The Holman Christian Standard Bible

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/HolmanChristianStandardBible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 1:16-21   I.         Publishers are producing more translations of the Bible, in part because a popular translation can lead to a good amount of profit from royalties.             A.        This means a drive to present the text of the Bible in modern terms for readability.             B.        In 2012 the most popular…

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What do you think of the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)?

Question: I would like to know your opinion concerning the HCSB translation as to its accuracy and what was used to arrive at the finished manuscript. I read that the Southern Baptists were instrumental in doing the translation and attempted to buy the NASB as a base translation. I use eSword on my computer and…

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My professor says your “The New International Version” paper is flawed

Question: I submitted Mr. Hamilton’s paper to my seminary professor, Dr. David Johnson, who teaches The History of The New Testament. He said: “The problem with the article is that (his claim is not accurate). The gnostic texts that were discovered were not biblical texts. The biblical texts that have been discovered since 1930 are…

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Which is the correct Lord’s Prayer?

Question: The Lord’s Prayer:  Protestants say “for Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever” but Catholics do not.  Why?  Which is correct? Thanks much. Answer: “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in…

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Is it wrong to use the NIV?

Question: I just found a site that is against the use of the NIV Bible and if you search on the site there are more against the NIV version. Well, I use the NIV, and I truly didn’t like hearing such bad things about the NIV. I use the NIV version and I studied a…

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Should it be “the faith” in Ephesians 2:8?

Question: Hi, I have been reading on your website and find it very informative. Just wanted to share a few things. I have been comparing various Bible translations. And of course, I see there are problems with many of them. I bought a very interesting Bible named the “The Everlasting Gospel” by Hugo McCord, Th.D.…

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What do you think about the Hebrew University Bible Project?

Question: I want to know if you found this news link rather interesting, and if you can put some comments about it: “In Jerusalem, scholars trace Bible’s evolution.” Answer: The Hebrew University Bible Project is in the process of doing textual criticism, which is not unusual for biblical documents. I have no idea about the…

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Why is Matthew 23:14 missing in some versions?

Question: How come every single Bible I have ever seen (I mean every kind, every version, every one) has a verse missing. The verse is Matthew 23:14. It’s like it doesn’t exist, the Bible goes 13 then 15 but no 14. Look at any Bible and I can almost guarantee that it is not there!…

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Is it “Eli” or “Eloi” in Matthew 27:46?

Question: God bless you my brothers and sisters of this church. Now I noticed when I was reading one of your articles on the calling that Jesus shouted while on the cross; I noticed that you have Matthew 27:46 incorrect. What it should say is “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” Not Eli. Answer: The verse is quoted correctly.…

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Why would someone not like the ESV?

Question: Why would someone not like the ESV? What is wrong with the ESV? I saw “Which Translation Should I Use?” concerning I Corinthians 7:15: “The ESV is the clearest that it is talking about slavery” I Corinthians 7:15 seems to be talking about marriage to me, not slavery. Answer: “But if the unbeliever departs, let him…

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What do you think about the “God’s Word” Translation?

Question: What do you think about the “God’s Word” Translation? Answer: God’s Word is a “dynamic equivalent” translation, which simply means it favors readability over strictly following the original text. It is on the order of the New Living Translation. It is less strict than the New International Version, but not quite to the level…

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Doesn’t more than one translation says “‘the Word was a god?”

Question: Regarding your statement on in “Jesus is God”: “To get what Jehovah’s Witnesses wish to claim, that Jesus was just a god in the sense that some men are “gods” in that they are God’s representatives you would need “and the Word was God” (καὶ θεός ?ν ὁ λόγος) in the Greek. This is why…

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Is it dangerous to use the NIV Bible?

Question: Is it dangerous to use the NIV Bible? Answer: Dangerous would be too strong of a word. It has many misleading translations, which if you are not aware of them could lead you to the wrong conclusion. See “The New International Version” for more details.

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Modern Versions and Perversions

by Joe R. Price There are over 450 versions of the Bible in English alone.  New versions continue to be published, not all of which have as their primary interest that of being a precise translation of the ancient manuscripts.  In fact, very few have that as their intended purpose.  The September 25, 1995 issue…

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What do you think about the 2011 version of the New International Version?

Question: USA Today, Wednesday, September 2, ran an article about the New International Bible. An updated version is coming out in 2011. Do you have an opinion about this Bible? What version do you use? Answer: The New International Version, while easy to read is a flawed translation. See “The New International Version” for details. The…

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What is God’s economy?

Question: Hi! I have a question concerning something I’ve seen in Ephesians and I Timothy. In Ephesians 1:10 it says, “Unto the economy of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in Him.” Ephesians 3:9 says, “And to enlighten…

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Why are translations in Greek instead of Hebrew, the language Jesus spoke in?

Question: Why are all of your translations in Greek instead of Hebrew, which would be the language Jesus spoke in? Answer: The following is specific toward Matthew, which is usually the one book people like to claim was originally written in Hebrew: Was Matthew originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic? The simple fact is that it…

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Are the translations “God-breathed?”

Question: Does II Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” apply to reputable translated versions of the Bible, not just the original copies?  I want to use this verse to state my point to someone that Acts 2:38 is translated properly and Mark 16:16…

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Which one translation would you recommend?

Question: I have been searching for articles online regarding which English version of the Bible would be best (most accurate) for me to purchase and use to study.  I happened across your web page: Which Bible translations are the best? But I don’t think one version was actually picked out above the rest, although many were…

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Why is “God” in Jonah 1:6 in lower case in some translations?

Question: Jonah 1:6 in NKJV & ASV show referring to God as “God.” The captain told Jonah to pray to his God. But in the NASB it refers to the Lord God Jehovah as “god.” Is this a typo with the printer? Why would the NASB show this?  Could it be that the captain was…

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Biblical Figures of Speech: Ellipsis

Text: Galatians 4:21-31   I.         In our everyday speech, we employ figures of speech constantly and rarely think about what we are doing.             A.        Figures of speech are important tools because they make points standout in a statement.             B.        When we recognize that a figure of speech in use, it helps us understand what is being said more…

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My King James Bible doesn’t say “once for all” in Jude 3

Question: “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). The words “for all” is not in the King James Version of the…

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Why are there so many translations?

Question: Why are there the KJV, NKJV, ASB, and NASB versions of God’s Word? Other than the language changing, I don’t get the idea for the different translations. Answer: The primary reason given for doing a new translation is to update the language to match modern terminology. While language shifts, it doesn’t shift so dramatically…

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Was Matthew originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic?

Question: One of the problems I would have with your explanation is whether or not Matthew wrote the words in Greek or did he write the words in the original Aramaic.  Most Bible scholars believe that Matthew wrote in Aramaic and while Mark’s words are almost identical, he too was a Jew who would have spoken a…

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Is the New World Translation Accurate?

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 8:19-22   I.         Members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses have become excited in recent times. An author with a Ph.D. after his name has written a book saying the New World Translation and the New American Bible (a Catholic translation) are the most accurate translations.             A.        He compared nine translations:                         1.         King James…

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Why do you say the New World Translation is not a reliable translation?

Question: On your web site, it reads that The New World Translation (NWT) “…is not a reliable translation”. Prof. Jason BeDuhn in his book Truth in Translation Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament (this is not the only book) would strongly disagree with your conclusion that the NWT “is not a reliable…

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Your information on the New International Version is totally wrong

Question: In “The New International Version,” your information is totally wrong. I looked up most of the meanings of the words that supposedly meant something else than what was originally said and you totally twisted everything up! Here is an obvious example, toward the end, was written: “Notice the subtle change from the idea that…

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What problems have you found in the ESV?

Question: A friend sent me your post regarding the translation known as ISV. I, like you, do not believe the ISV to be a consistent or accurate translation of the originals. I would like to ask you, what translation errors have you noted in your research of the ESV text? Finally, what seems to be more…

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What do you think about the International Standard Version?

Question: What do you think about the International Standard Version? Answer: I just happened to be doing a lesson at the time on various Bible translations, their good points, and their bad points, so I checked into the International Standard Version. What I found was awful. Never have I seen a more inconsistent translation. There…

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Could you explain the different translations of Psalm 51:5 in detail?

Question: Could you explain the difference between the NIV and the rest of the versions concerning Psalms 51:5? In detail, if you can. The NIV seems to be saying we are born sinful, while the rest indicates we are born into a sinful world. I understand the difference but I have a hard time explaining…

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What would be a good translation for children?

Question: I would like to buy a new Bible for my children that is easy to understand but is still in keeping with the Word of God. They currently have the King James Version. There are so many translations out there; you just don’t know which version to buy. Answer: You will find that most…

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Which Bible is the true Word of God?

Question: Which Bible is the true word of God? Answer: There is only one Bible. There are many different translations of that one Bible, but it remains that there is only one Bible. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one…

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Why don’t you use the King James Version?

Question: Why don’t you use the King James Version? Answer: The problem is that the English language has changed in the last 400 years. Here are some examples: “Against” used to merely mean opposite or confronting. Thus in I Samuel 25:20 “And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by…

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God Forbid!

by Benjamin M. Shropshire via Lifeline, 7/15/00 My use of the New King James Version in my preaching and teaching was criticized a few years ago on the basis that the phrase “Certainly not!” is used in place of “God Forbid!” in the old King James Version (see Romans 3:4,6, etc.). It was alleged that…

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