Customer Reviews

Holy Bible-Contemporary English Version

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The CEV is a modern translation that faithfully represents the meanings of scripture in simplified modern English, with an emphasis on being heard clearly when read aloud. I am not new to scripture, but I find that this Bible forces me to reconsider familiar passages. A comparison of the text to the NAS, a faithful literal translation, shows that the CEV has also represented the concepts faithfully. Although I am not a scholar of the original languages, I have taken many "difficult" passages and compared the text of the CEV with what commentaries and other translations have to say. The CEV always shows itself to be a faithful representative of the original meaning. In addition, the CEV represents gender accurately. This is an excellent choice for those new to scripture and for those seeking to look at it with fresh eyes.

I am writing this specifically regarding the translation, since I have not spent much time looking through the entire volume.

I bought two copies, for use in Children's Church, ages 1-11. Although this is not a "children's translation" it is probably the easiest translation to understand, even easier than the Children's edition of the NIV and the Living Translation. I particularly recommend it for people with limited language ability, although it looks like it would be useful for general use too.

THE CEV BIBLE IS EASY TO READ,YET IS NOT A PARAPHRASE.
IT IS A ACCURATE THOUGHT FOR THOUGHT BIBLE THAT USES SIMPLE EVERYDAY
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.IT IS READER FRIENDLY AND GREAT FOR THOSE WHO
WANT TO READ THE BIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
ROBERT-SAN ANTONIO,TX

All the reviews are based on the readability of the CEV Bible. There is no question that it is easier to read BUT no one has talked about the functionality of the CEV Bible on the Kindle. You can easily go to any book of the Bible BUT there is no way to go to a SPECIFIC verse without using the search function which is not always accurate. For example, if I typed "proverbs 8" it will lead me to the 8th chapter of proverbs. But if I type in a specific verse such as "proverbs 8:2" it will give me a "no results found" message.

For my review I would give it 4 stars for readability but I would give it 1 star for functionality on the Kindle.

Without going into an extensive review, let me just give you MY
understanding.
1. This Bible is an excellent choice for those just beginning their spiritual journey.
2. This should be used with a concordance for accurate translations of the original Hebrew and Greek languages.
3. As with any other purchase, individual research should be done to make a confident decision. This is CLEARLY such an example. The 'Berkley' edition is a very close contender!
4. The CEV gives clear instruction without the ancient dialog of the King James. Not taking away from the KJ as it is an old standby, but is limited in regard to our language today.
5. Most important to me is the "understandability" of the text.
If I have to ask someone to translate for me, I may as well read the original greek text.
....

I bought this version, because I've wanted to read the Old Testament (chronologically), but just coudn't seem to make it through the first few chapters of Exodus before I (sadly) lost interest. Now, the Old Testament comes alive for me, and I'm having fun reading the events in a vernacular I can understand.

That being said, some of our favorite verses in the New Testament, and in fact, I've even noticed a couple in my OT reading, get lost in translation, and the beauty and power of the original text gets watered down. For example, Romans 8:28+29

NIV: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

CEV: We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose, and he has always known who his chosen ones would be. He had decided to let them become like his own Son, so that his Son would be the first of many children.

Overall, though, I think this is a great Bible for beginners, for those new to the faith, or for people like me who struggle with cubits, thees, thys and thous. :)

I found this translation of the bible to be more accurate in some areas. Instead of the literal translation it often takes the meaning of the messeage from the original greek and hebrew and conveys it better. I was surpized to find a good subject index and a read through the bible in a year section. But I thought the paper and cover quality could have been better. Its fine for the price I suppose but I personally would want a sturdier binding and paper quality. Overall it is as good or better than I expected and great for alternative bible translation.

After looking at several bibles in Kindle's Store, this one stood out for its readability and faithfulness to the ancient and recent manuscripts. There are abundant footnotes that are easily accessed. Additionally, the individual chapters can easily be accessed by using the Search feature; e.g. "5 Isaiah" for Isaiah, the fifth chapter. Check it out!

The CEV Bible is clear,accurate,and to the point.it says
God's words in a simple format that is a joy to read for
all ages.I highly recommend this Bible for devotional
reading to better understand scripture than the historical Bibles.
Robert-San Antonio,TX

My comments are not on the CEV translation, but rather on this particular edition. Among all low cost editions of the whole Bible (Protestant canon), this one is outstanding in three respects:

1) it has the most extensive annotations (footnotes, introductions and outlines for each book of the Bible, and study helps) of any. They are not as extensive as many full-fledged study Bibles, of course, but it is a fraction of the price.

2) these annotations appear to have been designed to be solely descriptive, not reflecting any particular theological or scholarly bias. Thus, this edition can be used by persons with quite a wide range of theological orientations.

3) it has the largest print size. (Many low cost editions have rather small print.)