A Biblical Task: Choosing a Bible
I don’t speak biblical Hebrew or Koine Greek, the respective languages of the original Old and New Testaments, so my first step in reading the Bible is choosing an English translation. Doing so is a biblical task, literally and figuratively. People have the same allegiance to their Bible version that they do to their peanut butter. My former college roommate is a Jif die-hard; a friend from high school loves the gloppy-sugary texture of Peter Pan; and the food co-op hipsters grind their own organic peanuts into an unsalted paste. But they all agree that there is only one true peanut butter, and it is the one they spread on their bread!So, my original plan was to go with the King James Version, a real crowd-pleaser, the Jif of Bibles.
I had assumed that the King James Version—the KJV, to Bible hepcats—was the generally accepted, mainstream, go-to, expert-approved, infallible-enough translation. If only it were so simple and unanimous. The KJV alone is not enough for me. I want more. I want footnotes, endnotes, miscellaneous annotations, maps, historical citations, cross-references, and the Apocrypha (whatever they are, I want them!). I want the whole shebang of biblical context, support, and assistance. I want the New Oxford Annotated Bible, which is not exactly the KJV, but rather the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
The NRSV is reviled by many churchgoing Bible readers for being too academic, not ecumenical enough (despite billing itself as “An Ecumenical Study Bible”). It’s not seen as the word of God so much as the word of secular academics. By reading the Bible as a piece of historical literature, the NRSV neutralizes some of the book’s contemporary political and emotional connotations. This is part of the Oxford’s appeal to me, as a heathen. But it also neglects to investigate popular modern interpretations of the book—ones I want to understand. Which brings me to the New International Version (NIV). At first glance, the NIV seems to be favored among many practicing Christians, our neighbors, coworkers, and friends, who take their faith seriously. I expect it to provide a true glimpse into the modern Christian faith.
But it doesn’t stop there. I am now the proud owner of six Bibles! I’ll be investigating the context of each version, so if you have any guidance, please drop me a comment.
Bible Heathen 