NIV Holy Bible (1978)

Logos Library

This was my Bible version from my teens until mid 20's and is therefore covered in colourful stickers and scrawled writing. It provides a good middle ground between versions like New American Standard Version (NASB) and English Standard Version (ESV) and versions like The Message and The Good News Bible or even The Street Bible.

The former options are more accurate to the original text so I switched to NASB some years ago, however, if I'm struggling to concentrate I sometimes return to my trusty NIV which makes for simpler reading. I do not agree with those who dismiss it as a paraphrase. However, I would caution those adults who use the latter versions (The Message etc) as their primary devotional Bible.

I am wary of making too much of Bible versions being aware that there are those who subscribe to King James Version only and who think that other versions are somehow irreverent or misleading. Some have become so focused on this as to lose perspective about what is important.

My own view is that we should all be reading the most accurate translation that we can understand and apply to our lives. What is the point in persevering with a dated text using words that are no longer familiar when we have more modern translations that are accurate that we can understand more easily?

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The Bible gets five stars without any explanation. Who am I to offer a critique. I couldn't say, "Not the Spirit's best work." The newest version of NIV is still growing on me however.

A friend and mentor once said that if all Scripture is God breathed and inspired, then he would read it each year to hear God in all of Scripture. Noble goal, and I have seldom followed through with his aim. But I have read the Bible cover to cover (Scripture, Table of Weights and Maps) maybe ten times. I think it is important to know the shape and trajectory of the Biblical narrative. I have read the Bible through in the NIV (1984), NLT, NASB, TNIV, NRSV and now the NIV (2011). Reading a translation through helps you also appreciate it more (I thought the NLT was hokey until I read it through a couple of times). Obviously this NIV is similar to its predecessors (Old NIV and TNIV).

My trek through this time was with the aid of a reading program in my Logos Bible software. I set up a weekday plan (Monday through Friday). The result was that I spent most of the year ahead of schedule, but bogged down in my November reading of Jeremiah and had to do a mad dash at the end. I finished the minor prophets and the entire book of Revelation on New Years Eve, but made it. Another star in my crown? Probably not, but I know which parts of the Bible I ought to read slower. . . ( )

This is my favorite book in the world. However, I believe it is more than just a book, because it is living and active; all its words are God-breathed. It's not just a book, to be read as something interesting, and then to put down for a different book. This can and will change your life. You can't just pick and choose which parts you want to believe, you have to believe all of it or none of it. Everybody should read this book. ( )

So inspirational!!! My favorite book!! ( )