51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally, the Bible makes sense!, July 16, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Life Application Study Bible, New Living Translation (Hardcover)
First of all, one needs to realize there are two components to this version of the bible. The first is its translation, The New Living Translation. The second is the "Life Application" part, which has been paired with other translations too. This translation is available without the study notes, but I wouldn't recommend a straight text-only bible to anyone other than a bible scholar. We need help understanding the book and how to read it. It's not like reading a novel!
This bible is an extremely effective study bible. The study notes are thorough and cover a broad array of angles on the text. Many maps, character profiles, and other in-text tools in the Life Application version make background information instantly available without purchasing separate study books.
The New Living Translation was put together by over 100 world-class scholars, unlike The Living Bible. So if you are a bit confused by the translation title, wondering if it's just like the latter (which was just one person's paraphrased version), you need not fret: it is not. The amount of research and scholarship put into this translation is amazing. The only similarity is the ease of understanding.
To try to put direct English translation on the original Greek and Hebrew text is detrimental to its meaning; everyone knows that one cannot accurately translate any language if insisting on such a method. (Just watch poorly subtitled foreign films if you need an example!) What these scholars have thus done is provide us with a translation that actually makes sense in our day and time and current language. (Remember, that's why the King James Version came out when it did--so everyday people could read and understand the bible too, not just the elite few who understood Latin.)
It is also inaccurate to read the Bible at face value and ignore the cultural, historical, and literary contexts of its passages. This bible gives explanation to each of those, as well as concepts upon which to meditate, helping us to apply what we've read to our own lives and hearts.
Combining an eighth-grade reading level with doctoral scholarship and research, this bible is accessible and appropriate for all people. It has changed my life and the lives of many, many others I know. I recommend it to everyone!
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57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life Application Bible, December 8, 1999
This review is from: Life Application Study Bible, New Living Translation (Hardcover)
I have used this translation for approximatly 6 years, and have found it to be the most comprehensive, easy to understand, and applicable translation I have ever seen or used. The commentary uses practical, thought provoking questions and comments which are applicable to today's life and times. Excellent for the beginner to the advanced. Highly recommend it !
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35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best study Bible coupled with the best translation ever!, May 30, 1998
This review is from: Life Application Study Bible, New Living Translation (Hardcover)
Incredible. Every Christian should have a Bible in this translation. It's 99% accurate (the most accurate translation ever except for the New Revised Standard Version and its predecessor, RSV). The language is easy to understand, yet it's flowered and flows beautifully. The Bible becomes a page-turner! You won't be able to put it down! Everything from Genesis to the Gospels to the Epistles reads the way it was meant to, in the language of the people. This particular Bible has 10,000 study notes. Practically every verse is talked about! Most of the pages are half taken up by study notes! Also featured are tons of maps, wonderful character profiles, a concordance and so much more. If you want a study Bible, BUY THIS! (you might even want the imitation burgundy version) If you don't want an in-depth study Bible (which this IS), try the Praise and Worship Study Bible. It doesn't have study notes for every verse, just some of them. It's much less "hardcore" than this one, if you'll excuse the cliche. This is the best Bible I have ever encountered. I've already gotten one as a gift for someone else. This is worth every penny of the high price.
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