Archive for the ‘Bibles’ Category

Tracking the History of Christianity

Friday, February 12, 2010
posted by Buying4Him

bible_history_129_1_2_511The bible has long been used as not only a religious text, but as a historical text.  However, with the different books and chapters of the bible, including the Old Testament and the New Testament, and the various translations, including the KJV and NAS bible, it can be difficult to keep track of the chronological order of events.  With a Christian timeline, you can track all the major biblical events including the flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the time of Moses.  Learning about the history of the Christian faith can give you a better perspective on the entire religious movement, all the important figures, and how they relate and interact with each other.nas bibles

The bible is without a doubt the most studied book ever written, and researching the bible and understanding its true meaning should be a goal of all members of the Christian faith.  With bible study guides, timelines, and peers with whom you can share meaningful discussions, understanding the bible is within reach!

Promoting Bible Study

Friday, January 29, 2010
posted by Buying4Him

CB064047It is important for children to welcome the bible into their lives at an early age, thus assuring that they grow up with a proper moral code. Church Sunday schools are not always available, and in some cases not the best for learning about the bible’s teachings. Parents should also strive to acquire bible study materials for their children to be able to learn about the bible at home. Introducing the bible is a great experience to share between parent and child, and ensures that the child learns what the parent feels is important in addition to the standard moral code.

One of the best ways to introduce your children to in-depth bible study is with a Thompson chain reference bible. Taking an active role in your child’s development illustrates that you are an active parent, and faith is an important aspect of life to share during childhood.

The History of the King James Version

Wednesday, January 20, 2010
posted by Buying4Him

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The Authorized King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible conceived in 1604 and brought to fruition in 1611 by the Church of England. Printed by the King’s Printer, Robert Barker, the first edition included schedules unique to the Church of England; for example, a lectionary for morning and evening prayer. The first “authorized version” was the Great Bible commissioned by the Church of England in the reign of King Henry VIII. In January 1604, King James I of England convened the Hampton Court Conference where a new English version was conceived in response to the perceived problems of the earlier translations as detected by the Puritans, a faction within the Church of England.

The king gave the translators instructions designed to guarantee that the new version would conform to the ecclesiology and reflect the Episcopal structure of the Church of England and its beliefs about an ordained clergy. The translation was by 47 scholars, all of whom were members of the Church of England. In common with most other translations of the period, the New Testament was translated from the Textus Receptus series of the Greek texts. The Old Testament was translated from the Masoretic Hebrew text, while the Apocrypha were translated from the Greek Septuagint (LXX), except for 2 Esdras, which was translated from the Latin Vulgate.

While the Authorized Version was meant to replace the Bishops’ Bible as the official version for readings in the Church of England, it was apparently (unlike the Great Bible) never specifically “authorized”, although it is commonly known as the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom. However, the King’s Printer issued no further editions of the Bishops’ Bible; so necessarily the Authorized Version supplanted it as the standard lectern Bible in parish church use in England. In the Book of Common Prayer (1662), the text of the Authorized Version replaced the text of the Great Bible – the Epistle and Gospel readings – and as such was “authorized” by Act of Parliament. In the United States, the Authorized Versions are known as King James Bibles. The earliest appearance in print of the phrase “authorized version”, to mean this particular version of the bible, was published in 1824. The phrase ‘King James version’ first appeared in print in 1884

Selecting the Best Bible Translations

Wednesday, January 6, 2010
posted by Buying4Him

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The bible contains complex language and themes that, misconstrued or misinterpreted, can have much different meanings. After all, lines like Luke 6:31 “do unto others, as you would have them do unto you” is much different than “do unto others, as they have done unto you”. With a simple misinterpreted word, we might have a drastically different idea of the fundamentals of social interaction. The most popular translation of the bible are the King James Versions, or KJV bibles.  This version was undertaken by the Church of England in 1611 under decree of King James I.  The KJV bible was then updated in the 1900s to resonate better with modern audiences, however the original version is still hailed as the most accurate translation.

There are various other translations of the bible that were undertaken for different reasons, but if you’re looking for the closest translation to the original Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, the King James Version is the best.

Deriving The Most Out Of Your Bible

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
posted by Buying4Him

kjvThe Bible has been studied, interpreted, and reinterpreted for as long as it’s been around. Everybody who reads the document seems to derive something slightly different from it. With so many different translations and interpretations available, it’s little wonder that many people are left struggling with some (or all) of the more dense and difficult passages. Therefore, if you’re interested in devoting some serious time to studying the Bible, consider using the aid of Bible study tools.

These tools vary greatly, but each tool is designed to help you think about and interpret different Bible passages. In some cases, there is also an emphasis on applying those passages to your everyday life. While the tools themselves differ, there is almost always this emphasis on careful reading and application. Often, this helps the reader not only understand what he or she is reading, but it also helps that person apply it in a meaningful way. Now you can even find Bibles with built-in references, like the KJV Thompson Reference Bible.

What Makes the New American Standard Bible Different?

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
posted by Buying4Him

With so many translations of the Bible, it can be difficult to know which one is going to be the best fit. With that in mind, it’s important to know what distinguishes one translation from another. What, for example, does the New American Standard Biblebible offer that other translations cannot?

This version is, as the name suggests, one of the more modern translations. Its first publication was actually as recent as 1963, and it is generally regarded as a very literal translation. The goals of this version are fourfold.

-Stay true to the original language, that is, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek.
-Be understandable.
-Be grammatically correct.
-Properly place Jesus Christ, and for that reason, have no personalized work.

If staying true to the original text is important, this may be an attractive version for you. The downside, however, is that the language can sometimes feel convoluted because of the translators’ goal to be a word-for-word translation.

Getting the Full Bible Effect

Friday, November 20, 2009
posted by Buying4Him

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The Bible is the most widely circulated book in the world, and is also one of the most extensive. It is difficult to appreciate and comprehend all that the Bible has to offer without the assistance of references and mapping. Luckily, today there are many versions that come with a full section of aids and references to help you understand the holy book.

A KJV reference Bible will include various studies that you can do while reading, as well as outlines of the major books. It also has a full index to help you cross-reference information while you are studying. Its detailed topographical maps highlight how the geography of the Mediterranean region played a huge part in role in the events of the Bible.

First KJV Bible

Friday, November 6, 2009
posted by Buying4Him

bibleVirtually every culture and religion has a set of rites that adolescents must go through before they are considered an adult by the elder members of the community. Growing up in a Christian household, this rite of passage included going through confirmation and receiving my first communion. At my church we also received a Bible to commemorate the ceremony.

I remember being nervous as I was forced to kneel in front of the entire congregation to receive the communion. Following this, I was presented with my own KJV Bible with my name inscribed in it. The ceremony had little impact on me, honestly, and seemed more important to my parents and family.

Bible Study in Layman’s Terms

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
posted by Buying4Him

 

biblesBiblical commentary has been around almost as long as the good book itself. It’s only natural for people to internalize their readings and form unique interpretations of the source material. The Thompson reference bible  takes that concept to the next level, serving as a traditional bible with a study guide built right in. The company’s revolutionary “chain-reference” system provides links between bible topics that share a similar theme.

The first reference bibles were created with the aim of appealing to a broad audience – not just to pastors, priests and scholars. Many of them feature helpful illustrations, character studies of prominent biblical heroes and even a chronology of prophecies. In short, the reference portion adds enough supplemental material to make bible study an absorbing learning experience for all concerned.

A Trusted Translation

Wednesday, October 7, 2009
posted by Buying4Him

 

king-james-version-bibleLeading up to the beginning of the 17th century, several English monarchs had commissioned translations of the Latin Bible, but the results had been murky and middling at best. It wasn’t until 1604 that King James I convened a special conference to have a new version drafted that would correct previous mistakes and make the content more clear and concise.

By 1611, the King James Version Bible was complete. To this day, Christians continue to read this version of the Bible. Many people find comfort and solace in its pages. The ancient parables add up to a moral guidebook that acts as a compass for believers to this day. Without the King James Bible and its clear, decisive language, the word of God wouldn’t have been understood by the masses to the extent that it is today.