(tomwebster;64576)
I believe that if we rely on the Holy Spirit to open the Scripture for us, He can use even the Readers Digest version of Scripture to open our eyes to His Truth. I remember some time ago reading The Living Version and seeing Psalm 32, it said something to me that the KJV hadn't. And it, for me, was the start of a new journey. Everyone, read whatever version you want, asking the Holy Spirit to open the Scriptures to you. Let's not continue arguing about this. There are more important things in this times in which we living.Isa 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isa 55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Isa 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Isa 55:5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: Isa 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isa 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Isa 55:13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. (KJV)Isa 55:1 "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isa 55:2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Isa 55:4 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Isa 55:5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. Isa 55:6 "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; Isa 55:7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isa 55:10 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, Isa 55:11
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isa 55:12 "For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Isa 55:13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." (ESV)
I totally agree, the Lord has greatly used the KJV, and other versions of the Bible as well.... I don't really care for the NIV, but there is no doubt is has been also greatly used by the sovereign Lord... it just really bothers me that
some Christians want to try and put other Christians into bondage by trying to make them do something the Bible itself does not command them to do, namely read only translations that they personally approve of.... the Bible nowhere says "you may read only translations based on the Byzantine manuscript family" or people that make outrageous claims like translations "that uses the Alexandrian Texts are the ones that clearly hates Christ... So they twist His Words."!! These are slanderous false accusations and they should not go unchallenged. Again, I do not care too much for the NIV or the translation philosophy behind it, but I know one thing, if the makers of the translation meant to make one that "clearly hates Christ", they are totally inept and missed their goal so much so that millions upon millions of Christians now read the NIV and have come to be saved by reading it, have grown closer to the Lord by reading it, and have come to bless others in the world due to their convictions being so changed that they started to treat one another in loving ways, just as Christ commanded. Now if this version of the Bible hates Christ, though its difficult to know how a version of the bible can actually hate anything
, it is the strangest type of hating I have ever seen. A few examples.... not for you personally, just for the point...Ephesians 6:24 (NIV) Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV) 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV) 1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Philippians 2:1-2 (NIV) 1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. etc etc etcSo I feel convicted in my spirit to respond to false charges leveled against the Scriptures, and I certainly mean no offense to you as I do so.... Of course, I fully realize that there is just no reasoning with some people, he is not likely to change, nor am I for that matter, and so the discussion must inevitably end with neither of us changing our position. However, in case there may be others undecided reading these posts, however unlikely that may be at a very small forum like this, I hope that they can see "the other side" represented fairly, since it seems that if I do not take up for them, no one else will. Eventually I will no loner respond to these types of posts, but not until after the false charges are at least responded to, so those undecided can make up their own minds by having a fair sampling of the situation, that is all I am trying to do. Its just like when i witness to Jehovah's witnesses, I may be directly speaking to one "elder" in particular, most usually the older and more outspoken of the two, but I know fully well how entrenched he is and will not likely change, but I talk to him all the same, in hopes that the younger JW who is along for "training" may come to see the holes in JW theology, and come to doubt them and their organization. Jordan, in this case, is kinda like that JW elder. I am just using his response as a foil by which to try and address the objections, nothing is meant personally towards him, per se, though of course I am still, in one sense, responding to him, and hopefully he and others can see that I am having a bit of fun along the way, albeit in a sarcastic way. I do tend to have a sarcastic sense of humor and I hope no one is offended by that.blessings,Ken