Don’t listen to the, “Voice” because it isn’t the Word!

I am pretty picky about Bible translations.  Call me crazy, but I think we shouldn’t try to make the Bible easier to read.  I mean come on, how hard is it to read already?  What more do you want?  It has been translated into English in the KJV, NKJV, NASB, and ESV.  If you can’t understand the last three a new translation isn’t going to help you however, a G.E.D. or E.S.L. class might.  People don’t fail to read the Bible because it is over their reading skill.  They fail to read it because it is beyond their desire scale.  They simply don’t want to.  The unregenerate find it boring at best and offensive at worst.  The, “Voice” claims that people need this version because the others are too difficult to understand.  I say, “Hogwash!”  Thomas Nelson got purchased and now it is all about the bottom line.  They have to have their own copy written versions to print so they can keep all the cash.  Lockman Foundation and Crossway made their translations copy written to keep other from changing them.  They did it to protect the translation from those who would do violence to the Word.

If a person is regenerate and has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we know that they will desire to read the word and it will be understood by them.  We also know that God’s word is always relevant and efficacious.  So instead of twisting it all around to fit some emergent church movement agenda how about we just do good faithful translations and leave all of the Creative Teams and Writing Teams out of it.  Hers is the, url for the list of contributors on the Voice Writing/Creative Team, http://www.hearthevoice.com/team Notice these names on the list Brian McLaren, and Phyllis Tickle.  They are two of the most heretical emergent church movement leaders.

So for my litmus test I always compare what the new version says in John 1:1-14 to my good old NASB.

Here is the text from the, “Voice”

1Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking.   The Voice was and is God.	1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.	I believe the NASB is actually easier to understand here than the Voice lol.
2This celestial Word remained ever present with the Creator;	2He was in the beginning with God.	Ditto my previous statement.
3His speech shaped the entire cosmos.   Immersed in the practice of creating,   all things that exist were birthed in Him.	3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.	Nope, I checked the Greek, they added all the artsy verbiage.
4His breath filled all things   with a living, breathing light—	4In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.	ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· Word for Word the NASB is the same as the Greek.
5A light that thrives in the depths of darkness,   blazes through murky bottoms.   It cannot and will not be quenched.	5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.	Light thrives? Did these clowns even read the Bible first?  Hey Phd’s do a word study κατέλαβεν.
6A man named John, who was sent by God, was the first to clearly articulate the source of this Light.	6There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.	So they just added,” was the first to clearly articulate the source of this Light.” Because, you know, they are smarter than God…NOT!
7This baptizer put in plain words the elusive mystery of the Divine Light so all might believe through him. Some wondered whether he might be the Light,	7He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.	Tell me again how the Voice is supposed to be a simpler, easier to read version ha! What a joke.  It is a perversion.
8but John was not the Light. He merely pointed to the Light.	8He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.	Μαρτυρέω to testify or bear witness…  I wonder where they got, “pointed?”
9The true Light, who shines upon the heart of everyone, was coming into the cosmos.	9There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.	The English word, “cosmos” doesn’t have the same meaning as the Greek word, ”kosmos.”
10He entered our world, a world He made; yet the world did not recognize Him.	10He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.	Again, NASB more accurate and simple.
11Even though He came to His own people, they refused to listen and receive Him.	11He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.	ditto
12But for all who did receive and trust in Him, He gave them the right to be reborn as children of God;	12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,	ditto
13He bestowed this birthright not by human power or initiative but by God’s will.	13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.	The Voice loses some of the meaning retained in the NASB.
14The Voice took on flesh and became human and chose to live alongside us. We have seen Him, enveloped in undeniable splendor—the one true Son of the Father—evidenced in the perfect balance of grace and truth.	14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.	Λόγος Logos!!! Not voice.  You just called Sovereign God a voice when He called Jesus the Word!  Repent! ARRRRGG!!! I can’t go on!

 

So in conclusion, DON’T READ OR BUY THE STINKING VOICE VERSION OF THE BIBLE!!!  IT ISN’T THE BIBLE, IT IS A SCAM TO MAKE MONEY AND TWIST THE WORD OF GOD SO EMERGENT NUTS CAN CORRUPT THE TRUE FAITH!!!