By Lamont H. Fuchs, Ed.D.
Scripture references: Isaiah 55:11, Lamentations 3:22-23, Mark 9:38-40
Proverbs 3:13 says, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding”. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”. Reading God’s Word every day begets all of the above. I pray you can say the same. As Paul admits in Philippians 3, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet I press on toward the goal for the prize”. Those words are my intended mixture of context, but they convey my desire to read God’s Word daily.
My best ‘Ah Hah!’ moments of understanding come from reading different translations of His Word. If you are solidly opposed to reading any other version of the Bible than the one you use, that is perfectly fine with me. My intent is not to change your mind about that but possibly reveal to you the blessings I have received.
The Bible is God’s Word, and it is my personal belief that it is true, without error, and complete to use as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16. “Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness”. Disagreements about which translations are better or which are in error are not the purposes of this discussion. As to online versions vs. hard copy books, there are strong opinions on the differences and the problems electronic media bring to the conversations. These arguments are well known. Investigation on my part revealed that there are good, better, best translations, and I don’t speak Greek, Hebrew, or Latin. I agree that electronic media might bring laziness and lead to cherry-picking verses out of context. Everyone should have at least one hardcopy Bible, and before buying or reading any version, pray about what God wills for you to read. I listen to God’s Word in all these forms and specifically to what His Spirit says. This commentary is one perspective on the whole matter.
This is easy. I was raised on one version of the Bible from childhood, King James (KJV). When I got into junior high school, I was given a student paperback copy of the Good News Translation (GNT). Immediately, I found it easier to read and understand. I took my KJV to church and Sunday school, and I read the other at home or school because, back in my early years, my church membership frowned upon any other translations. Later in life, when I was married but before kids, my church gave me a copy of the New International Version (NIV). I read that version for a while before I received another Bible translated as the New King James Version (NKJV) as a gift, and I liked it. However, I noticed slight differences in the translated verses. Discussion among adult and mature Christians often shifted around different translations, and soon I discovered the vast opinions of what others thought about Bible versions in general. Through my time as a student in college and a teacher in Sunday School, I began to read other versions and translations. All those experiences have led me to my current philosophy on Bible translations. I use the American Standard Version (ASV) for quoting Scripture in this book purely for copyright ease. Hint: ASV is not my preferred version.
Christians worldwide read and rely exclusively on one translation of God’s Word, the revered KJV. That’s okay by me. I don’t scoff at those who follow those precepts. I’m asking you not to beat me up about what I think about different translations, as it is my personal experience and opinion that reading other translations is beneficial. After all, everything we read from any translation is, in fact, a translation of either Hebrew or Greek, or even Latin. It is hard to argue with Isaiah 55:11, which says, “so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it”.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your perfect, everlasting Word. Thank You for how You speak to us through Your Word, Your Son, and Your Spirit. Thank You for revealing the mysteries of Your being and how You love us, protect us, and think of us. God, You are beyond description in greatness and understanding. Thank You for helping us draw closer to You and Your glory. Amen
