[carver]

Originally Posted by BlackEagle

There is a large number of English language Bibles available (just check out the options on BibleGateway.com). I'll probably be clumsy about this, but here goes...a simplified explanation as to why there are so many versions of the Bible around.

Some of these are translations: taking the original language and rendering it into English, while staying as close as possible to the original vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure while still making it readable in English. These are reliable, but harder to read.

Some are interpretations, substituting the ideas expressed by the original language with English terms and ideas. Maybe the term idiom comes into play here. These are not as accurate but are more readable.

Then there are the paraphrase versions which take the passages in the original languages, chew them up, digest them, and put out a very readable, but not nearly as accurate, a version of Scripture as a translation. These are subject to the human views of the ones preparing the version.

Each one has a target group of people, and sometimes a paprphrase can express the meaning of a passage of Scripture that gets lost in a strict translation. I like the English Standard Version and the New American Standard Version for the way they stay close to the original languages; I also like the Phillips New Testament for its readability and plain language; and the Cotton Patch version for its earthy expressions of God's Truth. They give me different perspectives on God's Awesome Word. But, in order to get to grips with what God is saying, I keep going back to the translations.

Everyone needs to remember this simple truth; If it's different, it's not the same, if it's the same, it's not different! And every bible is different, therefore they are not the same! There can only be one true Word of God. If all bibles are different, and are supposed to be the word of God, then God has divided his own house! We all know what happens to a divided house.