Wealth comes from God.

[Stan B]

I hear that Gary,
I too stick close to my KJV even though I realize there are no perfect translations out there. I started on it and it just feels weird reading some of the other versions. Even so, I believe God will reveal despite any errors or omissions :)

Nancy, while I was weaned on the KJV, but in my latter years, have embraced the NASB, the translation that is embraced by most credible scholars as the most respected literal translation, which is under constant review by the Lockman Foundation.

But I find other 'versions', not translations useful. I learned a whole lot from reading through The Living Bible. As I read through Kenneth Taylor's wonderful effort to bring the entire Bible down? to a level where even children could understand it. As I read through it, I was constantly confronted by the orthodoxy of Kenneth's paraphrase because it did not correspond to my theology. But time-after-time I discovered he was correct.

And then there is the NIV, not something I would choose for the purpose of studying theology, but something I sometimes choose to quote to people that are Biblically illiterate and not all that bright, in an effort to bring Scripture down to a level they can understand.

My 14 year old grand daughter is an avid student of Scripture, but she uses the NIV, and there is no way I in any intend to discourage or interfere with that. Perhaps I could lure her away by giving her the highest end, most beautiful leather-bound NASB option out there. :-)

 

[Nancy]

Nancy, while I was weaned on the KJV, but in my latter years, have embraced the NASB, the translation that is embraced by most credible scholars as the most respected literal translation, which is under constant review by the Lockman Foundation.

But I find other 'versions', not translations useful. I learned a whole lot from reading through The Living Bible. As I read through Kenneth Taylor's wonderful effort to bring the entire Bible down? to a level where even children could understand it. As I read through it, I was constantly confronted by the orthodoxy of Kenneth's paraphrase because it did not correspond to my theology. But time-after-time I discovered he was correct.

And then there is the NIV, not something I would choose for the purpose of studying theology, but something I sometimes choose to quote to people that are Biblically illiterate and not all that bright, in an effort to bring Scripture down to a level they can understand.

My 14 year old grand daughter is an avid student of Scripture, but she uses the NIV, and there is no way I in any intend to discourage or interfere with that. Perhaps I could lure her away by giving her the highest end, most beautiful leather-bound NASB option out there. :)

"Perhaps I could lure her away by giving her the highest end, most beautiful leather-bound NASB option out there."
Ha! Now, that's a great idea. What's her favorite color?

I remember using the Living Bible in '92 when I had first started learning. There would be the Living bible and my KJV together as I tried to understand certain things in the KJV. I do have a Holman Christian "apologetics" study bible and several other study books. Just got an awesome book titled Figures of Speach in The Bible, explained and illustrated by E.W. Bullinger. It was referred to me by a sweet sister on here and, is chock full of very interesting info...I have hardly chipped the ice on it yet. But, I see no problem having a paraphrased, easier to understand bible on hand.
I hope your granddaughter likes her new bible ;)

 

[Giuliano]

I read that passage in Deuteronomy as a warning. Israel was told they shouldn't say their wealth came by their own strength, They should be grateful to God for giving them that strength or power. They should use any wealth they got the good. Remember Jesus said all the Torah and Prophets was about loving God and our neighbor.

It pleases God at times to give wealth to wicked men and to allow the righteous to be poor. Sometimes it is as Jesus portrayed the rich man and Lazarus. It makes things simpler on Judgment Day.

God keeps a record of our every deed. Nothing goes unnoticed, and we shall all be judged according to our works. We have all done good things and evil things. If someone like Lazarus has mostly good deeds, he still has a few evil ones; and sometimes God allows him to receive judgment for those in this life. When he dies, all he has to answer for are his good ones. The person with more evil deeds than good is similarly sometimes given good things in this life. That way, he doesn't need to be rewarded after he dies.

Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

If you have money and want to impress others with it, you may give to charity without caring about other people. You're doing it to get an earthly reward. And you got it. God doesn't need to reward you any more.

Matthew 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

 

[Willie T]

What kind of silliness is it to wonder, "Can you trust Google?" when all Google is doing in this instance is showing you what a particular translation says? Go to Gateway, and compare something like 70 translations.