I was rummaging through a secondhand bookstore when I heard an older man carrying out a very heated discussion with a much younger man which version of the bible is best. As I listened to them, my thoughts wandered to the versions of the bible that I keep and which I read and compare in studying God's word.
I have the New International Version (NIV), the Amplified Bible, The New Living Translation (NLT), The Message (TM) and The Living Bibile (TLB). Most of the time, I read the TLB paraphrase or the NLT because it's easier to read.
I wonder why the heated discussion between the two? God's word is God's word. And I believe God provided us with so many different translations, versions and paraphrases so that He can relate to us in terms that we can understand His wonderful plan for our salvation. To me, it doesn't matter which version or translation or paraphrase you use or read for as long as it draws you near to God and makes you want to follow Him.
Besides, God Himself said that we shouldn't be tripping each other up. So in my opinion, the best version is the one that makes you want to keep on studying the Word of God. It is the version, translation or paraphrase that prompts you to live in the word.
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