The Layman's Parallel Bible: KJV, NIV, Living Bible, RSV [Hardcover]

Zondervan Publishing (Creator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1990

"Each two-page spread contains a complete Scripture portion from these versions: KJV, NIV, Living Bible, and NRSV. Clear, easy-to-read print."

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Comparison of four major versions made easy: NIV/NLT/KJV/NASB - Each two-page spread contains complete Scripture portion from these versions: - New International Version - New Living Bible - King James Version - New American Standard Bible, Updated Version - Clear, easy-to-read print - Printed on high-quality Bible paper - double column format - 8-point type

Product Details

• Hardcover: 3187 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (October 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031095052X
• ISBN-13: 978-0310950523
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.4 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #841,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique method of studying the central Christian scriptures, June 7, 2000

By 

John A. Kuczma "RogueUlfric" (Marietta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Layman's Parallel Bible: KJV, NIV, Living Bible, RSV (Hardcover)

The Layman's Parallel Bible is an unequaled opportunity for anyone from the casual scripture reader to the serious theologian to read and study the Old and New Testaments.

By setting four distinct variations of the scriptures across two pages, this volume affords the reader the ability to compare both the content and the structure of the King James Version, the Revised Standard Version, the New International Version and the Living Bible.

Many users have been surprised by how quickly they find one version preferable to the others, but depending on their need of the moment, it may not always be the same version! For example, a reader may find that for readability, the New International Version is the most comfortable, while for spiritual significance the King James Version is better and for depth of knowledge and understanding the Revised Standard is prefered. Importantly, these relationships may change as the reader changes locations in the scriptures or becomes more comfortable with the ongoing study.

A truly amazing benefit of this volume is that it permits the reader to compare both the content of the Holy Bible in its various formats and the literary structure. The changing of a single word in a verse may make the passage far easier to understand; however, it may also profoundly change the meaning of the verse and perhaps the entire passage. It is not unusual to find situations in which the a particular passage of scripture, laid side by side, with only minor changes in wording, may have four distinctly different meanings to the reader.

As with any scriptual work, the reading or study of the Layman's Parallel Bible should be approached with a sense of reverence and an appreciation for the message or messages that lie within its pages, however those messages may be interpreted by the individual reader.

As a tool for promoting the understanding of the Holy Bible in content, context and structure, and for understanding the effects of progressive changes to its form throughout the Christian Era, the Layman's Parallel Bible is an un-paralleled asset.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Theologian's Dream!, May 8, 2000

By 

Sean Ares Hirsch - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Layman's Parallel Bible: KJV, NIV, Living Bible, RSV (Hardcover)

Shortly before I was confirmed in the Anglo Catholic Church, my parents gave me this as a gift. In my opinion this belongs in the library of ANY Roman Catholic or Anglo Catholic. My father always leaned towards the King James version or the Revised Standard. (My church for the most part uses the Revised Standard.) In my opinion this multi version helps you to perform a better study of the Scriptures. My reason is quite simple. Different parts of the Scriptures come off better in different translations. (Luke wrote with the purpose of creating beautiful images. This comes off best in the "King James" version. John wrote with a hostile tone to help the followers of Christ break their ties with the Jewish Authorities. This comes off best in the "Living" version. Certain complicated texts are best understood in the "Revised" version.) If you have a concept of the different parts of the Scriptures and the different authors' (Luke, John, etc.) intentions, this is an INVALUABLE study.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comparing four popular translations in parallel columns, September 16, 2002

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Layman's Parallel Bible: KJV, NIV, Living Bible, RSV (Hardcover)

I remember reading once that in Genesis 2:18 the word that is used to describe Eve's relationship to Adam appears only this one time in the entire Bible. The word is translated variously as "help meet" and "helper." But it always struck me that whatever word was used to describe the unique relationship between men and women has been left to the interpretation of scholars. Whether this "fact" is true or not is somewhat beside the point, because it serves to underscore that translation is ALWAYS a question of interpretation. It does not matter if you are talking about Shakespeare and some scholars working at the behest of King James I or more contemporary efforts.

What is wonderful about "The Layman's Parallel Bible" is that by laying out these four translations in four parallel columns the book allows you to see the range of interpretation for yourself. There are also the detailed footnotes, primarily with the New International version, that gives you even more information about the original Hebrew or Greek words being translated (even though I can read neither Hebrew nor Greek, I appreciate linguistic insights from those who can). I believe that a thoughtful reading of the Bible is truly helped by comparing and contrasting these various versions and coming to terms with your own understanding of the meaning and import of the text. This might not be a useful volume for scholars, but it is certainly of great value to the rest of us.