Bible Inventory
I recently counted and it turns out I have 9 Bibles. That's if you don't count my Picture Bible. (I also have 4 pocket-sized New Testaments for some reason). Here's a brief overview in the order (as far as I remember) that I acquired them:
1. NIV Standard Paperback - I don't remember exactly when I got this one but it was quite a while ago. I think it was a gift from the church I was going to when I was about 9. There's a place for a signature on the front page and it looks like I've just learned cursive. The front cover is missing, the back cover is held on by tape, and it is considerably worse for wear. I believe this was the first Bible I've read all the way through.
2. NIV: Thompson Chain-Reference Bible - Complete with concordance, dictionary, and archaeological supplement. It even has a blue carrying case and my name engraved on the cover. My parents gave it to me about 12 years ago. It's the Bible I used throughout my high school and college years. I've read through it completely at least twice.
3. NLT: The One-Year Chronological Bible - A good friend gave me this Bible about 3 years ago. Its daily readings are arranged in chronological order (not in order by books but in order by segments sometimes as small as a couple of verses), which is interesting. I also enjoyed reading the New Living Translation. The lamination of the cover (or whatever it is) is peeling off. I've read through it once.
4. TNIV Standard Paperback - I got this one 2-3 years ago when they were sending them out for free to people who requested a copy. This was my most used Bible for a little while, but at a Bible study it suffered an accident. The page containing Romans 8 split in half and part of the internal binding broke, thus causing the section of the Bible after that point to fall completely out.
5. NRSV: The Renovaré Spiritual Formation Bible - I bought this one about a year ago because of the extra helps it has from some authors I like. Unfortunately, it is too large and heavy too read easily and some of the text is hard to read because it is too close to the inside margin. Also, the NRSV translation seems a bit stilted to me. I haven't used it much, but some of the extras and commentary is interesting.
6. NASB Standard Paperback - Bought this one a few months ago. I found it cheap when I was looking to buy a Bible for a friend. I've wanted a NASB because I've heard good things about that translation. I haven't read it any yet however.
7. NCV Standard Paperback - Bought this one at the same time I did #6, because it was cheap and was a translation I didn't have, the New Century Version. Unfortunately, the print is very small - Psalms 119 fits on a single page (front and back). I didn't know that when I got it because it was plastic-wrapped in the store.
8. CEV with Dueterocanonicals/Apocrypha - I bought this the same time I did #6and #7. I got it to be able to read the Apocrypha books. I've found the Contemporary English Version interesting, it's really easy to read although perhaps a bit too simple. It was specifically translated to be able to easily read out loud. I'm currently using this Bible.
9. The Jerusalem Bible - I rescued this one about a year ago when my Dad was getting rid of books. It's a Catholic version. I haven't really tried to read it yet.
I've wrote all this to say that I've recently bought another Bible. I wasn't expecting to do that anytime soon, after all, how many Bibles does one person need? However, there's a new one that is different enough that I wanted to get it.
They're calling it "The Books of The Bible." It'll be officially released in August, but you can get a discount by pre-ordering direct from IBS.
What's different about this Bible is that they've taken the verse and chapter numbers out of the text as well as the section headings. Translator's notes are placed at the end of the book instead of at the bottom of the page. I like that because if they're at the bottom of the page I almost have to look down there after running across the *, but if they're at the end of the book then I won't have to and thus my reading won't get broken up. In addition, the text is printed in a single column like a regular book, instead of in double columns how most Bibles are printed. I think all of this will make it an excellent reading Bible.
One thing to note is that the translation used in "The Books of The Bible" is the TNIV. I like the translation fine, however it's been controversial in some quarters for saying things like "people" instead of "men."
Technorati tags: The Books of The Bible Bible Bible Inventory TNIV
1. NIV Standard Paperback - I don't remember exactly when I got this one but it was quite a while ago. I think it was a gift from the church I was going to when I was about 9. There's a place for a signature on the front page and it looks like I've just learned cursive. The front cover is missing, the back cover is held on by tape, and it is considerably worse for wear. I believe this was the first Bible I've read all the way through.
2. NIV: Thompson Chain-Reference Bible - Complete with concordance, dictionary, and archaeological supplement. It even has a blue carrying case and my name engraved on the cover. My parents gave it to me about 12 years ago. It's the Bible I used throughout my high school and college years. I've read through it completely at least twice.
3. NLT: The One-Year Chronological Bible - A good friend gave me this Bible about 3 years ago. Its daily readings are arranged in chronological order (not in order by books but in order by segments sometimes as small as a couple of verses), which is interesting. I also enjoyed reading the New Living Translation. The lamination of the cover (or whatever it is) is peeling off. I've read through it once.
4. TNIV Standard Paperback - I got this one 2-3 years ago when they were sending them out for free to people who requested a copy. This was my most used Bible for a little while, but at a Bible study it suffered an accident. The page containing Romans 8 split in half and part of the internal binding broke, thus causing the section of the Bible after that point to fall completely out.
5. NRSV: The Renovaré Spiritual Formation Bible - I bought this one about a year ago because of the extra helps it has from some authors I like. Unfortunately, it is too large and heavy too read easily and some of the text is hard to read because it is too close to the inside margin. Also, the NRSV translation seems a bit stilted to me. I haven't used it much, but some of the extras and commentary is interesting.
6. NASB Standard Paperback - Bought this one a few months ago. I found it cheap when I was looking to buy a Bible for a friend. I've wanted a NASB because I've heard good things about that translation. I haven't read it any yet however.
7. NCV Standard Paperback - Bought this one at the same time I did #6, because it was cheap and was a translation I didn't have, the New Century Version. Unfortunately, the print is very small - Psalms 119 fits on a single page (front and back). I didn't know that when I got it because it was plastic-wrapped in the store.
8. CEV with Dueterocanonicals/Apocrypha - I bought this the same time I did #6and #7. I got it to be able to read the Apocrypha books. I've found the Contemporary English Version interesting, it's really easy to read although perhaps a bit too simple. It was specifically translated to be able to easily read out loud. I'm currently using this Bible.
9. The Jerusalem Bible - I rescued this one about a year ago when my Dad was getting rid of books. It's a Catholic version. I haven't really tried to read it yet.
I've wrote all this to say that I've recently bought another Bible. I wasn't expecting to do that anytime soon, after all, how many Bibles does one person need? However, there's a new one that is different enough that I wanted to get it.
They're calling it "The Books of The Bible." It'll be officially released in August, but you can get a discount by pre-ordering direct from IBS.
What's different about this Bible is that they've taken the verse and chapter numbers out of the text as well as the section headings. Translator's notes are placed at the end of the book instead of at the bottom of the page. I like that because if they're at the bottom of the page I almost have to look down there after running across the *, but if they're at the end of the book then I won't have to and thus my reading won't get broken up. In addition, the text is printed in a single column like a regular book, instead of in double columns how most Bibles are printed. I think all of this will make it an excellent reading Bible.
One thing to note is that the translation used in "The Books of The Bible" is the TNIV. I like the translation fine, however it's been controversial in some quarters for saying things like "people" instead of "men."
Technorati tags: The Books of The Bible Bible Bible Inventory TNIV
posted by Freethinker at 4:30:00 PM
2 Comments:
I like the translation fine, however it's been controversial in some quarters for saying things like "people" instead of "men."
Some of those who have criticized the TNIV for this have worked on other recent versions of the Bible which do the same thing. And it is a change that increases accuracy in each of the Bible versions.
I agree, I just had to bring it up since I was recommending "The Books of The Bible" and I know some people who oppose that translation.
I mean it's something they need to be aware of before they buy one.
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