Find out the most popular Bible translation in Churches of Christ

New on The Christian Chronicle’s website, we have posted our coverage of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.
Part of our ongoing “God’s Story” series, this coverage includes:
• A news story on a Chronicle survey of more than 1,100 readers concerning the most-popular Bible translations among members of Churches of Christ. Hint: It’s not the KJV.
• An editorial on the incredible influence of the KJV.
• A Views piece by Bible scholar Curt Niccum on selecting the best translation for your personal Bible reading.
• A review by minister and professor Mark Mason on history books tied to the KJV’s 400-year milestone.
Read continuing coverage in our special series on Bible-related issues and trends.

• Feedback
  I like the NIV

  Michael McElroy

  March, 2 2011

  Your poll only reflects the opinion of the respondees. Poll nationwide and see the results. The recent push for the NIV and other “new” translations make one wonder of the motives. One only has to investigate the missing passages in the NIV to see you hardly have to read very long to recognize Calvinism in the wording. Sometimes one is revealed more readily by what one omits, than what he reveals.

  Bob McCartney

  March, 3 2011

  Just FYI: The poll was a random sample of <em>Christian Chronicle</em> readers nationwide.

  Bobby Ross Jr.

  March, 3 2011

  The KJV served the English speaking world wonderfully for a long time. Its time has come and gone. In response to Bob, people of the world and most in the church can no longer read and understand the archaic language of the KJV. Its language is outdated by 75-100 years. God never intended for us to be like the Muslims and think one language fits all. The KJV is also filled with words and phrases that are Calvinistic. The NIV is not the “best” translation out there but it has surpassed the KJV. It is unfortunate that much of our literature is still tied to the KJV. We are supposed to be trying to reach the world but if we tie ourselves to the KJV we are trying to speak to people in a foreign language.

  TR Wells

  March, 4 2011

  Thanks, Bobby, for the amount of coverage that you and Chronicle staff have provided to commemorate this milestone of the King James Version, its history, influence, and durability over the last 400 years. Though now being eclipsed in sales and usage by more recent English translations, its place in history is secure and will remain unparalleled.
  As to the statement in the comment above that the NIV and other contemporary translations are laden with Calvinism, one should be reminded that Calvinistic teaching was proliferated from sea to shining sea in the U.S. in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries by individuals who preached and taught exclusively from the KJV.

  Tim Pyles

  March, 4 2011

  NAS is good. KJV NIV kill the word “hades” and it leads to false teaching.

  Pete Nuthak

  March, 4 2011

  Myself, I prefer the NAS. Sadly, there are very few people in today’s society who understand the sentance structure of the KJV, much less the Kings English with which it is written. The NIV is fast becoming the translation of choice of today’s America. It is written in the language of the present which makes it comfortable to read and understand. I find problems with both translations, and find the NAS to the translation I like best.

  C S Litterell

  March, 4 2011

  “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest snd causest to approach, that he may dwell in thy courts:”-Psalm 65:4a, ASV
  “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”
  2 Thes. 2:13, ASV
  “Being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ.”- Phil. 1:6, ASV
  “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”- James 1:18, ASV
  The living word makes clear that God chose his people. It is the sin of pride that insists that we chose God. Believing that we have been adopted by God creates within us the lowly heart that grows into the likeness of Christ. Refusing to confess our remaining sin (James 5:16, 1 John 5:16), blocks our growth. Jesus described those whom God has chosen as crying unto him day and night(Lk.18:7). Does that describe me?

  Wayne McDaniel

  March, 5 2011

  We have come a long way from the time the Bible was originally written with the changes in this world but as GOD put it himself heaven and earth will pass away but his words never will. The Bible written in the KJV original version is not really that difficult to understand if people really want to understand and know GOD. There is more complexity in understanding computers or putting together assemblies of products but we do it and if done correctly as told we have what we wanted. GOD gave his inspired words for all times with him not changing but us. A lot of word changing have come to fit men and thier own personal ways, to change the very meaning of what scripture says by dilluting or taking a word out to fit what people use for themselves and incoorporate it in the Bible is not God way. Such can be found in Psalms 111:9, where men have replaced reverend with awsome. Only one is reverend and to call God awsome as we use commonnly today is to place him with everyday people,US. You really have to examine yourselves and be honest with yourself and only God to whether or not you have really applied yourself to understand the KJV (original version) to understand his words and meaning or because you may want easy reading or as I think for most another avenue to use.

  Linda St.Julian

  March, 5 2011

  My favorite translation is the NIV. I find it more natural to read than others such as the KJV, NAS, RSV, Living Bible. Sometimes, different translations can be useful in understanding passages. The most important thing though is that we as Christians steer toward truth.
  <a href=”http://www.thehumblechristian.com” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.thehumblechristian.com</a>

  Jeff Anderson

  March, 6 2011

  My favorite Bible is the NAS (New American Standard). It a widely published version that is the closest to an exact translation.

  Bob Hurley

  March, 13 2011

  The NKJV which is the KJV with the more correct translations of the ASV seems to be the most accurate based on comparing the different version with the oldest manuscripts available. I like to use the NIV for ease of reading, but I write in the correct wording where the NIV is incorrect. It would have been nice if when the NKJV was going to be written if someone had said “hey…lets update the wording a bit” but that did not happen. It also would have been very nice if the made up word “baptism” had been accurately rendered as “immersion” or “immersed in water” as well, but of course that did not happen. Perhaps some day.

  Rob

  March, 16 2011

  Could they do the same survey in the Churches of Christ foreign? but for the other 14 languages ??spoken in the world: Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Russian, Swahilli, Bengali and other more

  Gustavo

  February, 6 2013