Poll Results: What Bible translation do you use in youth group?
By Adam McLane on August 16 2010
Last week we asked blog readers which Bible translation they use in their youth group.
The results were interesting. It wasn't surprising to me that NIV won out. What was surprising was to see how popular the New Living Translation was, at 22%. And with all the hype about the English Standard Version, only 12% of those who responded say they use it with their ministry.
The stats:
- 222 total respondents
- 16 people wrote in the NRSV tying it with those who use The Message
- 1 person claims they use the original greek/hebrew. Clearly not a youth ministry major in college.
Comments
From CG on August 17, 2010
Was the NRSV left off intentionally? I guess gender-neutrality isn’t a priority for some churches.
From Adam McLane on August 17, 2010
@cg- I mentioned it in the original poll, I just forgot. I used the list on Biblegateway and for some reason NRSV is not on that site. We actually use NRSV at my church! Oops.
From amy on August 17, 2010
I think it’s worth mentioning that a new Bible translation was released last month – the Common English Bible. Only the New Testament is available right now. The full Bible will be coming out next fall. It has impressive and diverse scholarship and is written in language used commonly today. The translation and publishing team had youth and families in mind in translating and putting out the CEB. It’s worth checking out: http://www.commonenglishbible.com // and a Twitter page: http://twitter.com/commonengbible – Free downloads of Genesis, Matthew and Luke are on the site as well as a passage lookup tool.
From Wayne MacKirdy on August 17, 2010
I am more interested in accuracy of translation than readability in today’s jargon. I use the NASB because it is so faithful to the original text. At the opposite end of the spectrum is The Message (which is definitely unfaithful to the original, followed closely by the New Living).
From Wayne MacKirdy on August 17, 2010
I just opened up the book of Genesis in the Common English Bible and found four errors in the first six verses. That doesn’t bode well for the rest.
From KJ on August 17, 2010
So…what are the actual results?
Your results seem to put the ESV at “only 12%,” yet according to the pie chart, it appears to be the third-ranked translation, behind the NLT (at 22%) and NIV (at _?_%).
Funny how a bit of interpretive gloss seems to be at work even here.
Please provide a list of the results, and then perhaps there can be some reasonable analysis.
From Adam McLane on August 17, 2010
@KJ- what are you saying is unreasonable? This isn’t scientific, it’s a blog poll.
From Matthew Penn on August 18, 2010
Thanks for the poll! I often use The Message when I deliver messages to our students—mixed in with a little NIV. I’ve always wondered if other YMs used The Message very much.
From matt mcgill on August 18, 2010
CG: Think your comment was worded in the best way to convince churches to take gender neutrality seriously?
From PJ on August 20, 2010
Perhaps Greek/Hebrew ought to be required to be sure that we are training up these teens in the way they should go! Judging by the results of this disaster, it appears that we have opted for readability over accuracy and have sacrificed rightly dividing the word of truth!
Wow… I’m discouraged. :(
From Matthew Penn on August 21, 2010
Do you teach Greek and Hebew to your jrHi and HS students? That is wonderful if you are in a place in your ministry where you can do that!
However, a lot of us have kids that walk in the door each week who have never stepped inside a church building before in their lives. They have no concept of God…no concept of “Father”, and bring with them a ton of baggage. We choose to share God’s incredible message of Love, Grace and Forgiveness using a language that they can understand right now.
As much as that may “discourage” you, I have no problems at all reading from The Message, NIV, KJV, TNIV, HCSB, etc.
From Wayne MacKirdy on August 21, 2010
Matthew - it isn’t necessary to tech the kids Heb and Greek…but it is necessary for those who teach them to have a working knowledge of them, and to study the Scriptures diligently. The versions of the Bible that you cite are not accurate. So, are you interested in giving them God’s Word, or an approximation. In the Message, for instance, there are a number of passages whose meanings are significantly changed from the original. Is it OK to give them a “sort of” gospel, or do you want them to know what God has said?
We have a very active Youth Group, and they are growing in the Word, and the are not using paraphrased versions of what God has told us. And they are reaching the unchurched on a regular and effective basis. They have not compromised the Word for the sake of reaching the lost with a “sorta Gospel”. Your own words indict you…
From PJ on August 24, 2010
Thanks Wayne… That’s exactly what I was thinking. By “required” i meant for youth pastors who go to some sort of Bible college.
Lazy study and shallow teaching produces lazy and shallow students who walk away from their faith after high school. I only hope that we can return to an authoritative version of Scriptures… not a biased paraphrase and dumbed-down version of Scriptures!
From cantueso on September 01, 2010
I would like to click on “I like it”, but can’t, because it is only for people who are on Facebook. This is new. I saw it for the first time this morning on the New York Times.
Is this intentional on your part? Or has it become obligatory to belong to one of these “social networks”?
