So Many Bibles, So Many Choices

In my best Andy Rooney voice I ask, “Why are there so many different types of bibles?” This is even more curious when you consider that the letters and writings in scripture were originally penned in the language of their era, either Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek. So if Paul wrote Galations in Greek, why are there fifty different versions available in English? Are we English-speakers that picky? What’s next, individualized translations? Hey, cool Bible. What type is it? My own. I call it “Chuck’s Version, CV for short. I have a guy who did it for me.”

While I don’t own an individualized translation I do have several types of scripture in my stash. I often refer to more than one type when preparing to speak as there are subtle differences in the modern translations. I also own a King James Version that I pull out for funerals and weddings but truthfully for little else. The classic KJV of my youth is a very dated translation that is better suited for aficionados of Shakespeare. There was a day in England when thee and thou was common vernacular, but things have changed over the past four hundred years.

There’s even a new bible for patriots. I’m not sure why a patriot needs a unique bible to read. I’m patriotic and I’m fine with a generic bible. My Dad fought in two wars and he was fine with a general bible. I’m assuming that patriot in this case means Amercian patriot and if I’m right it may need to be pointed out that scripture was written thousands of years before the founding of Jamestown. In fact, the King James Bible was commissioned before any of our ancestors left the “Old Country” and settled here. Is it possible we are getting carried away with uniqueness and have gone all-boutique on scripture preferences. Hopefully the influences of reality television won’t invade and we soon find the Bachelorette Bible, or American Idol Bible, or worse, Big Brother Bible.

It’s true that some versions are better than others due to the skills of the translators, but all in all most modern (non-boutique) versions are good choices. After all, it’s not the version that makes the biggest difference. If we aren’t reading scripture it doesn’t matter if ours is the New American Standard Bible or the Three Stooges Bible. So read your bible everyday. And relax, there is no Three Stooges Bible because nuk, nuk cannot be translated from Greek!

MM