Which Bible version?

• August
• 9

7:34 pm Competitions, Updates

At the recent Footprints meeting, we had a lively discussion about the benefits of the various Bible versions. Mel “intensely dislikes” The Message version, while I find it sheds new light on passages which I have previously found difficult to understand. The New International Version was pretty popular, while another lady said that the Amplified Bible gave her plenty of “meat” and substance to chew over! 

As a youngster, I was very involved in an AWANA youth club (AWANA stands for Approved Workman Are Not Ashamed, based on 2 Timothy 2:15). Every Friday night my sisters and I would head off to AWANA for a night of games and fun with our friends. We wore uniforms a bit like the Scouts, and could earn awards and badges for various activities - from bringing along a friend, learning crafts, and in particular Scripture memorisation. AWANA used the King James version, and although I didn’t really understand a lot of what I was reading and learning, I was storing up treasure for the future. At one stage I could recite all of Isaiah 64, or Romans 6, from memory!

Fast forward 30 years and I am still able to remember many Scriptures word-for-word, although maybe not the “address” of where they live! It has been such a help to me over the years. The Holy Spirit has been able to remind me of relevant verses when needed, or has brought to mind exactly the right passage for articles that I may be writing or messages that I speak, or even in daily conversation or when encouraging friends.

Today I enjoy a regular “smorgasbord” of Bible versions! I “carry” portions of the King James around in my head, and over the past ten years or so have used the New International Version, the New Living Translation, and The Message for my daily Bible reading as well as deeper study. Lately I am intrigued by the extra depth and meaning to be found in the pages of the Amplified version!

So I really can’t say that I have a “favourite” version. But I’d love to know your thoughts … what is YOUR favourite Bible version, and WHY???!!! Send your answer before 31 August 2008 to editor@footprintsaustralia.com, and you could win a copy of the bestselling “Australian Stories for Women”! (You may recognise one of the contributors … a certain Janet Camilleri??!)

The comp will also be promoted in the August Footprints FOCUS ezine. Don’t get the monthly FOCUS ezine in your inbox? It’s FREE! To sign up, just send an email to editor@footprintsaustralia.com with “FOCUS” in the subject line and we’ll do the rest!