Expert: Mrs. Priscilla Lyons - 5/23/2005

Question
Dear Priscilla,
I have begun to read the Bible again after many years of being away from it.I have accepted Jesus into my heart and know he is lord and saviour.
When I read/study the Bible {King James Version} I tend to get frustrated with the wording so I decided to visit a local Christian book store to purchase an easier translation.
I would appreciate your opinion on this particular version/translation. This book store is affiliated with the Calvary non denominational Church and the Bible I purchased was reccomended by a volunteer working in the store who is also a Calvary member.

He recommended the New Living Translation Holy Bible in large print. I really enjoy reading this version. It is easy to understand and seems to keep it's accuracy as well. I told him at the time that I wanted an easy read Bible that is as close to the King James version as possible without taking away any of the original text.

The New Living Translation Holy Bible:
Are you familiar with this version ?
I visited a Scriptual Baptist Church Bible study class with my NLT version and was frowned upon by the Pastor.I dont think he intended anything bad "but" I felt uneasy. He insist that those who attend bring the King James version. I have been to other Bible study classes where people brought their Bible's which were New Living Translation, new revised standard etc.

Should I be concerned about this particular version with regards to my being accepted to a Bible study ?

I would appreciate your thoughts, beliefs and or opinions. Thank You !! for taking time !!
Ron  

Answer
Dear Ron,
   It's great that you are reading the Bible again!  Since all our Bibles are translations from the original, I don't think we can be dogmatic about this issue, but I've read enough pro-KJV material that I do trust it more than the others in the few areas of disagreement a person may find.  
   Most differences aren't theologically significant, but Wescott and Hort (two on the team to update the KJV in the late 1800's) were into the occult and they wrote things that make me sometimes question modern translations.  On the other hand, our pastor uses the NIV and he is a very Godly, humble man who knows the Bible very well.  
   I've read through the NIV Bible a couple of times and the Good News Bible a couple of times also. (I love the Good News line drawings and the parallel passage references printed above a paragraph.)  I've also read through the New KJV a couple of times and my husband uses the New American Standard.  You might like to try the New KJV next.  I am reading through the KJV now, but I also grew up with it, so I am really enjoying it, especially all the figurative phrases that have become a part of our English language (you're the apple of my eye, etc).
   Since it might be difficult to evaluate the non-denominational Calvary church, you might do a search to find what others have said about the NLT.  I didn't read all of this page, www.bible-researcher.com/nlt.html but the part under Gender-Neutralism and Egalitarianism might be important.    
   Here's a place to get a free NIV Bible if you'd like to read it along with the NLT and/or KJV. www.geocities.com/woodierow/freebible.html   Or you can get one free or pay very little at thrift stores.  Maybe you can find a New KJV at a thrift store also, but NIV's are more common.
   Probably most Bible studies would prefer that you didn't use the NLT, but God can use different means at different times with different people to get their attention, so I wouldn't rule out a version completely.  If you depend on God to lead you and desire to hear Him speak through His Word, then He will feed you through the NLT or lead you to another version.  
   Thanks for writing.  I enjoyed reading your interesting communication.  May your walk with God lead others to Him.
   Sincerely,
   Priscilla Lyons