Getting hold of a particular version of the Bible

[PeachesMcLean]

OK, I know nothing about the different versions of the Bible, but my mum has become interested in it as a book over the last few years.

In a recent conversation with her, she swears it's not possible to buy a version these days that starts "In the beginning was the word, and the word was God" (apologies if I've got the quote wrong, but I mean the standard one everyone thinks the bible starts with)

She says she's looked and can't find one. She likes the olde fashioned English. I'm thinking of getting hold of one for Christmas, but don't really know what I'm looking for.

Can anyone give me any clues?

King James Bible
Still very much in print

Well you wouldn't find a Bible that starts with that sentence, because Genesis is the first book and that quote is from John!

daisymoo! See! I said I knew nothing. And presumably my mum's been to waterstones and looked at the first page and huffed off cos it's not what she wants LOL

So what is the standard first line???

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" I think

I think your mum's version is a snappier start for the Bible though

that is it, Daisymoo, this text was one of my first Hebrew set texts, very easy as we all knew it in English!

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth....

What your mum is looking for is the opening of St John's Gospel (as DaisyMoo says). There are lots of different versions of the bible available online, so you/your mum could browse and find the one that she likes best. One I use quite a lot is the Blue Letter Bible site (will do you a link in a mo... will have to go to look for it). But I'm with Marina (... but, of course ) - if she likes it for the language then it has to be the King James.

Whoops. Very slow posting today.

Blue Letter Bible site is here

I dunno. See, as a good first line, I quite like that. You could compare it to first lines in Jane Austen's novels, it's quite impressive that God created the heaven and the earth. And just at the beginning! What ever did he do next? you'd have to ask.

Sorry, slow x post in response to Daisymoo earlier.

This site has about 20 different English versions, so you can type in Genesis 1 and see which version you think your mother would like the best!

(I think it's a great beginning too - endless possibilities for ways the plot might unfold...)

Definitely sounds like its the King James she wants.

KS is full of thee's, thou's and -ths in general!

Sounds perfect for her Any book shop should sell one or if not - St Andrews Bookshop online will do it

King James Version of the Bible has the same verse as you quoted- TBS (Trinitarian Bible Society) have a good selection, different covers, size of print, etc. Metropolitan Tabernacle Bookshop in London have a superb online bookstore- fast delivery- competitive prices too. Check out online, for bibles + lots of other literature to help your Mum. I think KJ the best, nearest to the original text- can't beat that- nothing taken out, nothing added! Pure scripture! Hope your mum gets much of the Lord's blessing in reading it!

rosieyorkshirelass, oo, I like you, that's my favourite online Christian bookstore.

cough cough would dispute the 'nothing added' comment on KJV... for example, 1 John Chapter 5 verse 7 has a definition of the trinity ?there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one? which is a 3rd/4th century edition, and was not part of the original letter of John.

But I digress...

lol!

true enough MaryBS, on that one text - but I'm going to be controversial and say I think that the KJV is still more honest than many a modern translation, because it Italicizes words the translators add in to complete the English sense.

Actually, that's really naughty of me because I'm going offline now

I really don't mind what version people use as long as they read the thing and put it into practice...

Not in my version it doesn't! My version also has St Paul writing Hebrews as well...

I like NRSV myself, although my KJV does come out for comparison purposes...

Meant to add a

I'm SO competitive sometimes

I don't want to cause an friction here, the KJV is the one I feel the most comfortable with. That is my personal choice- each to their own. Compare NIV though with the KJV, and you will see how missing words, or changing words can put a whole different meaning to a text. Its a minefield out there with different versions. Like you say SueBaroo- the most important thing is putting God's Word into practice, in our everyday practical living, with His help & guidance.

Actually the KJV's main fault is the original Greek/Hebrew texts it's translated from are not the most reliable or the most widely used now.

The NIV aims to faithfully translate the sentence as a unit of communication, it tries to get the meaning of the sentence across taking into account how language has evolved.

The NRSV tries to faithfully translate the individual words.

But KJV is probably the best for what your mum wants Peaches

:O

or even

I will let you off sandybeach!! No comment!