The Readable Bible (TRB) Version

 My collection of Bible versions is growing. Since I have been doing serious Bible study for the past couple of years, I rely most heavily on the KJV and NASB. I have been using the ESV just for reading for the pleasure of it. I also have physical copies of the Amplified version (which I often use), and the ERV which I'll read to my young relatives or just for my own clarity.

(Side note: I learned something new recently during a Bible study of the Book of Isaiah, Chuck Missler was comparing passages in the KJV to the ISV. He explained that the ISV relies heavily on the Dead Sea Scrolls and that the DSS for Isaiah had the complete work. Interesting.)

I almost always use eSword (which I highly recommend!) in addition to hard copies of the KJV, NASB, ESV, and Amplified versions so I have access to digital copies of several versions (plus other study resources) and I use many of them during Bible study. However, as I said, I do enjoy reading the Bible just for the pleasure of it so I like having physical copies of "easier to read" versions.

Amazon's packaging
was a bit haphazard!

I don't know how I came to learn of the Readable Bible (TRB) but when I saw samples online, I wanted a hard copy for myself. I ordered mine from Amazon (though it's cheaper at ChristianBook.com right now). By the way, I do love ChristianBook and order from there often. I just get a bit impatient with the sometimes backorders and I wanted to get this Bible as soon as possible!

Understand that I know that there are sometimes very important differences between translations. I don't like "loose" translations and won't even read for pleasure anything like "The Message" or "The Passion" (even before it was noted by others to be too loose). After all, the Bible is God's Word, not man's.

This is why I rely on the KJV and other "word-for-word" translations for serious study. I was still trying to decide where the TRB version falls on the chart of translations before I remembered the chart I once posted on this blog. Duh! After seeing it, I'm happy to say that it falls in line with the other word-for-word versions. 

There it is, the TRB

This is what publishers of the TRB have to say:

Lots of see-through issues

The Readable Bible is a literal translation in the sense that each original language word is expressed in English. However, sometimes a literal translation is unlikely to communicate the writer’s thought to a modern audience. For instance, people unfamiliar with ancient culture probably do not understand that “sons of the bridechamber” in Matthew 9:15 refers to groomsmen. So, where the literal translation might confuse or mislead today’s reader, a thought-for-thought translation is presented and the literal translation is footnoted, or vice versa (unless the term is listed in “Nonliteral Words and Phrases Not Footnoted”). When an action verb is immediately followed by another action verb (e.g., “got up and went”), oftentimes only the second verb is expressed in the English text.

Specific copyright & use rules

For my general reading purposes, I have to say that it's easier for my modern American brain to absorb the basics. Just as with the ESV - which I enjoy reading before bedtime - I find the TRB relaxing to read. All of the charts and "helps" within the Bible chapters are just as easy on the brain as can be. Some verses are broken down really well (without changing the meanings). For instance, in Genesis, the creation days are clearly labeled as "Day 1:" and so on. In Isaiah 14, the 5 satanic "I will" statements are laid out in separate lines. In Exodus 20 and in Deuteronomy 5, the Ten Commandments are clearly numbered. (To be honest, I love this because I've always had to manually highlight or mark these kinds of things in Bibles.)

Lots of charts

 As I said, this is a great "reader" for seasoned believers or a "starter" for a new Bible reader or undecided person.

I do think it's nice to have a Bible on hand for pleasure reading in place of a novel or magazines when I am sitting around waiting for an appointment or during long car rides. Any time that I can find to spend with God's Word, is time well spent. Reading the Bible for pleasure helps to reinforce lessons from my study and, sometimes, it leads me to pursue new avenues of study.

While I love a lot about this TRB, there are some design features that could be improved. As with most Bibles, the pages are thin. In this paperback, there are issues of see-through and, in the wrong light, that can make it hard to read. Also, individual book names are not printed at the tops of all pages. This is not a big problem for someone familiar with the orders of the books but could be for a new Bible reader. I hate tabbing paperback Bibles because it never looks neat enough but, if I gift one of these to a newbie, I will have to do just that.

For the price (around $37 with tax), Amazon could have done a better job with the packaging. Mine was just tossed loosely inside a plastic mailer and so it arrived with the front cover bent. (Yes, I'm being nitpicky!)

The TRB is a very nice resource. It's easier on the brain than even the ESV is. It's really interesting to compare passages between the two. I often use the ESV and TRB alongside the study Bible versions. I find the parallels helpful to my getting further into a passage.

I can recommend the TRB to anyone who enjoys just reading the Bible. Since I got my copy, I have been reading through a little at a time each evening starting with Genesis and I really look forward to it every day. I do have to mention that due to its size, it is a bit unwieldy! It doesn't fit into any of my purses.

I hope this post was useful. If it's a little scrambled, I apologize. My brain has been tired the past few days and I'm having trouble keeping my thoughts clear and straight. Keep me in your prayers.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: By the way, before I received the TRB and saw the copyright page, I was stupidly referring to the version as the RB. 

A Reassuring Reminder

 Recently, during Bible study, I heard the process of the Christian life explained in the most reassuring way. I've always struggled with understanding the stages of justification, sanctification, and glorification - or even with the idea of the stages.

As I often tend to do when I need a laymen's explanation of something during Bible study, I checked Got Questions. This was the answer:

"As Christians, we were justified when we confessed Christ and believed (Romans 10:9), we are sanctified as we grow in holiness through the work of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:11–32; Galatians 5:16–24), and we will someday be glorified when we are resurrected into eternal life (Colossians 3:4). Justification is a one-time event, sanctification is a process, and glorification is a future event." (Got Questions) [my emphasis]

Isn't that a beautiful and concise answer? 

When my niece died, she had just become a believer. While I was so happy that she had come to Christ before her life here ended at such a young age (36), I spent time thinking about my personal grief. Something I'd heard once long ago, made that grief more bearable. I hope you are as glad as I am to know that:

"The Scriptures speak of being saved in three tenses and senses. In one place the scriptures say that we "have been saved" (past). In another place they say that we "are being saved" (present). In yet another place they say that we "shall be saved" (future)." (from Simply Bible) [my emphasis] 

I just wanted to share this with you. I found it instructive and encouraging. Please make sure the read the sources in their entirety.  

Peace

--Free

On The Critical Race Theory Mess

Critical Race Theory* (CRT) has been in the news a lot lately. Honestly, I had no idea what CRT is and I only wondered about it because of the "clickbait" headlines. I ignore most clickbait because those links usually lead to my either wasting a lot of time or having to do breathing exercises to bring down my blood pressure. 

The only reason I now have a bit of a grasp on the theory is because of a video from a YouTube channel I follow. Answers in Genesis  (which I highly recommend) did this video and while I agree with the points made, I'm still not sure how I feel about CRT as a black woman in America.

The title of the video threw me off (and intrigued me) but watching it was informative. I don't usually struggle with reconciling social matters with my Christian beliefs. I know that I live as a Christian in an anti-Christian society. I have realized though that when I do struggle it is with matters of race - or racial divides. 

I have been black longer than I have been a Christian. When trying to digest the truths of what the speaker in the video was pointing out, I kept trying to readjust my mindset from thinking like a black person to thinking like a Christian - and it was hard to separate the black part of me from the Christian whole of me.

See what I mean?

As I am thinking about the whole mess of CRT, the two things I am - Christian and black - keep trying to argue with each other. 

As a Christian, I know that we humans are all one race with a variety of skin shades - black, white, yellow, red, brown, etc. In our society, I also know that we are seen as this-not-that - in my case, black - not just someone with a certain level of melanin.

As a Christian, I know that we are all equal in God's eyes. However, I know that the society we all live in does not see with God's eyes. We see differences in race and class and skin color and hair texture and accents. We not only see differences, but we also look for them. That's part of our fallen nature. And this is not just among those "in the world" but also many of us believers.

The one thing I feel sure of is that Critical Race Theory is another of the schemes of the Enemy. Anything that causes so much confusion and hatred and division among Christians has to be of the Enemy. 

So, my flesh is struggling with the entire theory of race - critical or otherwise - while my spirit is willing to know that there is one race. 

I am glad that I saw the video. I am now thinking a lot about getting my heart right on the issues of race. I am praying for guidance on how to deal with the confusion and hurt CRT causes.

Peace

--Free

* I wasn't even sure of the best link to attach for an explanation of CRT. I thin Wikipedia is a good starting place.