December 10, 2014 – Snyder's Soapbox

Normally I start a review with all of the unboxing and physical qualities of the Bible I’m reviewing. This is going to be an exception. I am not a Koine Greek expert or scholar. I just know the Greek alphabet and some very basic basics so don’t expect any sage wisdom or keen insights into the Greek from me on this review. That being said, the reason I am listing all of the info from Hendrickson’s site is that there are many Greek New Testaments out there and I want to make sure that if you are looking to purchase one that you don’t accidently get one you aren’t after. After the information from the American Publisher I will do my usual review process.

This Greek New Testament is a parallel New Testament with the Nestle-Aland Greek on one page and the New Revised Standard Version or NRSV and Revised English Bible on the opposing page. Here is some info pulled from Hendrickson’s page;

Product Description

This is the twenty-eighth edition of the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28). NA28 is the standard scholarly edition of the Greek New Testament used by scholars, Bible translators, professors, students, and pastors worldwide. Now NA28 has been revised and improved: • Critical apparatus revised and easier to use • Papyrii 117-127 included for the first time • In-depth revision of the Catholic Epistles, with more than 30 changes to the upper text • Scripture references systematically reviewed for accuracy • The NA28 with NRSV/REB Greek-English New Testament includes the 28th edition of the Nestle Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, the New Revised Standard Version, and the Revised English Bible.

Editor Bio

The Institute for New Testament Textual Research is located at the University of Münster. Their central task is to research the textual history of the New Testament and to reconstruct its Greek initial text on the basis of the entire manuscript tradition, the early translations and patristic citations. Foremost among the results of this research is the ongoing publication of the Editio Critica Maior. The Institute produces several more editions and a variety of tools for NT scholarship, including the concise editions known as the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece and the UBS Greek New Testament.

You can view it here, http://www.hendrickson.com/html/product/700352.trade.html?&category=all#curr

The New Testament arrived in a cardboard box from Hendrickson. It had airbag cushions and arrived undamaged.

Upon opening the box I was presented with the New Testament wrapped in plastic shrink wrap. The cover is a blue textured hardcover, but it is very thin book board.

It is almost exactly the same size as my Cambridge Clarion Bible. There are some notes on the translation in the front.

This New Testament is printed and bound in Germany.

It is a very nice sewn binding. I was a little doubtful of the book being worth $99.00 when I saw the cover, but once I opened it and saw the quality of the print and sewn binding along with the Greek, NSRV, and REB I thought better of it. I am not a fan of the NSRV. I would never buy that version as a standalone Bible. I believe that their gender inclusive directives for translating are not true to the overall context of the word of God. I am not very familiar with the REB. I was surprised that they were able to cram in the Greek and two English translations without making this New Testament bigger than it is. Of course being just a New Testament is the key to the size of this book. When you look at the inside covers of this New Testament you are seeing the only maps it has. If you purchased this I am certain you didn’t do so for maps though. You probably want to do some Greek studies. For that purpose I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I am not sure what size the font is. It isn’t specified in any of the information I’ve seen. It appears to be approximately 8 point font.

I’ll have to e-mail Hendrickson and ask them. When I find out I will post the information as an update. The print is sharp and clear contrasting well against this cream colored paper. The paper is opaque and smooth. It feels like a high quality Bible paper. I already mentioned that on one page you’ll have the Greek and then on the other you’ll have the NRSV and the REB. The NRSV is in plain type and the REB is in italics. There is one gold color ribbon marker that. It appears to be purposely frayed on the end.

The binding is very well done. It is sewn and flexible. I opened it right up and it didn’t need any breaking in. It opens past flat when you hold it in one hand.

I found it to be just the right size for reading or studying. In the back you’ll find the appendices. The only thing I’d like to see is this type of New Testament with the NASB instead of the NRSV. So there you have it, my review of a neat little Greek New Testament with two English translations in parallel.

Retail: $99.95 Size: 5.25 x 7.33 inches Binding: Cloth Hardcover Pages: 1728 Pub Date: April 2013 ISBN: 9781619700352 ISBN-13: 9781619700352 Item Number: 700352

How many people have picked up a Mormon KJV without knowing where it came from? How many people just took it for granted that it was the same as the 1611 authorized. Well, it isn’t. This is what they have to say about it on their site, ¹“As guided by the Spirit, Joseph spent about three years going through the Bible, making thousands of corrections to the text and restoring information that had been lost. This restored information sheds marvelous light on many doctrines that are not clearly presented in the Bible as it exists today. These inspired revisions to the text of the Bible are known as the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. Hundreds of passages from the Joseph Smith Translation are now included in the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Version of the Bible.”

Want to know why they don’t just use the Joseph Smith Bible? It is because the, “Reorganized Latter Day Saints” or as they are known now the, “Community of Christ” holds the copy right to the Joseph Smith translation. Of course it behooves them to not use that translation. Now that many of us have access to the very old Greek and Hebrew texts with some education we can easily tell that Joseph Smith’s version is a per-version. We can also contact experts on ancient texts as easily as sending them an e-mail and most of them are happy to explain how Joseph Smith’s per-version is completely, ludicrously, and laughably, the worst fraud attempt outside of the New Word Translation from the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

So they keep passing it off as the authorized KJV when it clearly is not and is even on their web page. Let’s face it, Mormons have a low regard for the Bible in comparison to their other documents anyway. Their 8^th article of faith explains that plainly, ²“We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” We can see that they hold the BOM in higher regard than the Bible and we know their theology and doctrines are completely anti-Christ.

So why do many Mormons insist it is the same KJV? One reason is that they just don’t know any better. Mormons like Christians have tons of ignorant people wandering about their ranks claiming to be one of them, while never having read or studied what it actually means to be, “one of them.” Theology and doctrine matter! We can’t just keep going on in ignorance. If you are Mormon, study your documents and see if you agree. If you can’t agree with your theology and doctrines, leave the church. If you are Christian, study your documents and see if you agree. If you can’t affirm you theology and doctrines then leave.

Of course the more insidious reason is that they are purposed deceivers working for Satan. Why not? He is their brother and according to them the brother of Jesus. They don’t see him the way he is explained in the Bible. You have to remember we are dealing with an unreasonable crowd here. Most of them have been so blinded by the devil that unless there is a miracle of regeneration worked in them they won’t even leave based on intellectual honesty and reason. They will suspend them for the sake of their fictitious system of obtaining godhood.

Seriously, how many 2000 year old Biblical texts do we have to dig up before they say, “Hmm, perhaps the Bible is reliable and Joseph was a lying sack of cult.” It is getting ri-freeking-diculous here folks. They actually have to willfully close their eyes, ears, and minds to all of the evidence against their false prophet just to keep believing. “I’m gonna be a god one day, I’m gonna be a god one day, I’m gonna be a god one day, I’m gonna be a god one day.” Really? Come on! That doesn’t sound a bit blasphemous or satanic to you? Really!? REALLY!!!???