It is possible to read the Bible in different ways, some correct, some in erroneous vein. To read the KJV just to find where it is poorly translated is one way to read the Bible, whether that is worthwile or a waste of time. To seek to avoid doctrinal errors is always a good thing; only to read Scripture with a critical eye is good, if it keeps one from believing false doctrines which may be hidden in poor English translations of the Scriptures. Obviously, the NWT New World Translation of Jehovah\'s Witness Watchtower Society is a poor translation, mainly for doctrinal reasons; otherwise, the NWT is wooden and does not read smoothly, even is places where the doctrines are not tampered with.
It is possible to read the Bible too much if one misreads it every time. It is not merely a question of quantity of reading, but quality. It would be better to know which passages of Scripture are subject to misinterpretation, such as Romans, Hebrews, and Revelation, and Daniel. One must be careful reading Scripture to avoid misreading Scripture, but Daniel and Revelation are often misread, so merely reading Scripture for the sake of reading it is not the answer. We must have \"some man guide us\", and the men who open the Scriptures to us must be Orthodox Christians; if we read non-Orthodox sources, we must bear in mind whereas and while they do not always misread Scripture, sometimes their reading and interpretation of Scripture passages does not always agree with the mind of the Church, the Orthodox Church. As Westerners, we must become very very cautious before we make any statement as to what the Church teaches, as we are just on the edge of coming into the Orthodox Church, and are not quite there yet (at least this is the case with me).
So I can only state what I have read in Orthodox sources, or what I hear from an Orthodox priest or bishop in church on those times when I have occassion to attend Liturgy.
Take care.
Could we have a top 5 English translations poll here?
Would KJV ESV NIV NASB NKJV RSV be among the most widely accepted translations for use by Orthodox Christians ... or are some other versions used in the Orthodox churches in America?
Of course the original Greek is used, but which English translations do the parishes use? Besides the KJV.
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