From The Desk of Pastor Matt

Yesterday, before worship, Kingston (Tami’s grandson) and I were working on a baptism class. We spent yesterday talking about the Bible. We talked about the original languages in which the Bible was written. We practiced finding Bible verses and using the maps in the back of his Bible. It was interesting to talk with him about who wrote the Bible, when, and why.

Part of our time was devoted to discussing different versions of the Bible. Kingston has a couple of different Bibles, and I showed him some of mine. I told him that some versions of the Bible were direct translations from Greek, Hebrew, and other languages. Meanwhile, other versions of the Bible are written from another English version of the Bible. Some versions are mostly translations, while others are mostly interpretations.

I thought it might help to explain why I use some versions of the Bible. Kingston asked which version of the Bible he should have. There is, of course, no set answer for that. In fact, it is overwhelming to look at the numerous versions of the Bible (most of which I have not read). Over the years, I have developed this approach: I use one version of the Bible for studying and another for my own reading.

For studying, I typically use the NRSV that has a built-in commentary. It is called the New Interpreter’s Bible. I have a lot of trust in this Bible because it was translated and written by committees for each book. Even better, these committees were not formed by a single school or denomination. Interestingly, one of my Old Testament professors helped to translate Deuteronomy for the NRSV. When I want a lot of inspiration, I typically read The Message or something similar. However, some of these Bible versions are not the best for studying.

So, the version of the Bible that I use depends on a lot of things. I preach using The Message quite often. The very unusual thing about that version is that it is both a translation and an interpretation. That is why it often sounds different from the NRSV or similar translations. I also like The Message because it was written by Rev. Dr. Eugene Peterson, a brilliant pastor, writer, and scholar. While preaching, I might also use the NRSV, NIV, CEV, or even the KJV sometimes. Kingston and I spent time learning what all those letters stand for. Google is your friend here.

In the end, typically, the best version of the Bible to use is the one you will read. What matters most is that you connect with God through it.

Peace,
 

Pastor Matt