Tag: thomas nelson

You want it both ways? So does Thomas Nelson. My Review of the Thomas Nelson Full Color Hardcover 2nd Edition Study Bible.
Bible Reviews

You want it both ways? So does Thomas Nelson. My Review of the Thomas Nelson Full Color Hardcover 2nd Edition Study Bible.

Bob Snyder3 Comments

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First I’m going to address the physical attributes of this Bible and its features with minimal critiques and then I will flesh out my opinions of the essays and notes included in this Bible. Keep in mind that part of the review is highly subjective depending on your theological position.

The Bible arrived sufficiently packaged in a cardboard box.

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It is a pretty big Bible as most study Bibles tend to be.  It measures approximately nine and half by six and three quarters by two inches and weighs a little less than four pounds.  It sells for about thirty three dollars on most internet retail sites.  The Bible has a dust jacket.

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I don’t like dust jackets.  They always get in the way.  Some people like to use them to mark their place, but I’d rather have some good quality ribbon markers.  This one only comes with a single brown ribbon marker.

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The hardcover itself is nice enough.  It has kind of a brown marbled look.  It is made in China, but seems to be well manufactured despite that fact.

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The binding is sewn.  The Bible opens and lays flat right out of the box.

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I expect if it is treated well it should last a long time.  It does have a lifetime warranty.

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It comes with a free download that I found quite useless.  It is not a download of the entire Bible.  Crossway gives you access to their study Bible online when you purchase theirs.   It is laid out really well and makes good use of the full color printing.  It is a double column paragraph format with references in the center column and notes at the bottom of the page.

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Each chapter has a book introduction and outline.  There are full color features like maps, word studies, essays, and photos dispersed throughout.

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The impression I got from reading some of the articles and notes is that this is a Bible for the masses. If you are Reformed, you’ll probably want about half of the notes removed.  If you are Arminian you’ll probably want about half of the notes removed.  If you don’t know what either of those are, you’ll probably love this study Bible.  That is just the impression that I got.  It could be that I am being overly sensitive.  Most people will find the notes well balanced between the two predominate theological positions.

An example of that is the language used in the explanation of women’s roles in the Church. It goes to extreme lengths to be sensitive to readers who might not agree with the biblical position and then briefly states the biblical position and then tries to scoot past in hopes of nobody noticing.  This technique usually pleases nobody and only confuses neophytes.  Of course if you wanted a study Bible that was more aligned with your position I imagine you could find one.  I like the MacArthur Study Bible, ESV Study Bible, and the Reformation Study Bible.  When you get a bunch of theologians from different tents within the camp of Christianity together to contribute to a study Bible, you end up with the modern study Bible.  It isn’t supposed to be a systematized theological work.

I actually would recommend the Holman NKJV Study Bible over the Thomas Nelson. You can read my review of it here.  I think the entirety of it is a little more honest and direct.  Think NonDenom vs SBC…  I think that sums it up.

 

 

 

ISBN: 0529114380

ISBN-13: 9780529114389

I received this Bible from the publisher gratis for the purpose of review and am under no obligation to render a positive review.

Bible Reviews · Theology

The Voice isn’t the Word!

Bob Snyder1 Comment

book3d

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!!!