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“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”
(Romans
8:2)
About
The 6 Bible Versions I Used
(An
Overview of Each)
In the Holy Bible, Proverbs 24:6 tells us that, “For by
wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is
safety.” In this sense, our various Bible Versions can be considered as a
multitude of counsellers. They each provide their own unique renderings of the
Holy Scriptures. No study can be any better than the reference resources used
as a part of it. As you enter into this study, we want you to be able to study
with confidence and assuredness, knowing that the Scriptures presented here all
come from high quality, accurate, and reliable Biblical resources. We offer you
the following information on the 6 Bible Versions we have used in this
presentation:
The Orthodox Study Bible:
(From
a Google AI Overview)
The
Orthodox Study Bible is highly rated and considered a
premier resource for English-speaking Orthodox Christians. It boasts a 4.7/5
star rating on Amazon and generally hovers around 4.8/5 stars across Christianbook and the Apple App Store.
What
readers love:
·
Patristic
Commentary: Readers highly praise the study
notes and commentary for drawing directly from the early Church Fathers and
ancient Christian traditions.
·
The Septuagint
OT: Users appreciate that the Old
Testament is translated directly from the Septuagint, the ancient Greek
translation used by the early Church.
·
Orthodox Canon: It includes the complete, extended Orthodox canon
(including books like 3 Maccabees) and is widely recognized as the standard
introductory text for those exploring Orthodoxy.
The New King James
Version Study Bible:
The King James Bibles we have today are based upon the original
King James Bible which was written in the old-style English language used in
the year 1611. As with any language, the meanings and usages of some words will
change over time. Because of these changes, the King James Bible can be
somewhat difficult in some places for modern-day readers to fully understand. To
aid in your understanding, I have included footnotes to some words referring
you to their original ancient manuscript words, their definitions, and usages
according to “Abbingdon Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible”. Also,
I have underlined and highlighted some of those definitions which would seem to
best fit with the context and intent of that scriptural message. If you are an
avid reader of the King James Bible, I highly recommend that you have
this Concordance among your study tools. It would be an invaluable help in your
studies.
The New American Standard Version Bible:
(From a Google AI Overview)
The New American Standard Bible (NASB) is widely considered
one of the most accurate and reliable English translations of the Bible,
specifically recognized for its commitment to a "word-for-word"
(formal equivalence) translation philosophy. First published in 1971 and
updated in 1995 and 2020, it is designed for in-depth study, prioritizing
structural and grammatical accuracy to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek
over smooth, conversational English.
The Complete Jewish Study Bible:
(From a Google AI Overview)
The Complete Jewish Study Bible (CJSB) is generally
considered a good, reliable translation for restoring the Jewish context of the
Bible, praised for its Jewish perspective, Hebrew transliterations, and
insightful notes, but its accuracy is debated, especially in the New Testament,
where some find it too interpretive ("dynamic") or biased,
potentially adding words to fit a specific narrative, making it best used
alongside other translations.
The Knox Bible – The Latin Vulgate:
(From a Google AI Overview)
The Knox Bible is highly regarded for its literary beauty,
readability, and accuracy, offering a "timeless" English that flows
gracefully while remaining faithful to the Latin Vulgate, with cross-referencing
to original Greek and Hebrew texts, making it a trusted, scholarly Catholic
translation that excels in bringing biblical narratives to life, despite its
dynamic (thought-for-thought) style. It balances clarity with elegance,
avoiding archaic stiffness while capturing the original text's meaning and
poetic qualities, praised for its rendering of Psalms and Pauline letters.
The Amplified Holy Bible:
(From a Google AI Overview)
Without sacrificing accuracy, the Amplified Bible uses
synonyms and definitions to explain and expand the meaning of words in the text
by placing amplification in parentheses, brackets, and after keywords. As a
result, English readers can clearly and completely grasp the meaning as it was
understood by the readers of the original languages with these most accurate
translations. Additionally, amplifications may provide further theological,
historical, and other details for a better understanding of the text.
(From the Lockman Foundation)
The Amplified Bible is a Literal Equivalent translation
that, by using synonyms and definitions, both explains and expands the meaning
of words in the text by placing amplification in parentheses, brackets, and
after key words. This unique system of translation allows the reader to more completely
and clearly grasp the meaning as it was understood in the original languages.
Additionally, amplifications may provide further theological, historical, and
other details for a better understanding of the text.
Through amplification, readers gain a better understanding
of what the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek listener instinctively understood. For
example, the Greek word pisteuo, which the vast majority of versions render as
“believe.” That simple translation, however, hardly does justice to the many
meanings contained in the Greek pisteuo. Pisteuo can mean “to adhere to, cleave
to; to trust to have faith in; to rely on, to depend on.” Notice the subtle
shades of meaning which are unlocked in John 11:25