hunters for God’s word. Have you heard the saying, “put your money where your mouth is?” Well the Bible says that, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. (LK 6:45 NAS)Let me say that last part again, your mouth speaks out that which fills your heart or mind. Have you been around sports enthusiasts?  All they talk about is the latest game, and they memorize statistics of players and teams. Ask them a question about a player and they can tell you all about him. They spend lots of money traveling to watch games and buying sports apparel to wear. But how about us? Are we Bible enthusiasts? Do we talk about the good things we just read or studied? Are we memorizing scripture? Can we give an account of why we believe in God, if we are asked? Do we spend our money buying Bible study resources and supporting the work of the ministry? As Christians, it’s time we stepped up to the plate and hit a home run! We need to fill our minds with God’s word, so that we can bring forth what is good.

“Bible study is not a spectator sport.”

So, what are our challenges to Bible study? We have distractions and daily life that get in the way. We’re tired from working, or we have to take the kids to practice. Shopping, cooking, mowing the yard, and a million other everyday “life” things can rob us of our Bible study time! There is good news…we can overcome these obstacles by discipline and determination.  God says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hos. 4:6) You have to make up your mind to do it! Do you want to be tossed around like a wave? “We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;  but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.” (Eph. 4:14 NAS) Jesus said, “everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” (Mt. 7:24-27 NAS) We have to lay a foundation by studying the Bible, so that when the storms of life come we will not fall. We have to become determined, nothing is going to keep us from studying and learning!

Let’s examine some scriptures. “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (James 1:22 NAS) In 1Timothy 4:12-13, the apostle Paul writes to Timothy and tells him to show himself as an example of those who believe by giving attention to reading of scripture, and to exhortation and teaching. Again Jesus tells us to, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (Jn. 5:39) “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” (Ps. 119:97 NAS) “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” (Mt. 4:4 NAS) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. ” (2 Tim. 3:16) “for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11b NAS) All these verses point to the first thing we need to know about Bible study.

“First of all, study the Bible itself!”

Too many read and learn from books written about the Bible and actually study the Bible itself very little. Those books are good, but we need to put the Bible first in priority. Study aids should help you find that elusive verse you can’t remember, or give you a dictionary meaning of a word. But, as we just learned from the preceding verses, we need to “search and read the scripture daily until we have read all the bible;  every book, chapter, and verse.” Then we need to continue to read it all again…over and over. This is what renews our mind.

Daily Bible Reading:

The first and most important way to study the Bible is by daily devotional reading. We need to read the Bible just like any other book or novel…from cover to cover. When I was in high school, I had a English teacher who said something to our class that influenced me for several years. Somehow one of the girls in class and this teacher got into a discussion about the Bible. The girl asked the teacher if he went to church. He replied that he was an atheist, which shocked the teenage girl. Then the teacher asked the girl if she went to church. She replied, “yes, of course.” The teacher then asked her if she believed in the Bible. “Yes,” she said. Then the teacher asked, “have you ever read the whole Bible all the way through?” The girl remarked, “well, no.” The teacher asked, “so, you go to church and base your religious beliefs on something that you have never even read?” The girl responded, “well, have you ever read the Bible?” He told her, yes, he had read the complete Bible all the way through from cover to cover and didn’t believe a word of it. Today, I feel sorry for that teacher, and I hope he did come to a place where he realized a need for Jesus as savior. But for years when I was asked about Christianity, I replied that I hadn’t read the Bible all the way through and until I did I would not make a decision about it.

Then after I gave my heart to God and asked Jesus to come into my life, I realized that it was by faith that I believed. I knew I didn’t have to read the complete Bible to make that decision. But, in order to grow spiritually and know the plans God has for us, we do need to read the whole Bible. It’s not in order to become a Christian, but after we do, that it is important to read the Bible daily. In order to accomplish this we need a plan to read through the Bible. There are several Bible reading plans available. Some break the daily reading into a 365 day outline. These take about 15 minutes per day and you finish reading the entire Bible in one year. Other plans exist to complete the Bible in two or three years of daily reading. Whichever plan you choose, you should try to select a specific time each day to do your reading. It helps to be consistent. Don’t get frustrated if you fall behind in your plan. Remember, your goal is to read the entire Bible from cover to cover and spend some time daily reading God’s word! These Bible reading plans are just a tool to help you along the way. Another thing to do that’s helpful is to take notes or write a journal after your daily reading. You will want to keep track of important verses or topics to study in detail for later. We recommend the 365 day plan or the chronological plan from oneyearbibleonline.com. They also have a blog that is great. I suggest  that you sign up to receive weekly emails or an RSS feed from them. The blog is at oneyearbibleblog.com. You can even purchase a one year bible arranged in 365 daily readings. These are available in different translation too.

“We need to know what the Bible says…before we can understand what it means.”

By reading the Bible from cover to cover, you will get a broad overview of God’s word. Focus on learning the main themes of each book and seeing God’s plan for mankind as it unfolds. You should be looking for the overall unity of the Bible. Think of yourself as a explorer or mountain climber. First you are getting a bird’s-eye-view from the top of the mountain. After examining the lay of the land, like looking through a set of binoculars, you begin to explore it in detail. Mapping out your trip and taking time to see all the sights (this is like dissecting it with a microscope).

Bible Study Methods

This would be a good place to share Martin Luther’s Bible study method with you. He compared Bible study to gathering apples from an orchard. He said:

1. Shake the whole tree so the ripest apples would fall. (study the Bible as a whole, Daily reading plan)
2. Climb the tree and shake each limb. (Survey or do a study on each book of the Bible)
3. Shake the smaller branches. (Do chapter studies)
4. Shake each twig. ( perform verse studies)
5. Look under each leaf. (do individual word studies)

This is a great analogy.  What’s important is to find the approach that works best for you. Try mixing and matching methods to give variety to your learning. But find a study method that focuses your learning. Here are the Bible study methods according to Martin Luther’s example:

• Daily Reading Plan - for more on this Bible study method see the preceding section.
• Book-by-Book study -  The purpose of doing a study of a each book of the Bible is to develop a working knowledge of the contents of the Bible. This is also called the synthetic overview method because you are looking for the synthesis (how the parts form a whole) of each book into the whole Bible. Major themes to look for are Christ, redemption, and how God deals with mankind. While studying a book of the Bible, the unity of the whole Bible is most important, as well as, the content over the actual interpretation. There are 66 books in the Bible, 39 in the old testament, and 27 in the new testament.
• Chapter study - By doing a chapter study you are starting to analyze God’s word in more depth. We are no longer looking for a broad overview, but digging deeper to discover more complex meaning from God’s word. Here we’re more concerned with paragraphs and outlines. There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible, 929 in the old testament, and 260 in the new testament.
• Verse study - By doing a verse study, you are really starting to look at the details of God’s word. Here you are more concerned with actual sentences in the verse. You will want to diagram the sentence structure, as well as, identify the key verbs in order to perform word studies. After finding the verbs, you will want to define other key words in the verse. You will also want to cross reference other Bible translations and start to examine the original Biblical languages. You are most concerned with dissecting the verse to understand the meaning. There are 31,173 verses in the Bible, 23,214 in the old testament, and 7,959 in the new testament.
• Word study - Here you are doing the most detailed analysis of God’s word! This is like studying through a microscope. You will want to use dictionaries and lexicons. Also, look up different variations of the word  with a thesaurus. You will want to compare how the word is translated in different versions of the Bible. Look up the English definition, and the definition in the original language. Examine where the word is used elsewhere in the Bible, and the root or origin of the word. Also look at the word usage in other writings, as well as, the synonyms of the word. (watch out for homonyms of the word i.e. light as in from the sun or light as in not heavy) Some interesting examples are the words servant and love. In English we have one word for servant, but in Greek there are seven different words meaning servant. There are different words to describe the different types of love in the original language.  (i.e. romantic, brotherly love, etc.)There are 773,692 words in the Bible, 529,439 in the old testament, and 181,253 in the new testament. *An important note about word studies. Verbs are action words. They contain the action of a sentence and make choice words to study. Look for the verbs and learn about their tenses and parts of speech in the original language. These are the gold nuggets of God’s word!

Other Methods

There are other Bible study methods that focus on one aspect or another of God’s word.

• Topical study – This is a thematic study of the Bible. You can study by subject, doctrine, event, place, type, dispensation (period of time divided by how God deals with mankind), or character traits. You will need a exhaustive Bible concordance to find and list all the passages that relate to your study. If you are systematic and comprehensive in studying  your topic in the whole Bible, then you will develop a clear-cut understanding and mastery of your subject. (i.e. prayer, or honor) You will learn everything the Bible has to say on that topic.
  • Study of Bible types – This is a study of the symbolism used in the Bible. We call this Typology. In the old testament and the Pentateuch (the first five books of the O.T.) in particular, there are things and symbols that have a prophetic nature to them.  In the old testament, the type is a shadow of what was to come and its antitype in the new testament is the substance of the shadow. “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things.” (Heb. 10:1a NAS)Also see (Col. 2:17, Heb. 8:5-6). St. Augustine said, “the new is in the old contained; the old is in the explained.” A type in the Bible is a visible earthly thing teaching us about an invisible heavenly thing. Compared with a parable, which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Paul, talking about the Israelites in 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition.” The word ensamples used here is the Greek word “tupos.” It means a figure, form, an example, the pattern to which a thing must be made, a pattern of warning, a pattern of events which serve as admonitions or warnings, or a type of person or thing prefiguring a future (messianic) person or thing. A typology study might include people, places, things, ceremonies, or events.
  • Biographical study – We call these “Life Portraits.” This is a study of a particular character from the Bible. There are over 2,930 different people listed in the Bible that you could choose to learn about. You would study their struggles and failures, as well as, their triumphs and successes. Watch how they develop moral character or Christ likeness. Look for them to show human nature and God’s interaction with that person. To make a life portrait of Moses, study the meaning of his name, his background, ancestry, education, childhood, etc. List his friends and associates, and places he lived. What are his character traits? Look for his failures and faults. Watch especially for a great crisis in his life. After you have researched all the details, write a summary and include a chronological outline of his life. Finally, be sure to write out an application to your own life. Ask yourself, “what can I learn and apply to my life today?” We offer a free template for biographical studies at www.learningthebible.org. Just look for our resources tab.
  • Devotional study –  This is a study method where you meditate on scripture to apply its truth in your life today. The focus is on application and being a doer of God’s word. In a quiet time alone, you want to meditate and visualize what’s happening in the passage you are studying.  Make a mental picture for yourself. Imagine yourself in the scene of the Bible. How do you feel? Who is speaking? What is happening? Next, emphasize each word of the key verse out loud.(i.e. Phil 4:13) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, etc. After that, personalize the verse by adding your name. Sara or Emily can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Lastly, use the verse in prayer to God. “Father God, you said in your word, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  So, I’m asking you for strength today! Thank you, in Jesus name, amen.”
  • Survey – you can also study the Bible by doing a new testament or old testament survey. There are books, classes, or correspondence classes that can help you. You will get an overview of the Bible that will improve your general knowledge of Biblical events, places, and people.

“Bible study is a lifetime habit!”

There are other methods used to study the Bible. These are the most popular and time tested. As Christians, we need to study customs and languages of the people who lived during Biblical times. We need to become experts on Bible culture and language.  Why? Because over time the meaning of words change. Consider Matthew 19:24, ” Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Most of us have never seen a camel. Likewise, if you were to go back just a few years and say to someone, “I’m going to go home and surf the internet.” They wouldn’t understand what you were talking about. Imagine saying, “I’m having trouble with my mouse on my desktop.”  These words mean something different to us today than they did even a few years ago. The meaning of words change over time. So, in order for us to learn the meaning of the scriptures, we need to study Biblical language and culture too. May God bless you during your Bible exploring.

*We have several Bible study templates to help you use these methods in your personal study. They are available at www.learningthebible.org.

Guide to Bible Translations – Part Two

Modern Bible Versions

Why so many versions of the Bible? Isn’t one good enough? What’s the difference in a translation and a paraphrase? Here we will attempt to answer these questions and more as we examine the history and basis of the modern translations. For a overview of the ancient versions of the Bible please see our article entitled: Guide to Bible Translations – Part One.

The Bible consists of the old and new testaments. It contains 66 separate books written by forty different writers over a period of 1600 years. The writers had various education levels and lived in varying civilizations and environments. Yet, they all tell one complete and whole story united in the revealing of God’s truth and plan for mankind.

The Bible is the most amazing book ever written in the 5000 year history of writing. It is the most widely circulated book and has had more influence on the world than any other book. History divides time by Jesus’ life (i.e. A.D. and B.C.). The three most important dates on the calendars of most nations are Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter. More books are written about Christ than any other of the great men of history. Jesus has inspired musicians, poets, and artists through the ages to produce great works. Shakespeare has been translated into forty-seven languages; Tolstoy into forty-seven; but the Bible has been translated into more than 1100 languages.

Understanding the Bible background

The Bible is inspired. “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NAS) The word inspired means, God-breathed. “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (2 Pet. 1:20-21 NAS) God inspired the writers of the Bible through the Holy Spirit to write His testaments to mankind. David said, “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.” (2 Sam. 23:2 NAS emphasis mine) The apostle Paul said, “For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 1:11-12 NAS)

The Bible is inerrant. That means it is free from error. This applies to to original manuscripts, not translations. The Bible is infallible. It is incapable or error. God is infallible, therefore, His word is infallible. The Bible is authoritative. God’s word is the final authority and source in all matters.

No other book has influenced mankind like the Bible.

Modern translations have sought to update the older language of the Bible into modern English. They seek to transfer the meaning of the scriptures from one language into another. There are two schools of thought for modern translators. One is a literal, word-for-word translation. The other is a thought-for-thought translation emphasizing the meaning over the formal structure of the language. Thus, we have the literal approach or the readability approach. Bible teachers or scholars may prefer the word-for-word translations. The average layperson might prefer the thought-for-thought translations.

Why so many translations?

Because there are a lot of things to consider when trying to transfer meaning from one language to another. Words express ideas and concepts. No language has the total vocabulary to express the infinite possibility of ideas, emotions, or descriptions. Consider nonverbal language, figure of speech, gestures, voice intonation, facial expressions and how to convey the intended meaning of the author during translating. This is quite a challenge given that the meaning of words in a culture can change over time. Slang and cultural changes influence the words society uses to communicate ideas and concepts. Therefore, newer translations are needed to keep up with the ever changing words that society uses to communicate meaning. God and His word never changes (Mal. 3:6, James 1:17). But, our translation of the words into different languages, in order to express God’s message, does change. Also, There have been significant archeological discoveries of older manuscripts and biblical texts. These manuscripts predate some of the ones used to translate certain versions. Hence, the need to develop a new translation or revision in light of the most current manuscripts available.

Which translation is best?

One that is functional in that it expresses the message of God to His people in a clear and accurate way. For the Bible student or layperson it might depend on what you prefer; a more literal translation or a less formal and free flowing translation. Ideally, one should have several different translations and reference between them to gain a better understanding of the meaning from the words.

What is meant by the “canon” of scripture?

The word canon sets apart the 66 books of the Bible as those accepted as inspired by God. Compare this to the books of the Apocrypha, which are not considered canonical or inspired (God-breathed). A book has divine authority based on inspiration and then becomes canon by acceptance as a product from God. Canonization of a book was determined by historical tradition of apostolic decision. “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18-19 NAS) So, we see there is nothing else needed. God has communicated His complete word to us in the 66 books recognized as canon.

What is the Apocrypha?

The Apocrypha [a POCK rih fuh] is a group of early Christian writings of doubtful authenticity, which are not considered canon and therefore not included in modern translations. They were judged as unworthy and not authoritative by the early Christian church. In general, these writings cover the period (200 B.C. – 100 A.D.) between the end of the old testament and the beginning of the new testament. They should be taken with a “grain of salt.” God inspired the Bible and preserved its authenticity and integrity so it alone can serve as a standard and guide for all believers. The Apocrypha is not authoritative (God speaking to His people) but contains stories and legends meant to fill in information for the reader.

What is the Septuagint?

The Septuagint [SEP tuh jint] is perhaps the oldest Bible translation in the world. It originated in Alexandria, Egypt. Alexander the great founded this city in 331 B.C. A Jewish community lived in Alexandria, but after a few generations there, they had forgotten their native language. They had adopted the Greek language that Alexander the great had established. A group of seventy Jewish scholars translated a version of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the old testament) into biblical Greek for the people. The Septuagint comes from the Latin word septuaginta, which means, seventy (LXX). This is very important because these seventy scholars knew and used both languages expertly. It is like a Greek commentary of the old testament written by experts of that time period. The Septuagint was used by the early Christians and gentiles, and it is the official version of the old testament used in the Greek Orthodox Church.

What is a paraphrase Bible?

It is not a translation from the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts or a codex. It is a restatement of a translated text giving the meaning in another form. “In other words,” the author/editor of a paraphrase Bible may not be a linguistic scholar with training in the Hebrew or Greek. He takes a version of the Bible and restates it in his own words (hence the term paraphrase). One must be very careful with these kinds of texts. Some can be very inspiring, others can be full of doctrinal errors. Several religious cults develop their own “version” of the bible in order to promote their teachings. Buyer beware! You should be able to trace the translation back to which codex or manuscript was used, as well as, know the credentials of the translators.

What is an interlinear Bible?

It is a Bible printed with two different languages usually on alternating lines or with one language inserted between the lines of the other. An example is the English-Greek interlinear New Testament.

What is a parallel Bible?

It is a Bible printed with two, or sometimes more, versions side by side in one volume for easy comparison.

Into all the world

“And He said to them, go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15 NAS) “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.” (Matt. 24:14 NAS emphasis mine)These two verses are the basis for all missionary work in the world today. My friend, a day is coming when God’s word will be translated into every language in the world, and then the end shall come! There are several Bible agencies and organizations that are dedicated to this very task. I urge you to pray for and support these efforts. You can find links to several agencies at the form of Bible agencies (http://forumna.org). The Jesus film project, Wycliffe Bible Translators, the United Bible Societies, and the American Bible Society are several worth exploring.

By studying, memorizing, and knowing the Bible, you will know God’s will for your life.

Now that we understand the need for so many modern translations and the background of them, what follows is a guide to the major modern English translations. This should suffice as a general reference. For a more detailed look at the translations see our List of Modern Bible Versions.

King James Version and derivatives

The Revised Version and its derivatives also stem from the King James Version.

KJV20- King James Version -Twentieth Century Edition Jay P. Green

NKJV- New King James Version

KJ21- 21st Century King James Version

MKJV- Modern King James Version

AKJV- American King James Version

Dynamic equivalence and paraphrases

TLB- The Living Bible

GNB- Good News Bible

CEV -Contemporary English Version

GW- God’s Word

NLT- New Living Translation

MSG- The Message

New English Bible and derivatives

NEB- New English Bible

REB- Revised English Bible

New International Version and derivatives

NIV- New International Version

TNIV- Today’s New International Version

Revised Version and derivatives

RV- Revised Version (British)

ASV- American Standard Version

RSV- Revised Standard Version

NASB- New American Standard Bible

NRSV- New Revised Standard Version

ESV- English Standard Version

WEB- World English Bible

Catholic translations

Knox- Knox’s Translation of the Vulgate

JB- Jerusalem Bible

RSV-CE — Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

NAB- New American Bible

TLB-CE  –The Living Bible – Catholic Edition

NJB - New Jerusalem Bible

CCB -Christian Community Bible

NRSV-CE  –New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

CPDV -Catholic Public Domain Version

Other translations

Fenton- The Holy Bible In Modern English (by Ferrar Fenton)

MNT- A New Translation (by James Moffatt)

AAT- An American Translation (by Smith and Goodspeed|)

BV- Berkeley Version

AMP- Amplified Bible

Knoch Concordant Literal Version (by Adolph Ernst Knoch)

MLB- The Modern Language Bible (New Berkeley Version)

LITV- Green’s Literal Translation (by Jay P. Green)

CJB- Complete Jewish Bible

TMB- Third Millennium Bible

AB- The Apostles’ Bible

HCSB- Holman Christian Standard Bible

CAB- The Complete Apostles’ Bible

The Literary Bible (by David Rosenberg)(Old Testament Only)

ISV- International Standard Version

EOB- Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible

The Cotton Patch version (various portions of the New Testament done by Clarence Jordan)

NET- New English Translation

This is a list of the Modern English Bible Versions or Translations. It also includes some important study Bibles available in various editions or versions. This list was updated on 01/23/10 and is not all-inclusive, but lists most major Bible translations. The date of translation and abbreviation of the translation is provided, as well as, a brief description. For more information about Bible translations read our articles entitled: Guide to Bible Translations – Part One and Guide to Bible Translations – Part Two.

Modern Bible Versions:

*King James Version (1611, KJV) revised in 1769

In 1603, James I, the king of England authorized the Bible to be translated. This became known as the authorized KJV. For more about this translation see our article entitled: Guide to Bible Translations – Part One. It is a literal/formal translation type using the “Textus Receptus” manuscript. The KJV has a beauty of style that is rarely matched. Its strength is also its weakness in the archaic out-of-date language it uses. The many revisions to the authorized KJV became standardized in 1769. This revised version is know as the standard KJV.

American Standard Version (1901, ASV)

The American revision of the KJV is a literal/formal translation type using the Westcott-Hort and Textus Receptus manuscripts. Its weakness and lack of popularity came from the inattention of style and rhythm in the language as compared with the KJV. It was a more scholarly work than the KJV, with the translators having a better grasp of the Hebrew and a more accurate Greek text.

Twentieth Century New Testament (1901, TCNT) revised in 1904

A private group used Westcott and Hort’s edition of the Greek new testament from 1881 to provide a plain English version suitable for young people.

*The New Testament in Modern Speech (1903, NTMS)

This was translated by a Greek scholar named Richard F. Weymouth. The Weymouth version was known for its contemporary English usage and attention to accuracy of the original biblical Greek language (definite article and verb tenses).

The Worrell New Testament (1904)

A moderate revision of the ASV by A. S. Worrell. Verbs and participles are rendered more literally by Worrell.

*Thompson Chain Reference Bible (1908)

A study Bible with a chain linking system of topics by Frank C. Thompson. The Thompson Bible has over 4000 chains to reference, as well as, comprehensive Bible helps. Over 4 million Thompson Bibles have been sold.

*The Scofield Study Bible (1909) revised 1917

An annotated Bible by Cyrus Scofield. A Bible with a commentary around the text instead of in a separate volume and a unique cross-referencing system.

A New Translation of the Bible (1928, MNT)

Moffatt’s New Translation started with the new testament in 1913 and added the old testament in 1924. James Moffatt shocked some with his unique expressions but delivered the meaning with great clarity. Moffatt took great liberties as a translator, but produced one of the lasting versions for readability.

The Bible: An American Translation (1935, AAT)

In 1923 Edgar J. Goodspeed of the University of Chicago Translated the new testament in a work called The New Testament: An American Translation. He tried to provide a version free of British English and expressions. In 1927, The Old Testament: An American Translation was added and in 1938 the work was completed by adding the Apocrypha.

The New Testament in the Language of the People (1937, NTLP)

Charles B. Williams produced an amplified wording new testament. He gave more fuller meaning to the delicate shades of the Greek verb tenses.

Knox Bible (1949, KNOX)

Ronald Knox was an English priest commissioned in 1940 to translate a new version for Catholic readers. At the time, all Catholic versions had to be based on the Latin Vulgate. But Knox paid attention to the Hebrew and Greek as well. He finished the new testament in 1945, followed by the old testament in 1949. A new edition of the Knox version should be completed in 2010.

Revised Standard Version (1952, RSV)

The Revised Standard Version came about as a revision to the KJV, the RV, and the ASV. It was widely accepted by the English-speaking world and adopted by Protestants, Roman Catholics, and the Greek Orthodox Church. It is more formal in translation type using the 17^th edition of the Nestle-Aland Greek text and the Masoretic Hebrew. In 1966 the RSV – Catholic edition Bible was printed.

*The Daily Study Bible (1954)

William Barclay, a professor at the University of Glasgow, wanted to make the best Biblical scholarship available to the average reader. The result was a set of 17 commentaries and Barclay’s own translation of the Bible.

*The New Testament in Modern English (1958, NTME)

The Phillips New Testament is an excellent paraphrase version by J. B. Phillips. A revised edition was released in 1972, but many prefer the original version.

*Wuest Expanded Translation of the New Testament (1959, WET)

Kenneth S. Wuest was a professor of new testament Greek at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. From 1956 thru 1959, he translated an amplified version. Unlike Williams’ NTLP, Wuest expanded the meaning of all parts of speech from the original Greek. This is an excellent resource, and one that I recommend.

The Berkeley Version in Modern English (1959, BV)

A version for our people today in the language they think and live.

Dake Annotated Reference Bible (1963)

A study Bible by the controversial Finis J. Dake. The Dake Bible took seven years to complete with over 35,000 personal commentary and notes.

*The Amplified Bible (1965, AMP)

The Amplified Bible includes additional words in the text that would normally be found in margins or footnotes. It attempts to add meaning by expanding the text. This is a good resource.

The Jerusalem Bible (1966, JB)

The Jerusalem Bible was originally a French translation of the Bible. In 1966 it was developed into an English version. During translation the Hebrew and Greek texts were used not the Latin Vulgate. But, the French version was consulted also. The JB is a Catholic version containing some rather opinionated notes. However, it is a scholarly production with a high degree of literary skill.

New American Bible (1970, NAB)

The NAB was a revision of the Douay Bible for American Catholic readers. It used the Latin Vulgate, Hebrew and Greek texts for translation.

New English Bible (1970, NEB)

The NEB is a British translation intended to be a thought-for-thought translation that borderlines a paraphrase version in places. The translators sometimes rendered the same Hebrew or Greek word with different English words. This causes difficulty in detailed word studies for those who cannot use the Hebrew or Greek texts. An example is the NEB using one word, “devil or devils,” in translating the word satan, as well as, the word demons. These are clearly two different words in the Greek text.

*New American Standard Bible (1971, NASB or NAS)

The New American Standard Bible is the most literal, word-for-word translation to date and my preferred version. The NAS is highly accurate to the original languages especially considering some of the more modern free translations or paraphrases such as the Living Bible. The NAS was translated by a group of 54 scholars over an eleven year period using the most dependable Hebrew and Greek texts available.

The Living Bible (1971, TLB)

The Living Bible is a paraphrase of the ASV by Kenneth N. Taylor. He wanted to put the Bible in a language his children could understand. It is one of the most readable contemporary interpretations and very popular. It has sold more than 40 million copies with all the proceeds going to charity.

The Good News Bible (1976, GNB or GNT)

The Good News Bible is a thought-for-thought translation by the American Bible Society. It is widely used by children and those new to the English language. It employs a free style often at the expense of accuracy to the original languages. The GNB is written in a simple, everyday language style with the focus on ease of reading.

The New International Version (1978, NIV)

The NIV is a thought-for-thought translation. It is one of the top ten selling Bibles. Perhaps it is one of the better free style translation types.

New King James Version (1982, NKJV)

Over 130 Bible scholars worked on translating the NKJV. It is a literal translation type and a formal revision of the KJV. The translators sought to replace archaic words and grammar with more contemporary language while maintaining that lyrical quality and majestic style which is so highly regarded in the KJV. However, the translators did not take advantage of the more accurate manuscripts and documents that were not available during the time of King James.

*The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible (1984)

Spiros Zodhiates, a biblical language scholar, developed this study Bible. It contains footnotes, grammatical notations, Lexical aids, and the complete Strong’s concordance with reference numbers. It is a valuable tool for one wanting to delve into the original biblical languages. If I could only have one Bible it would be the Hebrew-Greek Key study Bible in the NAS version.

Revised English Bible (1989, REB)

A free translation type with revisions of the NEB of 1970. The translators were very liberal with the text. The REB is primarily a British version.

New Revised Standard Version (1990, NRSV)

The NRSV wanted to take advantage of newer discoveries in the original language manuscripts. They also eliminated archaic language from the text and developed a gender-neutral approach where possible replacing the masculine-gender.

21^st Century King James Version (1994, KJ21)

This version is a formal, literal translation type. It is a minor update of the KJV and does not alter the language significantly like the NKJV. It does replace some of the vocabulary that would not make sense to a modern reader.

Contemporary English Version (1995, CEV)

The CEV is a new translation published by the American Bible Society. It is a plain English version designed for a lower reading level.

New Living Translation (1996, NLT) revised 2004

The NLT started out as a revision of the TLB. It soon became a new translation using the Hebrew and Greek texts. It has a free but functional translation style, trying to be faithful to the original texts, but readable too.

English Standard Version (2001, ESV)

The ESV is a revision of the 1971 RSV. The ESV is a more literal translation than the NIV but not quite like the NASB.

The Message (2002, MSG)

The Message bible is a paraphrase version by Eugene H. Peterson. It was developed over a period of nine years. Although inspiring, it is not a scholarly work and perhaps should be used as a companion with a more formal, literal translation.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (2004, HCSB)

The translators of the HCSB sought an optimal balance between the thought-for-thought and word-for-word translations. The ancient texts were exhaustively scrutinized at every level (word, phrase, clause, sentence) to determine its original meaning and intention. Then, using the best language tools available, they translated this into as readable a text as possible. The HCSB uses the most accurate manuscripts available. The HCSB is an accurate modern style version.

Today’s New International Version (2005, TNIV)

TNIV is a free style but functional revision of the NIV. It moves toward a more literal version than the NIV. It took ten years to complete the translation by a team of 53 scholars.

New English Translation (2005, NET)

The NET Bible is a new translation with a formal, literal translation style. The project was conceived to provide a digital copy of an English version on the internet or CD-Rom without cost to the user. The NET Bible has an immense number of footnotes and is available as a free download on the internet, or in a printed edition as well.

* Recommended

Guide to Bible Translations – Part One

Ancient to Modern Versions

From medieval manuscripts read only by clergy to the world’s bestselling book, widely available in contemporary languages, the Bible has come a long way. The Bible is God reveling Himself and communicating with mankind. It is our guide to life bringing hope, direction, and comfort. The Bible was given to us through divine inspiration. “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NAS) The Bible was originally written in the languages of Hebrew, Aramaic (old testament), and Greek (new testament). The differences in today’s modern language becomes a challenge for us to understand the Bible’s original meaning. Hence, the need for translations into modern contemporary languages.

Manuscripts are copies of the original text. Versions are translations of the manuscripts.

The early Hebrew manuscripts were written on leather in the form of a scroll. We call these documents a codex. Some of the early Hebrew manuscripts used in translating the Bible are the Masoretic text, Codex Cairensis (A.D. 895), and the Aleppo Codex (tenth century A.D.). In 1947 several leather scrolls stuffed in pottery jars were found in a cave near Qumran. These Qumran scrolls became know as the Dead Sea Scrolls. They were written and hid in the caves near Qumran by a group of monk scholars called the Essenes. The Dead Sea Scrolls predated both the Cairensis and Aleppo Codex by over a thousand years, and proved the authenticity and accuracy of them and the Masoretic text! It was amazing truth that the manuscripts we had been using to translate the Bible were accurate.

The early Greek manuscripts were written on a material called, Papyrus. The manuscripts were reproduced by scribes who meticulously copied the documents by hand. At this point, the Bible was entirely handwritten by monks. During the first through fourth centuries, the scribes started translating the Bible into the languages of the people. In the fourth century, St. Jerome translated the Bible into Latin (the dominant language of the Roman empire). He was a master of biblical Hebrew and Greek. It took him twenty-two years to complete the project which became the official version of the Roman Catholic Church. St. Jerome’s Latin edition would be called the Versio Vulgata (or Vulgate).

At this point, the Bible was entirely handwritten by monks.

For the next ten centuries, the primary translation of the Bible was in Latin. These handwritten bibles were rare and sometimes chained to the pulpit in a church to prevent theft. They were also found among the very rich and powerful as a symbol of status. During this time, the complete Bible was largely unavailable even to the clergy. Bible study relied upon small fragmented portions of scripture that were circulated through out the church. Without being able to read the complete flow, context, and meaning of the scriptures; the medieval church developed some strange and distorted doctrines.

The Bible was not available to the everyday common layperson until the fourteenth century when John Wycliffe translated the Latin into English. It was Wycliffe who originated the idea that every man should have a Bible in his own language. By putting the Bible in the hands of the masses, men realized they were responsible for their own personal faith in Christ. This began to challenge the established church’s authority and doctrines.

In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries came the popularity of paper and the invention of the printing press. During the 1450′s Johann Gutenberg produced the first printed Bible.

The Bible was now mass produced.

On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses on the door of the Wittenberg church. This event became known as the beginning of the reformation movement. But, Luther’s crowning achievement did not come for some years later (1522 A.D.)  when he translated the Greek New Testament into common German. It was William Tyndale who would translate the Greek New Testament into English in 1525. Wycliffe’s translation (1380A.D.) from the Latin was handwritten, but Tyndale’s translation would come from the printing press.

Miles Coverdale would take up where Tyndale left off. In 1535, Coverdale was the first to translate the entire Bible into English. The Geneva Bible of 1560 marks the first time a team of scholars worked together to translate the Bible from the original biblical languages. The Geneva Bible also included notes and was the preferred version of the Pilgrims traveling to the new world in 1620 A.D.

The main issue of the protestant reformation was not that the Bible could now be read by the masses, but the interpretations bypassed the teaching of the established Catholic church. Protestants were interpreting the scriptures from their own reasoning powers without help from the clergy or church tradition. So, the Roman Catholic Church saw the need for a Roman Catholic English Bible. It came in the form of the Douay-Rhemes New Testament. Which was translated in 1582 from the Latin Vulgate not the Greek. Its notes emphasized Catholic doctrines and church authority.

Every man should have a Bible in his own language.

In 1611, the authorized King James version was established. It was translated using the Hebrew and Greek by a team of 54 scholars. Early printing practices, or lack of them, resulted in some errors such as spelling, vocabulary or word omissions. Several revised editions attempted to correct these errors and misprints. Finally in 1769, the revisions became standardized. The King James version of the Bible would last more than three hundred years.

Here we have presented a short historical overview of the ancient Bible versions. A more in depth study of this subject would be beneficial. This is by no means a exhaustive examination of this subject. We have covered only the high points from the monks to the masses in the history of the ancient versions. Men were executed; whole copies of the Bible were burned and lost forever; so that we could have a Bible translated into our own language.

In Guide to Bible Translations – Part Two, we will move into the history and basis for the modern versions of the Bible. May God bless you richly, and may your faith in Him and the Bible increase daily!

Ancient Bible Versions:

405 A.D.  St. Jerome – Latin Vulgate

1380A.D. John Wycliffe

1450A.D Johann Gutenberg

1516A.D. Erasmus – 1^st Greek New Testament

1525A.D. William Tyndale

1535A.D. Miles Coverdale

1560A.D. Geneva Bible

1582A.D. Douay-Rhemes – Catholic

1611A.D. King James – Authorized version

1769A.D. King James – Standard version