A Miss and a Hit: The Miss

Sometimes reading can be a little like playing baseball {or in my case, watching others play baseball}.  The batter gets to the plate ready for the pitch and either he hits or he misses.  {Then again, maybe he hits the ball, but it is a foul ball or it gets caught in the out field, but now I have complicated my analogy.  Let's just stick with the original two outcomes: hit or miss.}  When we read books, sometimes we cherish a hit and other times a book does not resonate with us and it is a miss.  Such is the case with two books I received. 





For me, The Voice: New Testament is a miss.  Published by Thomas Nelson, this Bible translation offers English readers a chance to read the Scriptures in a different way.  It was these differences that I did not like. 

According to the introduction, the translation teeters between word-for-word translation and thought-for-thought translation, depending on what the scholars and writers felt was the best way to translate specific passages.  This alone would be a foul in my book.  Serious scholars should proceed with one method, not pick and choose as it seems fit.  To me, it seems irresponsible.  However, this alone would not be enough for me to completely discount the translation.  There are people who read the Scriptures and just read without studying specific verses and words.  This blended method of translation may be OK for this.

What I really dislike is the format itself.  The Gospels read like a drama play with speakers' names in bold, colored print and what they said following.  There are even notations such as (shouting) and (to the healed man) when necessary to distinguish voice tones and intended audience.  Personally, I do not like to read a play.  I would much rather watch a drama play unfold on a stage with actors portraying the scenes.  Obviously this is my own personal preference and given the number of people who thought it was a swell idea, I am probably in the minority here. 

Since I prefer to always end of a positive note: The Voice: New Testament does offer readers a few different reading plans for a 24 week read through or special selections for Lent and Easter.  These are helpful.  There are also introductions to each book as well as set off notes within the Biblical text to aid readers in their understanding.

Overall, I cannot discount The Voice: New Testament, because I fervently believe the Lord can use any, and I mean any, method in which the Gospel is shared to bring individuals to Him.

"What then?  Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,

Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice."  Philippians 1:18 NASB

With that in mind, this may be the translation for someone else to enjoy.  If you think it might be one way you would enjoy, then visit this website to learn more about The Voice.

Tomorrow, I will share the second book, which, for me, was a hit.
~ Dorie

* I received The Voice: New Testament from Thomas Nelson. I was not required to write a positive review {obviously}.