I started reading the New Living Translation while working through an upper level course on Greek exegesis. I was simply looking for a version that emphasized a sentence-by-sentence translation as opposed to a word-for-word translation (because I was required to do this type of translating for my assignments). I was pleasantly surprised with the NLT. It is a very impressive work, and makes for very smooth reading. The translation team also made the wise decision to translate the dates in the text into their modern equivalents. So, whereas previous translations might read that a certain event happened in, say, the twelfth year of a certain king, the NLT will (based on historical data) read that it happened in "586 BC" or "on April 22nd, 722 BC" They have also done the same thing with other forms of measurement (including currency, weight, and time). This makes the events seem much easier to relate to.
For these reasons (and others too) I think this is a really good version. So, if you are looking for a translation that focuses more on the overall meaning of each sentence, and not just the meaning of each word, I heartily recommend this one. |
| First, to set the record straight: This is a review of the New Living Translation (NLT) Bible, Personal Edition, Black Bonded Leather, ISBN: 0842354484 . Some of the reviews for different Bible products have been lumped together and somehow caused confusion. This Bible is nearly perfect in terms of "packaging": compact, light, beautiful, and yet the typeface is amazingly readable. It is not much bigger than the palm of your hand, but its print/font is clear and easy on your eyes by any standard, complimented with adequate line spacing. It is even much more readable than most of the regular-sized Bibles that I own by other publishers. Not everyone I've shown this Bible to is a fan of the New Living Translation, but they all love this Bible for the above stated reasons. It is a beauty inside and out AND it is practical and useful - now that combination is a rarity. Now, unto the translation itself: I have studied most of the major translations available (NIV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, NRSV, ESV, NLT, and HCSB) and found that each translation has its strengths and weaknesses. Personally, I love the NLT translation and for now use it as a supplement to my study of the other versions. I find its writing style beautiful and the rendition inspirational ,even though the language is thoroughly contemporary. If I can someday find enough reasons to use it as my primary Bible, I will do so. I would say that, if you are looking for an NLT Bible or an addition to your existing collections, and you don't "need" cross-references or study notes, then this Personal Edition in Black Bonded Leather is "absolutely" a keeper, whether you intend to use it for long study at home/work (and therefore desire comfortable print) or for occasional reading on the road (and therefore desire portability). As for which translation is most "suitable" for you, you'll have to do some research and ultimately seek wisdom from God to reach the right answer. By the way, I would really LOVE to see the other publishers come up with something comparable: a Bible that is compact, beautiful, durable, and yet has "clearly" and "comfortably" readable print/typeface. I myself am eager to own something similar in other translations. If Tyndale can do this with NLT, I really don't see why Zondervan, World, and Nelson (just to name a few) can't do the same with, say, NIV, NASB, and NKJV. |
