Subject: Why the NKJV over the NASB ? |
Bible Note: Justme - Your calling me "wise one in Arkansas" reminds me of a cartoon I saw several years ago in the "New Yorker." Two adult owls were talking, and one said to the other, "How's you son coming on, wise wise?" ...... By heaping lavish praise upon the NASB, I hope I didn't inadvertently paint myself into a corner and look like the world's foremost hypocrite if I ventured to say something very good about the King James Bible too. In my judgment we do ourselves a distinct disservice to lay this venerable old masterpiece quietly away in some dark, obscure corner of our bookshelf to gather dust, keeping it only because we lack the courage to put it in the trash heap. It was by reading the King James Bible that school kids a few generations ago learned to read English -- and what a treasure trove of beautiful and majestic English it was, and is still. When contemporary readers of English skip over the King James Bible and land on some modern paraphrased version, they not only do themselves ill by choosing to remain ignorant of one of the supreme masterpieces of English literature, but they do themselves no favor by substituting a literal translation -- the KJV is, after all, among the most literal of translations -- for the cheap substitute of a paraphrase. ...... Here's a sample from a segment of one of the loveliest of the Psalms, the 23rd, in two versions. First, the KJV: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." ...... Now, here's the same passage in a modern version, the New Century Version, "Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be afraid, because you are with me, your rod and your walking stick comfort me." ...... Is this a better rendition? No, I affirm it is far inferior to the King James. Is this clearer than the King James? Not to me it isn't. Does the locution of this modern version lift and inspire like the King James does? Not for me it doesn't. ...... But I'll have to admit that I learned from the New Century Version that God hobbles around Heaven with a walking stick! How absurd! --Hank |