Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Question of the Week #4


Welcome to the fourth edition of "Question of the Week"...please answer in the comments OR write a blog post of your own and leave me a link to your answers! Feel free to borrow the graphic as well.

Answer at any time, Tuesday is just the day I post a new question.

Do you prefer reading Bibles in paperback, hardback, or leather? Do you prefer red letter or black letter? Do you have a favorite translation of the Bible? Why? What is it that you love? Do you prefer reading text-only Bibles? Or do you prefer reading study Bibles? Do you have a favorite study Bible?

These are all personal preference type questions. So while it's fun to see all the different answers we might come up with, there are no right and wrong answers.

Most of the time I prefer leather Bibles. I do own a few (okay, more than a few) hardback Bibles. But I like the leather-experience best.

I'm a bit passionate on the red-letter/black-letter issue. I would prefer that all Bibles (aka all Bibles that I own) to be black letter. I just don't like reading red letter Bibles. I think there are several reasons...sometimes the red ink is too bright, too red, too orange, too dark, too light. It can be hard on the eyes if you have certain vision problems. (Like I have.) But I also find red letters to be distracting. Your mind could tend to jump to the red letters and let the surrounding text--the context--blend into the background. Your mind could lose interest maybe. Or the reverse could be true, your mind could come to jump over the red letters and they begin to lose their significance because you think you already know what it has to say. Either way, they could prove distracting. I also have some issue with 'red letters' being mistakenly identified as more-special, more-holy, more God-breathed than the other text, the surrounding text. I don't expect you to agree with me. That's why I said there were no right and wrong answers to these questions.

My favorite translation of the Bible....that would be the ESV...no...the NASB....no the ESV. I can't make up my mind. Those two are my favorites though. I read several different translations though. I own many. So I might use one translation this year and another translation next year. So I don't use only one translation. I have many New King James Bibles because that publisher--Thomas Nelson--has so very many study Bibles that it has published over the decades.

I like reading text-only Bibles. I do. But I like study Bibles too. I think both are necessary. It's good to have study notes on hand so you can find answers to your questions. And if you're in a Sunday school class (or happen to be a Sunday School teacher) or Bible Study, the study notes can be extremely helpful. I think it's important to read the Bible both as a devotional book--gentle reading, pleasure-time-with-the-Lord...and to study the Bible...to take time to read something slower, to put more thought, more effort, more energy into it. To dig deeper and seek to learn. Both are important.

I have several favorite study Bibles. I love the MacArthur Study Bible--both NASB and NKJV. I love the Nelson Study Bible (NKJV). I love the ESV Study Bible. I love the Reformation Study Bible (ESV, NKJV), the Spirit of the Reformation Bible (NIV).

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

My favorite translation is the ESV. I read from The Reformation Study Bible and I sometimes listen to The Listener's Bible, both in ESV.

I much prefer a hardcover bible because the other ones feel too floppy for me.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

My favorite translation is the NIV. I don't know why.

I like leather bound bibles. Black letter only please.

The Bible I'm using for the challenge is the Zondervan. Archeological study Bible. I love it because it is providing lots of context.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this challenge!

My favorite translation is the ESV, but I am happy using the NIV, NASB, or even the Amplified at times.

Cynda Western Felini said...

I published my comments at felinidelarosa.blogspot.com.

I love this question! and I learned something new about you. I didn't know you had issues with the red-letters. Thanks for sharing that tidbit.

Soozie4Him said...

My favorite translation is the NIV, because it's the first translation I used when I really started reading the Bible, so it's "familiar". I also like the NLT at times. This year I'm reading the ESV Study Bible. As far as Red or Black Letter - doesn't matter a bit to me. I own only one leather Bible - my new NIV Study Bible, Large Print (really just readable print - not really large) and it has my name engraved on the front. I love it. I had to replace my hardcover NIV Study Bible that I got in 1995 because the covers were totally off it. I do plan on transfering all the notes I've written in it into the new one at some point. I really prefer reading Study Bibles because I love to be able to just look down and get some extra insights - if the Bible isn't a Study Bible, I feel like I'm missing something, even though I know that the notes aren't inspired! I really do like the ESV Study Bible I have except that the pages "rumple" in the middle where they're attached to the binding. That can drive me nuts if I let it! But I really enjoy the different notes in it, and the colored maps/charts within the text! Crossway must have a problem with binding, because I have the Contemporary Parallel NT with 8 translations and it's the same way. You can read my review of it here: http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0195281365/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&pageNumber=2&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R2A3LBH49SWMIE

Thanks for this question - it's a good one!

Susan, aka Soozie4Him
moot96 AT aol DOT com

Soozie4Him said...

Sorry, I just realized that the Contemporary Parallel NT is by Oxford University Press, not Crossway!!

Susan

Amy said...

I alternate between the NIV and the ESV. I like paperback and black letter Bibles as well. :)

Sherrylinn said...

I'm finally up to speed! LOL
thanks again for doing this and keeping me accountable.

Love in Christ

Sherry

Anonymous said...

I've only ever really read the NIV or the NLT, so I guess I prefer those! And I've also only ever used paperbacks, but I don't think I would enjoy hardcover. I like it floppy! Maybe leather someday when it fits in the budget.

I do know that I definitely do not enjoy the red ink versions, it is incredibly distracting, so I've always steered away from those.

I really would like to try a study Bible at some point, I'm sure it would give a lot more insight into what I'm reading, rather than just using devotionals to supplement my reading.

sally906 said...

My favourite is my Good News for modern man.

I have answered the question here:
http://sally906christianchatter.blogspot.com/

I am going to be on the move for the next three weeks so will catch up on the questions when I can

hopeinbrazil said...

Would you believe I lived in Brazil for twenty years before I was able to do my devotions in Portuguese? Now I read what is called the "Atualizada" version - similar to KJV (which is a scream because I wouldn't read KJV in English). I love reading the Bible in a different language because it makes me pay A LOT more attention. =) "Old" verses seem "new" again. But when I get stumped and need to see what a passage says in English I use my NIV study Bible.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you almost all the way, Becky. Leather, ESV, black letter.

Oh, I also like wide margins becasue I'm always jotting notes.

I like the Reformeation study bible but don't like it for me daily reading.

I used to have a bible with King James and NIV side by side and I really enjoyed that.