Lost In Translation?

Last week I was in a Christian bookstore, as I wanted to get Adrian his own Bible for his birthday.

I was raised on the KJV and figured I would get him one also. But when I got to the bookstore and started looking at all the cool kids bibles they had I didn’t find any in KJV so I started comparing to some of the other versions. With over 20 versions on the market today how do you know which one to go for?

I started looking up simple verses like John 3:16 and saw that although the words used were different the meaning was still understood.

I started flipping through a children’s bible that was the New Living Translation (NLT) in Genesis to see how different the wording was when I cam across Gen 4:1, it reads as follows.

Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!”

Hmmm…. that was a bit more descriptive in explanation then I remembered from the King James Version (KJV) which reads as follows,

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

So I started looking up other versions that are used in children’s bibles as I was wondering which wording might be most suitable for a 7 yr. old and here are some of the ones I came by!

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
Adam made love to his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the Lord's help I have had a baby boy."

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Adam knew his wife Eve intimately, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have had a male child with the LORD's help"

New Life Version (NLV)
The man lay with his wife Eve and she was going to have a child and she gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have given birth to a man with the help of the Lord."

The Message (MSG)
Adam slept with Eve his wife. She conceived and had Cain. She said, "I've gotten a man, with God's help!"

The GR and JS New Revised International Version (GRJSNRIV)
Adam saw his wife Eve and said, "I like big butts and I cannot lie!" to which Eve replied, "My milk shake brings all the boys to the yard..." and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten me a man from the LORD.

In the end I jut got him a KJV adult’s bible. It was good enough for me growing up so I don’t see why it won’t work for him!