I love being in a place where I see things that I read about in the Bible happening on a daily basis. People are getting healed from rheumatoid arthritis to scoliosis, a shorted leg has grown out, hymens have grown back (testimony haven't actually seen it), and one girl got to enjoy pizza after being lactose intolerant It's beautiful to see what Jesus is doing here. Now, I read the Bible with so much more reality. I see the things that they did and the disciples and crowds reaction and I'm like "I KNOW THAT! I'M THAT WAY TOO!" I'm enthralled with the Bible and the gospels now even more because I'm like "He actually did that? Lets do that!" or "If that's possible...that means THIS is possible." Then we see Jesus do it and I flip out again!
The point of the Bible is to reveal God. It's to invite us into a relationship with Him so that we could walk and talk with God, not know His book and His writings. (Nothing against the Bible, I love the Bible, but the Bible isn't God.) We have a relationship with God not the Bible. Jesus said "my sheep know my voice" (John 10:27) and "Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice" (John 18:37). I believe that everyone who is a Christian has the Holy Spirit and can hear God's voice. If you think you don't, I think you probably do, but you just don't recognize it as God's voice. I'm not trying to shame anyone, I'm just saying Jesus died so that we could have eternal life - which is knowing God and Jesus Christ not going to heaven (John 17:3). Heaven is an added bonus later on. We know God now and can talk to Him now. But back to the Bible point...
I know some people are die-hard KJV only. I'm not going to argue this point. I'm only going to propose an idea. It's really fun and interesting to read other translations of the Bible - especially the gospels. You can pick up the story really well as it's written in different wordings. You're not proving any theological point or dissecting it. Just reading the story.
I know some people will say, "Well, God keeps teaching me from my translation of the Bible so why do I need another one?" My thought is, "I want all God wants to teach and show me about Himself. He teaches me through my translation too, but I'll read and reread and read other translations so I get a fuller picture of what happened. I'll read all sorts of translations if the Holy Spirit wants to spark something through it. If people want to argue that it can't be changed, I would propose the idea that they already read other Christian books that paraphrase the story and learn from them, why not another translation of the Bible? The point is to know God and how He works, not to be the most skilled at Biblical knowledge- that was the Pharisees issue. They fought so hard to keep the "words of God" that they missed God. (God will never contradict the Bible, but He can contradict our understanding of the Bible - ask the Pharisee's or people who are just in ministry and trying to walk it out and still learning.)
Here's what it comes down to and what I want to put forth. I think the NLT is pretty decent translation and reads very smoothly. Again, not tearing things apart, just getting a picture of how Jesus walked and interacted on earth. I just read John 5 and 6 today and love it! Jesus cracks me up and watching the interaction with people is so cool. John all together is cool, but that's where I'm at today.
I hope your blessed and get to enjoy Jesus more today and walk with Him more throughout your day.
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