Translations of Bible: KJV, NASB, NIV

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

When I was born again, 1975, and began reading Bible, I started with King James Version of Bible.

Church friends introduced me to NASB and NIV and I also used those translations.

I began noticing when the Holy Spirit called a scripture to my mind, it was often in KJV.  I decided that was the version God was calling to my attention and therefore I would use that version, for the most part.

God began teaching me and I realized understanding is from God.  No matter what translation we use it is only when God opens our eyes to a scripture and gives us HIS view that we have real understanding of that scripture.

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Comparing KJV, NASB, NIV ...

The goal of the translators of KJV was to put the scriptures into English in as close a form possible to the original.

The goal of the translators of NASB/NIV was to try to help readers understand the Bible by putting the words into "modern", conversational forms of English.

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Through the years, when I would try to read NASB or NIV it was like there was too much understanding of man in the translation.

I would return to KJV for "purer" form and would read the passage and ask God to help me to see what the spiritual meaning of that scripture was for me.

For the most part, I have stayed with KJV.  I do have copies of the other translations.

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For example:

In I Cor. 13, the scripture is teaching us about "charity".  KJV

NASB & NIV use "love" and not "charity" ...

For me there is a difference between the words charity and love.  (I feel "charity" is closer to the spirit of the passage of scripture.)

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Another example:

In James 5 ... 14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.

The KJV uses word "faults" while NASB/NIV uses word "sins" ...

  
There is a big difference between the words "faults" and the word "sin"... a completely different meaning leading to different actions based on which word you were using.

Fault:  is defined in dictionary as:  "an unattractive or unsatisfactory feature in a person's character".  (extreme shyness due to childhood experiences might lead to fault)

Sin:  is defined in dictionary as:  "transgression against divine law".  (sin of the flesh:  Gal. 5 ...
 Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:)

Also please consider that James 5:14 might be attached also to verse 15 ... telling you to take these to "elders" in the church.  You need to be very careful about verse 15.  This is the body of Christ.  You do not want to needlessly injure a member of the body of Christ by your words.

Basically we take both faults and sins to God in prayer ... trusting God to help us ... 

I believe James 5:15 is "faults" (KJV) rather than "sins" (NASB/NIV). 

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The main thing for us is to perceive the meaning of the spirit and not the flesh of the mind.

What is God saying to us with this scripture?  What is the Spirit saying?

If we view scripture by our natural minds, by what "we" think, we might get into trouble.

Instead we need to view scripture by the mind of God, the Spirit of God.

God gives us understanding of various parts of the Bible as HE wills.

Certainly we know in part!

Then God will open our eyes and we "see" ... We might read the same scripture over and over for many years and not really see it from God's view.  Then all of a sudden, one day, we see what God is saying ... a revelation from God on that scripture. 

I don't try to understand Bible.  I just read Bible.  And when I don't understand, I often say to God, "I don't understand this."  Sometimes God opens my eyes immediately to understand and other times it is years later and in some cases I'm still waiting.

I find the understanding I do have which has been given me by God is sufficient until the next revelation.

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Lk. 24 ...  (After Jesus was raised from the dead but before HE ascended into heaven) ...

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 

17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 

19 And he said unto them, What things? 

And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel:and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said:but him they saw not. 

25 Then he (Jesus) said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 

27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.  

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went:and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us:for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 

32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?