Bibles

Von Gruff

KNIFE MAKER
I am looking for a new bible. I have a very old 1610 edition and my every day KJV bible along with a couple of other version for sometimes comparitive readings but what I am looking for is a KJV that has no notes or center references and no study guides at the rear of the book.

I just want a plain bible (preferably leather bound) that starts at Genesis and finishes at Revelation with no other additional pages or notes, but am not able to find one so if anyone can point me to a source for something like that I would be gratefull.
 
First guess would be CBD (Christian Book Distributors). They are on line & pretty much if it is in print (or has been & isn't sold out), they have it.

The other question to ask oneself is why they want to stay with a specific translation... Not that the KJV is a poor translation, but it is just that, a translation.
The main disadvantage of it is that it uses quite antiquated language... language that we do no use, language that we often need to have explained to us, which eliminates the point of a translation. The goal of any good translation (Biblical or otherwise) is to accurately put the exact words in to the heart language of the listener.
The hope of buying a Bible is that the owner will read it. Just the difficulty of reading a Spanish Bible would keep most of us from spending adequate time in the Word, most of the older KJV's do not encourage the reader to spend lots of time.

Other very accurate Word for Word translations of the Bible are available... the most accurate that I am familiar with being the New American Standard. As someone who works with the original languages on a weekly basis I am very comfortable recommending the NASB.

The other challenge for the KJV variants, is the fact that we have more and better research & understanding of older and larger quantities of texts then we did when the KJV groups were translated (minus the New KJV / NKJ). Now these are not major breakthroughs that change big theology or anything. They are small details that we now see clearer than before because of added research. So for instance, (& I forget where exactly it comes off the top of my head), but the KJV talks about horses being bought from Egypt because at the time of the translations the Hittite kingdoms / cities were still undiscovered. Now we know where that specific city was & that the horses came not from Egypt but from the Hittites. Big deal? Not hardly. But an advantage of a more modern translation.

God Bless,
 
To answer your question as to why I want to stay with a particular rendering of Gods Word.

I was bought up on the KJV and find it to impart the sense of awe to Gods Word that I felt going into the church as a 3 and 4 year old boy. That is missing for me when I read the other versions and while I except that Jesus wants us as friends and would talk to us in the manner of a friend, there is still that same feeling of reverence and awe when I talk to Him and read His Word that is diminished in the commonality of language that the modern versions are written in. For me reading the KJV is a little like getting dressed in tidy clothes after the working week for Sabath day and communion even when we celebrate it at home.
Taking nothing away from those who prefer other versions or languages to read , I would have thought you would understand those who want to read Gods Word in the language that most clearly brings us to the foot of His Throne.
I dont think it is advantageous to start the pointless discussion on what is different in one version to another as to go down that road only leads to acrimonious asertions and that is not what reading the Bible is, or should be all about.
I asked about the KJV and that should be all there is to the discussion, after all if I asked about a spannish transaltion would you want me to have a chinese because you thought it was better.

Bless you for your reply.
 
The KJV is a beautiful translation. Today many will steer folk away from it as the english of that day is archaic and often hard to understand due to todays limited scriptural vocabulary . For many folk it can be difficult/discouraging to make sense of. If you "cut yer teeth" on it then it is fine. I love it as I was led to the Lord by a Southern Baptist. I also used the NASB for many years and have settled on the NIV (nearly inspired version as some of my more theological buddies call it) for devotional reading. I think the poetical books read better in dynamic equivalence translations rather than word for word.I seem to camp there a lot for devotions. I also like the ESV very much as it is more word for word but seems to switch to dynamic equivalence as the passage requires. I don't like that capitol letters used for He when referring to God or Jesus have been done away with. It can be somewhat confusing when a dialogue between a mortal and Creator are both being refered to as "he" not "he" human and "He" God.....

Here's my rub though...I don't like cross references, dual columns, triple columns, study notes, red letter editions, or even verse markers while doing devotions....none of this stuff is inspired and for an ADD guy is VERY distracting. We live in a day where verses are "cherry picked" to the point of heresy. So finding a bible that you just read is difficult. As biblical illiteracy has become endemic so has the profusion of study bibles (probably a good thing). But trying to find a bible that does not feel like a college course syllabus is getting difficult....lol. (thank heavens for thrift shops)

Von Gruff, here is a link to a bible you might like. I have discovered that journaling bibles do not have all the other stuff. Look at the sample pages see what you think. There is still topic headings (which I do not care for as I think they can be leading...but still way down of my list of gripes...lol) This version does have red letter for quotes of Christ. One thing I like very much with journaling bibles is that the paper is much thicker so the words on the next page are not "bleeding" through as you are trying to read. Also very distracting for me personally. And if the Lord impresses something on you you have room to write. I quit writing in bibles years ago after I wore out my first bible.Lol...all those notes are there but not accessible.

https://www.christianbook.com/kjv-j...ther-brown/9780718080426/pd/080426?event=EBRN

Hope this helps you in your search.
 
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Von Grufff, I am sorry if I offended you, that certainly wasn't my point. And I did attempt to point you to one of the best sources of Bibles in the USA today. If they don't have it, it probably hasn't been made recently. Did you try them?

www.christianbook.com - search line KJV Leather... came up with a bunch of results

As to why ask questions about your preferred Bible translations, the simple answer is because most people haven't thought it through. I get asked regularly about Bibles, and most people don't have a reason. A great many people feel an allegiance to the KJV, but when they get it have trouble enjoying it. They want a new Bible, but have not thought through the issues. I don't know you, so wanted to make sure that before you drop 50 bucks on a Bible, you have thought it through. Do you pick your steel for your knives intentionally? If I asked for your recommendation on where to buy old rasps to make knives from, wouldn't you want to know why? You may even try to steer me to something different, or give me alternatives. That doesn't mean that your reasons are wrong, I just wanted to know what they were. Maybe even save you a few dollars if you hadn't thought about the alternatives.

You make the comparison about Spanish & Chinese, legitimate question. Problem is I didn't recommend a Bible in a language you can't read, I recommended one that you can read easier. When a Spanish friend asks for a Bible, there are some Spanish translations that are better than others. (the equivalent of an old KJV vs. a NKJV) I am in the process of raising enough money to buy about 100 of them for Pastors in Nicaragua.

Again, sorry for the offense. God Bless,
 
The KJV is a beautiful translation. I totally agree. It is my much prefered reading.

Von Gruff, here is a link to a bible you might like. I have discovered that journaling bibles do not have all the other stuff. Look at the sample pages see what you think. There is still topic headings (which I do not care for as I think they can be leading...but still way down of my list of gripes...lol) This version does have red letter for quotes of Christ. One thing I like very much with journaling bibles is that the paper is much thicker so the words on the next page are not "bleeding" through as you are trying to read. Also very distracting for me personally. And if the Lord impresses something on you you have room to write. I quit writing in bibles years ago after I wore out my first bible.Lol...all those notes are there but not accessible.

https://www.christianbook.com/kjv-j...ther-brown/9780718080426/pd/080426?event=EBRN

Hope this helps you in your search.

Thanks Ted. Apart from the wide margins that is just what I am looking for and while I no longer write copious notes in my bibles although I do underline some passages when I am doing a particular study so being able to make a short note while keeping the text clear may be advantageous.
The one thing I did like is the thicker paper as I find the very thin pages in my present (World published genuine leather) bible difficult to turn as it seems they dont like to seperate. I used to think that when I had read through it a couple of times it would get better but it remains slow to get my fingers to select a single page to turn.
I will get the order underway but through a friend in the US so I can get a few other knifemaking needs in the same package and save shipping costs. The bible woud cost as much to ship from the supplier to NZ as the cost of the bible itself.

Apreciate the heads-up on this particular printing.

Garry.
 
That link goes to an error page Drew but thank you for the thought.

Strange; works fine for me.

Try a search for "Bibles without references". The Bibles in the link are from the Trinitarian bible society.


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Have done that Drew and got onto the site but while they say the Windsor is referenceless it does not say about the inclusion or otherwise of the multiple end papers that are so often a part of the printing now.
I have ordered the one thata Ted linked so will see how that goes.

Thank you all for the links and input.

Garry.
 
Let us know how you like it.

The link Andrew provided worked well for me and had some excellent bibles fitting your requirements. If you do not like the one you ordered and return it, finding a way to access the Trinitarian bible site would be well worth the effort.
 
Will do.

I did finally get onto the Trinitarian sight but having ordered the journaling bible I will wait and see for now.

It will be about 3 weeks till it gets here as it has gone to a friend (US) where a few other knife bits are headed snd he will send it all in the one box to save on international shipping which otherwise can kill some of these deals.
 
So the journaling bible has arrived and with a little time to familiarise myself with it I am more than pleased with it. It is good to be able to feel the pages and I can turn a single page easily without having to wet a finger to drag seperate one from another as I was having to do with previous bibles. I really like the lack of end papers so that the bible is just the Word of God with nothing extra to take away or add to the purity of it. I also like ths single column without any notes or cross references clogging the center of the page, and even the section headers I dont find to be a detractor. Taken as a whole I am really pleased with it and am gratefull to Ted (Smallshop) for pointing out this bible.
 
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Excellent!

A friend just saw my copy the other day and said, "It looks just like a book!" and I said, "Well...that's how they were originally written...in letter form..." We all get sucked into verse markers that often don't even finish the thought the writer was expressing....in the US I think we have fallen prey to quoting verses rather than understanding passages. Case in point: John 3:16 (EVERYBODY in the US knows this verse)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Stated in this fashion(single verse) it is almost received as universalism in our country...if you believe that Jesus existed and died on the cross, your eternity is taken care of. mental assent to spiritual truth...but then....you read the whole passage and...Uh-Ohhh...a belief involving deeds? Deeds are involved? and lack of belief involving condemnation? Which implies repentance...which implies something much more that just understanding one part of a truth....below is the passage as Jesus actually said it. It is not a works salvation but definitely demands truly coming to Him and not just agreeing with his purpose for coming. verse tested by passage? passage always wins....it's what provides context.

John 3:14-21 (KJV)
[SUP] [/SUP]And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: [SUP][/SUP]That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [SUP][/SUP]And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. [SUP][/SUP]But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.



I find this bible helps fight that bad habit of thinking a single verse provides the best understanding of any biblical truth....

So glad you are enjoying it....
 
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