Tag Archive for 'Bible'

Philippians 4:13 TNIV

Philippians 4:13 NASB
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13 NIV
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 TNIV
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

I really like the TNIV rendering. Can you imagine if the TNIV was the standard rendering throughout the years how this wouldn’t be constantly taken out of context (shown below) and/or misinterpreted?

Philippians 4:11-13 TNIV
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

I’m not only learning the importance of context but also that the word all or everything isn’t always “an amount or quantity from which nothing is left out or held back” even in English:

Everything
1.
a. All things or all of a group of things.
b. All relevant matters: told each other everything.
2. The most important fact or consideration: In business, timing is everything.
American Heritage Dictionary

Brief NLT Study Bible Observations

I won this from commenting on the NLT blog. I was very surprised to get mine this early. Thank you very much to Tyndale.

The dust cover has been removed for these photos. I think they could have done without it. Having the design on the hardcover looks very nice and is similar to what the BECNT and NIVAC commentaries do for example.

NLTSB

The pages are very thin and there is quite a bit of bleed through compared to what I’m used to. I wouldn’t mind if the Bible was 15% thicker with heavier paper but I’m sure even more people would then complain about how the Bible is too heavy and thick. Since it’s a study Bible I think this is just fine and it’s not bad enough to reduce readability. I would trust the publisher knows what people want and struck the right balance. The photo below shows the NIV Thompson Chain Reference Bible and a typical pew Bible so you can see that it’s relatively compact.

NLTSB

I have two other very minor gripes.

The red letter text isn’t quite consistent in color saturation level from page to page. When it’s darker and more saturated it’s easier to read. Maybe in subsequent printings this will be taken care of. Most people probably won’t even notice this. (Sorry I pointed it out.) Of course this could be easily fixed by not having red letters! But we won’t belabor that point.

In the Hebrew and Greek Word Studies, transliterations of the Hebrew and Greek are used without the actual Hebrew and Greek words being shown. I’ve learned the Greek alphabet and would like to see the actual Greek words in addition to the phonetic English transliteration of the underlying word. I look forward to using this feature in any case.

NLTSB

One of my favorite features at first perusal are the Theme Notes. I call them little surprises. They pop up here and there and they’re like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re going to get. For example, in the middle of Ezekiel you’ll find God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility. These are usually a few paragraphs at the most and include Scripture references to the left of the text. This can be seen on page 5 of the NLT Study Bible Features Guide (PDF file) in the lower left.

For a list of reviews please see the NLT Study Bible Reviews Roundup page.

Some Bible Images for Suzanne McCarthy and TC Robinson

I thought Suzanne McCarthy and TC Robinson would appreciate these.

Learn more about the ESV Study Bible

Learn more about the ESV Study Bible

Learn more about the ESV Study Bible

Learn more about the ESV Study Bible

From Buttons for Your Blog or Website

I am a neutral party just giving them a hard time.

Hopefully somebody will find them useful. Please go to the above link to copy the code if you would like to use them.

Naked Lady

Here is a picture of a Lily nicknamed Naked Lady because it has no leaves. It’s also called Surprise Lily or Magic Lily. It’s proper name is Belladonna Lily.

Lily - Naked Lady

I thought I would post this picture I took recently and use the name to get more hits from Google. (smiley would go here)

And more importantly it goes so well with Scripture.

Matthew 6:28-34 NLT
And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Photo © Scripture Zealot

Other Blogs: Bible Translation Posts

Demystifying Bible Translation and Where Our Culture Is with Inclusive Language — by Craig Blomberg

Bible Translation Matters — by Esteban Vázquez

Bible Translation by Committee — by Keith Williams on the NLT Blog

Neglect by design: the Hebrew Scriptures in modern Christian translations — Iyov

The last three mention the first.

Quotes On Reading the Bible

It was only yesterday, after laying down the Bible, that I wondered what kind of mind I would have had if I had not the Book of God, the Book containing the astounding idea of ‘from everlasting to everlasting,’ the development of all that is worth knowing … One would think, that as I have critically and, I think, devoutly read and examined every verse, every word in the Bible, some a score of times over, I should not require to open the pages of that unspeakable blessed Book. Alas, for the human memory! I read the Bible today with the same feeling I ever did, like the hungry when seeking food, the thirsty when seeking drink, the bewildered when seeking counsel and the mourner when seeking comfort. Don’t you believe all this? For alas, I read it sometimes as a formal thing, though my heart condemns me afterwards … I am yet astonished at my own ignorance of the Bible!

–Robert Moffat

HT: Challies.com

There is something about the Bible that can instill confidence in God in a way that nothing else can. God speaks to our hearts through his Spirit, and we come into closer relation to him.

–G.K. Beale, 1-2 Thessalonians

We have become so accustomed to hearing preachers or expositors, as important as that is, that many in the process have abandoned the grand privilege of personally hearing from God’s Word daily.

–Ravi Zacharias

Esther Wordled

Since the book of Esther doesn’t mention God I thought it would be interesting to see what it does mention so I Wordled it using the ESV. It didn’t turn out very interesting but since I took the time to do it I thought I’d post it. Click on the image to see a larger one.

Esther

Esther contains the longest verse in the Bible:

Esther 8:9 HCSB
On the twenty-third day of the third month (that is, the month Sivan), the royal scribes were summoned. Everything was written exactly as Mordecai ordered for the Jews, to the satraps, the governors, and the officials of the 127 provinces from India to Cush. [The edict was written] for each province in its own script, for each ethnic group in its own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

Esther Study on NLT’s Web Site

“The Source” Bible Translation

This is a new one for me. I found out about it at Theo Geek which is a blog I do not endorse. But for those of you who like to collect translations and didn’t know about this one, I thought I would mention it. You can find the NT as a PDF file here. I notice it has a lot of exclamation marks!

I thought I’d post a quick sample:

Romans 12:9-21 The Source
9-13 Your love must not be overly critical. Strongly detest evil! Cling to good! Your love for the fellow believers is to be affectionate and warm. Honor one another above yourselves. Do not hesitate to be eager. Be spiritually boiling hot as a slave servant to the Lord!

Be joyful when you hope, have endurance when you are oppressed,
persist obstinately when you pray! Be in partnership with the needs of the
people devoted to God! Go after opportunities to be hospitable!

14-21 Bless those who persecute you! Bless them and do not call down
curses upon them! Rejoice with those who rejoice, and cry with those who
cry! Think along the same lines as each other! Do not be high minded!

Rather, associate with those of low social standing. Do not become
conceited.

Do not repay bad with bad. Have a concern beforehand about what is
favorable in the sight of all people.

If possible on your part, live at peace with all people.

Do not take revenge, my dearly loved ones, but leave room for God’s
anger, as the Scriptures say: “’Vengeance is mine, I indeed will repay,’
says the Lord.”

On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed them! If they’re
hungry, give them a drink! For by doing this, you will heap coals of fire
on their head!”

Do not conquer by doing bad things, but conquer bad things by doing
good things!

The Real Jesus

The Real Jesus

Jesus on the radio, Jesus on a late night show
Jesus in a dream, looking all serene
Jesus on a steeple, Jesus in the Gallup poll
Jesus has His very own brand of rock and roll

Watched Him on the silver screen
Bought the action figurine
But Jesus is the only name that makes you flinch

Oh, can anybody show me the real Jesus?
Oh, let Your love unveil the mystery of the real Jesus

Jesus started something new
Jesus coined a phrase or two
Jesus split the line at the turning point of time
Jesus sparked a controversy
Jesus, known for His mercy, gave a man his sight
Jesus isn’t white

Jesus loves the children, holds the lambs
Jesus prays a lot
Jesus has distinguishing marks on His hands

If anybody walks behind the Good Shepherd
If anybody holds the hands that heal lepers
And if you recognize the eyes that see forever, please…

Jesus, Jesus
Oh, can anybody show me Jesus
Oh, let Your love unveil the glory, the real Jesus

Oh, can anybody show me the real Jesus?
Oh, let Your love unveil the glory of the real Jesus, the real Jesus

–From the album Wide Eyed and Mystified by Downhere, a free download down here.

The song begins as a commentary on Western culture’s numerous misunderstandings of the person of Christ, but it quickly reveals itself as a call to the church to proactively wrestle with what it means to live as Christ’s representatives in the world.

Galatians 5:6 HCSB
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.

1 John 4:14-17 HCSB
And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God–God remains in him and he in God. 16 And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

17 In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; for we are as He is in this world.

1 John 3:23 HCSB
Now this is His command: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us.

Also see:
Jesus, Made in America

Other Blogs: General Thoughts on Translations

These are a little old and many of you have seen them but I thought I would point them out for those who haven’t.

Who Translated the New Living Translation? (And More Thoughts on Advocating English Translations) - Internet Monk (good comments too)

Speaking of the NLT, here is a feature on their web site where you can easily look up popular verses/passages. There are so many familiar passages making it easy to get a good feel for it. There are also three in-depth comparisons.

Update: And a newer post on the NLT.

One “Best” Translation? - living the crucified life (ironically, most of the comments may be contrary to what the post is about)

Silver

search for it as for silver

Psalm 12:6 TNIV
And the words of the Lord are flawless,
like silver purified in a crucible,
like gold refined seven times.

Psalm 66:10 TNIV
For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.

Proverbs 2:1-5 TNIV
My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding–
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

Silver, in the form of electrum (a gold-silver alloy), was coined to produce money in around 700 BCE by the Lydians. Later, silver was refined and coined in its pure form. Many nations used silver as the basic unit of monetary value (see Silver standard). The words for ’silver’ and ‘money’ are the same in at least 14 languages.

Wikipedia

Impatiens

Photos © Scripture Zealot
Bible: TNIV Thinline
Flower: Impatiens

Challenge: Wordle Your Blog

If you have a Christian/biblio blog, what are you really writing about? I’d like to issue a challenge. Wordle your blog.*

See what it looks like. Are the biggest (most commonly used) words a person you’re obsessed with, politician, ideology or something other than what you intended your blog to be about?

Please excuse this diversion from the regular programming here. This is something I’d like to put out there. I’ll leave it at that.

I hope this doesn’t appear to be prideful but I’ve included a couple of images of this blog. You can click on each one to see a larger one and then use your Back button.

All the text on the front page as of 7/15/08 (25 posts plus all the other stuff on the page):

Wordle

The text from the RSS feed (10 days):

Blog Feed

I think I will do this from time to time to make sure I’m on the right track. I was a little disturbed at all the translation references (this blog should be more about Scripture than its translations) until I realized that almost all Scripture references on this site have the translation cited.

*Go to the front page of your blog. If on Windows (I’m not sure how it works on other platforms but if you’re using a Mac or Linux you should be pretty smart) press Ctrl-A which will highlight all the text on your blog. Then press Ctrl-C to copy the text of your blog. Go to http://wordle.net/create, click on a blank part of the text box and press Ctrl-V to paste the text and click Go. Alternatively you can copy the link of your blog’s feed and use the next section down although the feed may only be for a certain amount of days. Obviously the number of posts on your first page will also affect the representation.

(You can do this with other people’s blogs too.)

Counter-cultural Verse of the Day

Jeremiah 10:23 NET
LORD, we know that people do not control their own destiny.
It is not in their power to determine what will happen to them.

Blogs Devoted to Bible Translations - New NLT Blog

Various people have been letting us know about the new NLT Blog (New Living Translation). Editor and contributor Keith Williams has posted on other blogs when translation issues come up and also has a blog called the NLT Study Bible Blog.

Other blogs that I know of are the ESV Bible Blog and TNIV Truth, an independent blog.

Updated:
NLT Study Bible Blog
NET Bible Revolution

Any others?

Five Bible Verses You Would Pray in the Morning

If you had to select only five or six verses you would pray every morning which ones would they be?

My choices as of now are:

Psalms 86:11 HCSB
Teach me Your way, Lord,
and I will live by Your truth.
Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name.

Luke 9:23 HCSB
If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Luke 11:3 HCSB
Give us each day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:33 HCSB
seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness

Luke 22:42 HCSB
“…not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Colossians 1:11-12 NRSV
may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Psalm 19:14 HCSB
May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to You,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

If you’d like to list your own, please do so here or make a new post on your blog and let us know.

Four Great Passages On Who Christ Jesus Is

John 1:1-14 HCSB
In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man named John who was sent from God. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. 12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. 14 The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Philippians 2:5-11 HCSB
Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death–even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow–of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth– 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Colossians 1:15-20 HCSB
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation; 16 because by Him everything was created, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. 19 Because all the fullness was pleased to dwell in Him, 20 and to reconcile everything to Himself through Him by making peace through the blood of His cross — whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Hebrews 1:2-3 HCSB
In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the universe. 3 He is the radiance of His glory, the exact expression of His nature, and He sustains all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

How about memorizing all of them? I’m one for four so far.

ISV v2.0 Preview Release E-sword Module

“It is NOT supported by e-Sword at the present time because the Old Testament portion remains incomplete. We have tested this module, and except for a few cosmetic issues, the module appears to be functional…”

ISV v2.0 Preview Release E-sword Module

Most of the OT is there now.

Wordle Word Clouds of Smaller Books of the Bible

Wordle has been getting popular among bibliobloggers. I thought I would do some smaller books of the Bible. Click on an image to see a larger one and use your browser’s Back button to come back.

Ephesians–TNIV on the left and HCSB on the right:

Ephesians - TNIV

Ephesians - HCSB

Malachi ESV:
Malachi

Philippians ESV:
Philippians

Titus ESV:
Titus

Philemon TNIV:
Philemon

Jude ESV:
Jude

See:
The Bible, Wordled - ESV Blog
The complete text of the ESV Bible
The Wordle New Testament - The Crazy Australian
Tag Cloud of My Colossians Translation - According to the Scriptures
Wordle - Make Your Own

Calvinism and Arminianism

Here are some posts related to a passage that doesn’t usually come up in comparisons.
Luke slips in predestination… - He Is Sufficient
Acts 13:48 - “Appointed” or “Disposed?” - I follow Christ
Acts 13:48: Arminian? Calvinistic? - Connecting
Acts 13:48 An Exegetical Study - Love Acceptance Forgiveness

For books related to this subject:
Arminianism and Calvinism Books: A Starter List

Arminianism:
Arminian Perspectives
Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Arminian - Roger E. Olson

Psalm 139:16 TNIV
your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Acts 13:48 HCSB
When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the message of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Romans 8:29 HCSB
For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 9:14-16 HCSB
What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For He tells Moses: I will show mercy to whom I show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God who shows mercy.
and also:
Romans 10:9-10 HCSB
if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation.

Ephesians 1:11 HCSB
In Him we were also made His inheritance, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will,

2 Timothy 1:9 HCSB
who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.

How these two sides of God’s truth—His sovereignty in choosing us (Rom. 9) and our responsibility to confess and believe (Rom. 10)—reconcile is impossible for us to understand fully. But Scripture declares both perspectives of salvation to be true (John 1:12-13). It’s our duty to acknowledge both and joyfully accept them by faith.

–John MacArthur

1 Timothy 2:4 HCSB
who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9 HCSB
The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

Ezekiel 33:11 HCSB
Tell them: As I live”-the declaration of the Lord God-”I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?

HCSB Bible Translation Web Sites

If you are interested in this translation here are some links for you:
Interview with Dr. Ed Blum, General Editor for the HCSB
HCSB links
HCSB at Better Bibles Blog
Choosing a modern Bible translation, part 3 - He Is Sufficient
Wretched translations! ESV vs. HCSB: Romans 7:13-25 - He Is Sufficient
HCSB at THIS LAMP - scroll through for relevant posts
Brief Thoughts on the Holman Christian Standard Bible
Search for a mediating translation: TNIV vs HCSB vs NAB – a conclusion

Any others?

Updated: 7/15/08