Fans of Amish Fiction discussion

I have a personal question that I would like to get some input on from the group. I am looking to purchase myself a new paper bible (not for the kindle). I do have a God's Word version on my kindle but I would like to have one to hold and easily flip through in paper. Sometimes the best things to read are when you randomly open it!

Since I have been reading lots of Christian and Amish fiction, I have rediscovered my faith as a Christian. I have been reading a daily devotional in the morning and I have started to read the bible. I have a full paper bible (new and old testament) that I received from my parents over 30+ years ago for my first communion. I would like to treat myself to a new one now that I am an adult.

What translation would you recommend that is easy to read and understand? My neighbor recommended the NIV (New International Version).

Here are two that I found over on Christianbooks.com that I am considering:

1) New NIV Women's Devotional Bible Softcover 1984
http://www.christianbook.com/niv-wome...

2) True Identity: The Bible for Women (NIV), Softcover 1984
http://www.christianbook.com/true-ide...

Does anyone have any other recommendations or comments to help me decide? I am planning to go the the CBD warehouse sale next Saturday (3/24/12) with my neighbor if she can switch days off with someone. I am waiting to buy it until then in case I can find one for a good deal.

Diane, I've used the NIV since I was a child and it's definitely really readable. I do find that some more modern translations (such as the NLT, which some of my friends have complained about) can change the meaning of some statements, but the NIV is the one that I've found to retain the closest meaning to the original and is still easy to understand and read without making you trip over old fashioned language. I just have a basic NIV Bible with a concordance at the back but I like the idea of one with a devotional in it :)

However, on my Kindle I use the HSCB Bible, which I think is an American translation? I haven't seen it much in the UK. I got it free and decided to continue using it rather than buying an NIV for my Kindle as it's a similar translation. Maybe a bit more modern and simplified but it still retains the true meaning when I compare different translations.

When I was a teenager I had one of those cool, colourful Bibles aimed at young adults. Mine was the NLT translation, which I liked at the time as it had little stories and insights at the bottom of every second page. I used to get distracted at church and read those while the pastor was speaking though, LOL. A lot of people like this translation, but my youth leader pointed out that it changed every use of the word "covenant" to "commitment" and this made me wonder how much else had been altered ever so slightly. I still used it while I was in high school and liked the added extras in my Bible, but then I gave it to my brother when I went to university, and I went back to my NIV. But the NLT is also very easy to understand.

Hope this helps! Have fun choosing your Bible - there are so many options out there now! My mum first started using the NIV Bible back in 1984 when it was released, and she said it was pretty radical back then as everyone at her church used the New King James translation, which really isn't that readable, especially if you're a new or young Christian. It's crazy how much there is available now.

I've never read from a translation I didn't enjoy. I think maybe the best bet is going to the CBD sale and opening your heart to listen to which Bible the Lord leads you to! :)

Awww... I'm going to check out some colleges next week and therefore I will miss this CBD sale! *sob*

Diane, personally I use the New American Standard. I find that it is easier to read than the Old King James and Old American Standard. It is easier in the respect that it replaces outdated words with more currently understood words to avoid unnecessary confusion, however unlike the New International Version it doesn't tend to paraphrase the verses as much. (No offense, NIV readers. I respect your decision and I am not judging you for it.)

May God bless your search! The best advice I can give you is to pray about it, then select a translation you feel is the best for you.

What colleges are you looking at Sarah?? :)

It's a conservative college down in Florida: http://www.floridacollege.edu/ I'm really excited! :)

Thanks for the input everyone!

I was able to download kindle samples of the two bibles that I listed above. After reading through them, I am really leaning towards New NIV Women's Devotional Bible Softcover 1984. I like the way that the devotionals read, like they were written for me, a Christian woman. I am hoping that it will be available at the CBD sale or else I'll have to wait a little while longer for it to come in the mail. Lol!

does everyone here know about e-sword.net ? excellent free bible study software.. with word processor devotionals in dozens of languages at once ... hover over a word and see the strongs for it..etc etc.. the best!! e-sword.net check it out and tell others too.

I hadn't heard of that Katie, I will look into it!

Camille wrote: "I've never read from a translation I didn't enjoy. I think maybe the best bet is going to the CBD sale and opening your heart to listen to which Bible the Lord leads you to! :)"

I do like your idea Camille but I've heard how busy and crowded it is at those sales that I might not hear God! LOL! If I at least have a couple in mind before I get there, then I can decide on which one, if they are both available, with all the traffic around me.

I realize I am older than most of you, but my heart is with the old King James version. To me, it is sometimes a little ponderous and difficult to understand, but at the same time, its is such sweet music to my soul!! The older phraseology speaks to my heart in a way the newer versions simply don't.

Even so, I believe everyone should use the version they feel most comfortable with, as that comfort will make it more likely that they will continue to read. And isn't that the main point?

Absolutely Karen!!!

Definitely, I agree, Karen! I think that's why I changed translations when I was a teenager as I was at a different point in my life and felt more comfortable about hearing from God when I moved to a different Bible.

I think it's kind of like denominations; we still believe in the same God. So as long as you're comfortable with your translation, it doesn't matter if other people read a different type of Bible as it's still God's word. :)

I have also used NIV since my teen years but I do have the Women's Devotional NIV version and really like it and both of my daughters have it and love to read the devotionals in the Bible. I feel like that is a good choice. Sarah where is that college located in Fl. U may b my neighbor.

Lisa wrote: "I have also used NIV since my teen years but I do have the Women's Devotional NIV version and really like it and both of my daughters have it and love to read the devotionals in the Bible. I feel..."

Thanks Lisa for your input, especially since you own it! I am leaning towards that one too. Now I just have to see if I can find it at the CBD sale! Wish me luck!

I really like the True Identity NIV bible too. My problem with it is that is one column instead of two and is a smidge larger than the other one making it very difficult to find a cover for it online (never mind at the sale).

Also all the reviews that I read about it on CBD and Amazon say that it is more geared to someone in their 20's or 30's so I am afraid that it may not be as relevent to me (I will be 40 in November).

Age is but a state of mind Diane! ;)

I had a successful trip to CBD on Saturday. Here is the bible I purchased:

http://www.christianbook.com/niv-appl...

I found it in the discount area that was imprinted with someone's name (which was Charity ~ which means Love) and then covered over it. The retail price was $59.99, CBD regular price was $37.49 and I got it for $8.99. Other than the name, it is perfect condition and I love the colors!

I know it was not one of the ones I was considering but my friend Denise said that this would be the bible I would move to next and for the price it was a great deal.

It has tons of notes that explain the verse as well as helps you to understand it's relevancy to you today and how to apply it to your life. For example, in Genesis 2, it discussed Adam and Eve. The notes compared it to how a young child can run into a full room of people naked and not be bothered by it. It makes more sense when you can see how to use it today.

It may be a little more than I originally wanted out of a bible, but I am learning how to use it so that I will get the most out of what I am reading.

I also got The Bride Bargain (Prairie Promises, #1), The Bride Backfire and The Bride Blunder for $1.99 each. Then I got A Thousand Tomorrows & Just Beyond The Clouds and A Time to Dance/A Time to Embrace (A Time to Dance Series 1-2) for $4.99 each. Then I got The Lightkeeper's Daughter and The Lightkeeper's Ball as one book for $3.99 and Blue Moon Promise for $8.99 and all of them were signed and personalized by Colleen Coble. Plus I bought the movie Fireproof with Kirk Cameron for $5.

Then after we checked out, there were tons of FREE books outside with a limit of 5 per customer. I got 2 copies each of The Parting and The Forbidden in hardcover and Love Is Monumental. It was a fun day and I only spent $45!

I've used so many translations over my life :). For beauty and easy memorization, I often go back to KJV. I grew up reading the NKJV after graduating from a Children's version; I forget what the exact name is right now. As a teenager, I got introduced to the NASB and still use it a great deal of the time. But I also read the Message (a modern paraphrase) regularly, and I occasionally check out the NIV, but it's not my favorite. :)

I have grown up on the KJV Bible I believe believe that it is the inspired word of God and I would highly recommend it!