thomas15

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Posts by thomas15

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  51

  Bible scholars/researchers: What is your favorite version of the Bible?

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only have the nwt.

  i went to the bookstore and picked up the scofield study bible iii version of the niv.

  i have 2 weeks to return or exchange it.

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  thomas15

  r.

  I'm happy to assist. Is your Mom a JW? How long were you a JW? Sorry if this has been answered before.

  Thanks,

  Tom
• 
  51

  Bible scholars/researchers: What is your favorite version of the Bible?

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only have the nwt.

  i went to the bookstore and picked up the scofield study bible iii version of the niv.

  i have 2 weeks to return or exchange it.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thomas15

  Another good Bible translation is the net Bible. It is, as the name implies, on the net www.bible.org

  This Bible has about 70,000 translators notes, is available in either hard copy or electronic. There is or will be a modual for e-sword. The hard copy is not free but for what you get it is a good deal. I think the electronic versions are free, they used to be I know.

  The translators notes go into detail as to why certain passages were translated the way they were, offers good alternative renderings and gives reasons why some popular mis-translations are wrong, as for example John 1:1 in the NWT.
• 
  51

  Bible scholars/researchers: What is your favorite version of the Bible?

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only have the nwt.

  i went to the bookstore and picked up the scofield study bible iii version of the niv.

  i have 2 weeks to return or exchange it.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thomas15

  Chalam,

  I really love this post of yours:

  Yeah I like the Hebrew and Greek, great for getting to the core.

  Biblos.com: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages

  Also, checking the original language soon blows any notion of the NWT being the "most accurate" to smithereens :)

  All the best,

  Stephen

  In my Bible collection is of course several editions of the NWT. Just looking at them gives me a headache. The misery this version causes really leaves me feeling ill.

  On the other hand, when I pick up my favorite Bible, which is a New King James Version center columm reference edition (Nelson #3005 black bonded leather), I feel like I'm visiting a good friend that I haven't seen in a while. It is never a chore for me to "take up and read". This is for me, one of the mysteries of the WT, I don't know how members can tote around a Bible and not be really digging into it. I understand that the society discourages independent study and for good reason as it is the cause of many to leave the org. But for me it is hard to describe the pleasure I get from reading and studying the Bible.
• 
  51

  Bible scholars/researchers: What is your favorite version of the Bible?

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only have the nwt.

  i went to the bookstore and picked up the scofield study bible iii version of the niv.

  i have 2 weeks to return or exchange it.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thomas15

  Unlike Chalam, I perfer to have the hard copy in hand. This however is going to be my downfall as my wife is getting tired of me taking over all of the bookshelves in the house. In addition to my Bible collection, I have 1000+ books on the Bible and or Bible subjects, theologies, commentaries, too many books.

  Anyway, a free computer based Bible program with lots of add-on moduals is http://www.e-sword.net/

  This is a full feature program and has commentaries, lexicons, Christian classics, all searchable, you can run four different translations in parallel at one time. Some of the newer translations cost money if you want them but there are a whole bunch of free translations available and lots of free add-ons. The program is stable so you don't have to worry about it crashing your computer.
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  17

  The First Nice Guy I Ever Met...

  by jamiebowers in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  died suddenly this morning of a heart attack.

  he was only 58 and had lost enough weight to cause his doctor to take him off of medications for high blood pressure and cholesterol.

  he was married to my dear aunt, and i feel so badly for her and their 6 kids.

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  thomas15

  Sorry for your loss.

  Tom
• 
  51

  Bible scholars/researchers: What is your favorite version of the Bible?

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only have the nwt.

  i went to the bookstore and picked up the scofield study bible iii version of the niv.

  i have 2 weeks to return or exchange it.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thomas15

  r.

  I hope you know that you have opened up a can of worms.

  Tom
• 
  51

  Bible scholars/researchers: What is your favorite version of the Bible?

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only have the nwt.

  i went to the bookstore and picked up the scofield study bible iii version of the niv.

  i have 2 weeks to return or exchange it.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thomas15

  Garage sales and used book stores. Ebay sometimes, christianbook.com, amazon.com, alibris.com I'm always looking for used Bibles.

  I don't meant to brag but for some reason Bibles find their way to me on their own and usually inexpensive or free. A few have cost some coin though. I have several study Bibles that are collectable and worth way more than I paid for them. Once I won a New King James Study Bible on ebay. It was supposed to be a hard cover, I won it for $6.00 When I got it, it turned out to be genuine leather. I was given a Dickson Btudy Bible, this is worth $400.00 in the condition it is in.

  I have also gotten burned a few times. Then again, I have a 1st edition kingdom interlinier that i paid $3.00 at a used book store. On the topic of interliniers, a previous poster mentioned one which is good, another good one is "The Reverse Interlinier" which is based on the NIV. A strongs concordance is also a must because it assigns numbers to the greek and hebrew words so that you can look up the word in a greek or hebrew dictionary or lexicon.
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  51

  Bible scholars/researchers: What is your favorite version of the Bible?

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only have the nwt.

  i went to the bookstore and picked up the scofield study bible iii version of the niv.

  i have 2 weeks to return or exchange it.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thomas15

  It is doubtful that I could be considered a Bible Scholar, but I do have an opinion.

  The NIV is, in my opinion a very good modern translation. I used it and nothing else for 20 years. The translators were mainly Evangelicals and it's intended for Evangelicals but in my humble opinion it is still readable and accurate. As for the Scofield notes, they are Dispensational. In the almost 100 years since the Scofield has been around, it has sold probably more than any other study Bible. I have several Scofields and really love them but not everyone appreciates the Dispensational notes. Again, the Bible you have is in my opinion, a solid translation with solid notes.

  The Holman Standard mentioned by another poster is another modern translation and like the NIV the New Testament uses the NA/27 greek text. It is a very good translation similar to the NIV in style and translation phlosophy. The publisher, Holman is the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. The main reason for it's existence is so that the Southern Baptist Convention could own the rights of the translation that they use for their Sunday School materials instead of paying Zondervain corp royalties for using the NIV. This is not a critisism of the HCS translation, it is a good Bible.

  The New Jerusalem Bible is also a modern translation, an update of the Jerusalem Bible. The Jerusalem Bible had translation problems, it was an English translation of a French version. However, The New Jerusalem Bible is also a good translation. It is also a Roman Catholic translation and the notes reflect Roman Catholic theology however sometimes it is surprizing how honest the notes are with respect toCathiolic theology not having Biblical justification. It is also interesting because the Old Testament uses Yahweh as the covenant name for God the Father. The unabridged version is the one that has the notes and it is expensive.

  The New Revised Standard Bible is the Bible of choice for "Mainline Protestant Demoninations". While not a "liberal" translation per se, it is the first choice for liberals. It is, as the name implies, a revision of the Revised Standard Version. In my humble opinion, a better choice is the English Standard Version but it's not a bad version, let me be clear about that.

  Ok, now that I have stated my opinions on previously recommended versions, and please do not misunderstand me they are all good. My favorites in order:

  1. The New King James Version

  2. The New American Standard Bible

  3. The NIV

  4. The New Living Translation

  5. The English Standard Version

  6. The King James Version

  For Study Bibles, I like:

  1. The MacArthur Study Bible (New American Standard Bible)

  2. The NIV Study Bible

  3. The ESV Study Bible (If you want the most notes and different opinions stated with all the other bells and whistles, a modern translation and don't mind a Bible that weighs 3/4 of a ton, then this is the best study Bible to get in my opinion).

  4. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV or New American Standard) this is tied with the Scofield.

  Remember, I'm been an Evangelical for many years and I have a fairly large collection of Bibles, approx. 100 of them and 30 or more are "Study Bibles". Collect 'em all I say.

  Tom

  On edit- I forgot to mention the NLT study Bble is also good. To the OP, I would keep your Scofield if I were you.
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  32

  2009-The Bible-What Is Its Message-brochure--PDF!

  by Atlantis in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  2009 the bible-what is its message-brochure--pdf!

  we thank "yknot" dearly for sending the brochure and book for scanning.

  i will start on the book in a few hours, but have to get a little shut-eye and then will continue.

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• 

  thomas15

  Thanks Drew,

  As a Bible believer, I would much rather face a JW with the newer Bible message tract because it tries to go right to the Bible. To those who know the Bible it would be a lot easier to discuss (the errors that is) than to try to debate the ever changing WT doctrine.

  But, at the end of the day, (for me) it all comes down to this, "what must I do to be saved?" or "what works are the works that God requires?" Both questions are asked in the Bible and the answer is not join a church or some other organization.

  Great thread.

  Tom
• 
  32

  2009-The Bible-What Is Its Message-brochure--PDF!

  by Atlantis in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  2009 the bible-what is its message-brochure--pdf!

  we thank "yknot" dearly for sending the brochure and book for scanning.

  i will start on the book in a few hours, but have to get a little shut-eye and then will continue.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thomas15

  Hi Drew, you posted:

  "In this booklet, the product being offered is general Bible education, rather than specific doctrinal discussions. I don't think the Watchtower ever specifically has used this sort of method. I think back to their many publications and articles (Require brochure especially, but also the books I mentioned above in addition to the Paradise & Truth books)."

  Since I don't have your background in WT theology and tactics I cannot debate your points (not that I disagree with you), but as a Evangelical I see WT theology in just about every sentence in the picture scan. For example, did Adam and Eve question God's right to rule or did they just disobey his instructions? One has to do with compliance, the other with faith or lack of. In my opinion, to back up the claims of the scan points #1 and #2 based on a reading of the first three chapters of Genesis would require a lot of reading between the line and then some.

  Interesting post.

  Tom