I've grown up around the Bible. My dad read the Bible every day after supper when I was growing up. I went to Sunday School, Daily Vacation Bible School, catechism, and youth Bible studies.
I remember when the Good News For Modern Man New Testament version came out in the 70's. Dad came home with an armload of these paperback Bibles and all of us who were school aged got to have one of our very own. I loved the little simple line drawings in that Bible.
When I was about 13, my parents bought me a leather bound King James Version for my very own. I loved highlighting in there. I still have that Bible, but it sits upon my bookshelf now. It has a special place in my heart, for sure.
When I was in my 20's my mom bought me a honkin' big brown leather bound NIV, and I've used that for a good many years. But, I have also enjoyed reading different versions and paraphrases. The Living Bible was popular for a while, but now The Message is one of my favorites.
You know, I rarely open up my Bibles anymore. Now that I have an iPad and a smartphone, I have downloaded the free YouVersion Bible app; it's just so much easier to read the Bible that way, with myriads of versions and devotionals for every interest and focus at my fingertips. And it's so portable compared to a heavy paper book.
I hope I never take for granted the ease with which I can access God's Word. One day it might not be so.
Do you read the Bible? What's your favorite version?
Okay I have to confess, I don't read my Bible much any more. I have several that are so marked up that they're not easily read-able, and as they got to that point they were replaced. But the last one.....not so much! Not sure why. My favorite version has been NIV, and when I read another version I find myself wondering why it's written 'wrong' LOL! These days I get my Scripture reading at church, and then I've been following a daily devotional blog that quotes and then comments on Scripture passages. So the Bibles may not get opened up, but Scripture is still part of my daily life.
ReplyDeleteOnce in a while... my favorite of all times is Love from the First Letter of Paul to Corinthians. I have two Bibles, one that came with me from Poland (and traveled with me whenever I moved) and the new standard version in English. When I came to North America over twenty years ago I did not speak English and I thought that reading Bible in English would be a good start.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have many Bibles. The KJV is what I memorized most of what I know from, but I normally use the NIV when I write or talk about it to people. I enjoy both the Living Bible and the Message, too, as far as paraphrases. When I am writing on a biblical topic, I usually use online sources for looking things up and all, but when reading for myself, I still prefer to read from an actual book. Didn't realize that until I read this post!
ReplyDeleteI think the NIV is my favorite. I liked the King James Version, but I'm not a big fan of the Message. I'm reading through "The Story" with my church right now, which is a literary representation of the Bible and it's very good! :)
ReplyDeleteI remember all those versions you talked about! My favorite now is ESV.
ReplyDeleteYes, and mine is also a mixture between book and digital. I like the Youversion because I have such a wide variety of translations at my fingertips.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy each new way of presenting the Word, but, when really stressed and needing solace, I read my KJV. I suppose it's because that was the one I learned from and now find the most comfort. I also have a Living Bible that makes it so much easier to interpret unfamiliar phrasing.
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