New Layman's Parallel Bible: The King James Version, New International Version, Revised ........

Pleasantly surprised by the quality of the product. I'm not normally that trusting of cetain sources that are not readily available in the local area. However, the Layman's Bible proved to be a very good purchase. Thank you for being a dependable resouce for valuable information.

I remember reading once that in Genesis 2:18 the word that is used to describe Eve's relationship to Adam appears only this one time in the entire Bible. The word is translated variously as "help meet" and "helper." But it always struck me that whatever word was used to describe the unique relationship between men and women has been left to the interpretation of scholars. Whether this "fact" is true or not is somewhat beside the point, because it serves to underscore that translation is ALWAYS a question of interpretation. It does not matter if you are talking about Shakespeare and some scholars working at the behest of King James I or more contemporary efforts. What is wonderful about "The Layman's Parallel Bible" is that by laying out these four translations in four parallel columns the book allows you to see the range of interpretation for yourself. There are also the detailed footnotes, primarily with the New International version, that gives you even more information about the original Hebrew or Greek words being translated (even though I can read neither Hebrew nor Greek, I appreciate linguistic insights from those who can). I believe that a thoughtful reading of the Bible is truly helped by comparing and contrasting these various versions and coming to terms with your own understanding of the meaning and import of the text. This might not be a useful volume for scholars, but it is certainly of great value to the rest of us.

This parallel-verse bible is a definite must for the person who truly wants to get the sense of the bible writers' intended meaning. Translating from the original languages is a daunting task; comparing renderings is the way we 'laymen' can imitate those in Borea who were referred to as "more noble" (KJV), "of more noble character" (NIV), "more open-minded" (LB), or "more receptive" (NRS) than others because they 'examined the scriptures daily'. This book should be in every person's theocratic library.

The Layman's Parallel Bible is an unequaled opportunity for anyone from the casual scripture reader to the serious theologian to read and study the Old and New Testaments.By setting four distinct variations of the scriptures across two pages, this volume affords the reader the ability to compare both the content and the structure of the King James Version, the Revised Standard Version, the New International Version and the Living Bible.Many users have been surprised by how quickly they find one version preferable to the others, but depending on their need of the moment, it may not always be the same version! For example, a reader may find that for readability, the New International Version is the most comfortable, while for spiritual significance the King James Version is better and for depth of knowledge and understanding the Revised Standard is prefered. Importantly, these relationships may change as the reader changes locations in the scriptures or becomes more comfortable with the ongoing study.A truly amazing benefit of this volume is that it permits the reader to compare both the content of the Holy Bible in its various formats and the literary structure. The changing of a single word in a verse may make the passage far easier to understand; however, it may also profoundly change the meaning of the verse and perhaps the entire passage. It is not unusual to find situations in which the a particular passage of scripture, laid side by side, with only minor changes in wording, may have four distinctly different meanings to the reader.As with any scriptual work, the reading or study of the Layman's Parallel Bible should be approached with a sense of reverence and an appreciation for the message or messages that lie within its pages, however those messages may be interpreted by the individual reader.As a tool for promoting the understanding of the Holy Bible in content, context and structure, and for understanding the effects of progressive changes to its form throughout the Christian Era, the Layman's Parallel Bible is an un-paralleled asset.