Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Peas in a Pod

My mom and I have always been a lot alike. Down to our obsessions. (Though there are plenty of differences as well.) This makes gift-buying easy for me, difficult for others at times. My sister can't fathom why mom would want this or that, but I do. Chances are I want this or that too. (We both think clothes make bad gifts.)

For example, mom and I love Bibles. We don't just own a Bible or two. We don't even own just a dozen or two. We own at least ninety or a hundred. Lest you think we are just gathering a hundred New King James or a hundred New International Versions...let me say that we do aim to have a variety of translations--we both agree that the ESV is our favorite and our best--and an assortment of study bibles and devotional bibles. Mom takes this to the next level, she tries to collect older translations--those not in wide use today, those that have been out of print for a good many years. If it was up to her, she'd have a copy of every translation ever published into English ever, ever. I may not share her goals to own every Bible ever published...but there a few that have won me over.

There are three Bible translations I'm excited about reading. The Wycliffe New Testament, first published in the fourteenth century and being the first Bible translated into English. The Tyndale New Testament, published in the 1530s I believe. The Geneva Study Bible, published in many editions in the last part of the sixteenth century, but the edition I have is the 1599 edition. It was this Bible that was the Bible of the Puritans. It was this Bible that came to America with its first settlers--at least the Puritan ones. I love the language. I love the sense of history.

I'll be tracking my progress on these three translations here alongside more modern-day translations--the ESV, NASB, NKJV, etc.
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