Customer Reviews

The Listener's Bible NIV

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first discovered Max McLean reading the Bible online at another website. I found reading the Bible myself with the audio reinforcement of Max McLean reading to be an excellent way to read God's Word. After reading at my computer I found the best value for this product at Amazon. I bought one for myself. I took it into my Wednesday night Bible study and the group really liked it. When I was away on vacation they pleaded with me to bring the Audio Bible back. That was enough encouragement for me to buy a copy for the class. I also sent one to my Aunt who is awaiting delivery.
I have started listening to the Audio Bible during my commute. What a positive difference! Hearing God's Word certainly helps reduce the stress of South Florida traffic.
Personally, I really like the Max McLean's reading performance. The background sounds are just enough and while some may not like Max McLean's style, I feel the emphasis usually makes what is being said more clear.
A GREAT GIFT IDEA FOR ANYONE, especially for people who are out of town!

Max McLean has the most beautiful, soothing voice I have heard on any audio recording. His delivery of the Bible texts is superb. I purchased both McLean's "The Listener's Bible" and "The Valley of Vision" recordings for my husband as a Christmas gift, and he has enjoyed immensely his daily commute of two hours ever since.

One reviewer mentioned attempting to read along as Mr. McLean delivered the beautiful biblical verses and having difficulty with the theatricality of Mr. McLean's voice. I disagree that his voice is theatrical; I do find it dramatic and moving and precisely how I would expect to hear the Word of the Lord - dramatic enough to know who is speaking but lovingly delivered.

As a teacher, I would suggest a method which might help persons reading the Bible and having difficulty with older, non-modern versions of any text. As with other fine literature, the modern, untrained reader must develop a knack for reading and understanding older literature and other texts correctly over time. One way is by hearing it again and again before attempting to decipher it in print.
In other words, listen to develop a familiarity with how the text would have been spoken, the inflections of voice, and the emphasis on certain words in order to "translate" concepts into modern terms. Then when one sits down to read the written word, it becomes much more clear and revealing. (Try this with Homer or Shakespeare as well.)

The best way I have found to fully appreciate Max McLean's narrative talent and the soul-soothing balm of the Bible is to close the drapes, lie back, exclude as many outside sounds as possible and devote an hour or more solely to LISTENING. Allow McLean's lovely voice to read to you. Just ENJOY it!

Then, if you can force yourself to stop the CD ("only ONE more chapter..."), go about your work or play. Later on or the next day, open your Bible and read what he read to you. It is amazing how more vivid the text will have become to you. I think this method will help much more than trying to read along. Sometimes our limited knowledge of words and their older meanings, our lack of proper inflection, and our unfamiliarity with the subject, history, or traditions and customs causes us to stumble over words and passages and to totally miss the concepts we might understand if we were not attempting to keep up with a reader. This is akin to "listening" to what another person is saying while, at the same time, thinking of some rebuttal or formulating a counter-speech in our heads. Listening is a wonderful skill.

My husband came home last night in a joyful mood, because in spite of his hectic day at work, rude drivers and heavy traffic on the highway, he had listened all the way home to the lovely, encouraging voice of God lovingly narrated by Max McLean.

If you purchase this item (and I also suggest "The Valley of Vision" -both the book and McLean's reading of it), you will most certainly benefit. Your listening skills will improve (might help at home and work, too), your appreciation for the Word of God also will be markedly changed, and the next time you read to someone, maybe McLean's dramatic and enthusiastic influence will spill over to your own reading.

I purchased this for several reasons, but mostly because I love Scripture. Having read most of the Bible at least once, and other parts numerous times, I figured that this would help me keep refreshed, as I listen to it during my frequent 2 and a half hour road trips in my car. Well delivered Scripture can be a better companion than even good music at times...

Max McLean has a wonderful delivery, and the subtle, simple music in the background adds just the right amount of color. I especially liked his telling of the 4 Gospels. It sounded real, fresh, but never over-dramatized.

As a Catholic, I do have two objections. One cannot however be considered an objection, as I bought this knowing that it was a Protestant translation, and therefore is missing the Deuterocanonicals. Alas, I won't have the pleasure of hearing Max recite those; I'll simply have to read the text to keep refreshed :)

Third - and this is actually a criticism, is the translation used. While the choice of the NIV was logical for the producers, as its a popular and easily-readable translation, I do take issue with the way some things are inconsistently translated. I was actually not aware of a few finer points of translation until I heard this, my previous Scripture studies having used other translations (NAB, KJV, RSV, Jerusalem Bible).

While I feel that the NIV is an accurate translation overall, and don't want to accuse the translators of intentional doctoring without a compelling case, there are two words that seem to have been inconsistently translated in order to de-Catholicize the Bible on the two foundational points of Catholic/Protestant contention. The two words are paradosis and ergon, which mean, respectively, tradition and works.

In every single case where faith is stressed when discussing justification, the NIV translates the word ergon as "works." When works are being elevated, the NIV translates the same word - ergon - as "deeds" or "actions" (though we should have expected the Greek word poieo if it were correctly translated this way). See James 2:24.

Regarding paradosis, the word is correctly translated as "traditions" when traditions of men are condemned, but mistranslated as "teachings" (which is actually didaktikos in Greek) when the adherance to Tradition is commanded (see 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, and 1 Corinthians 11:2). However, to be fair, I did notice that in the printed edition of the NIV, the correct translation of paradosis is given in the footnotes here.

Every translation suffers at least some from the inherent bias of the translators, but these instances seem too uncoincidental to be innocent. The entire Catholic/Protestant seperation rests on the issues discussed in these verses; why the need to doctor the text if the issues are as "perspicuous" as they're proposed to be by some? In any case, I see no reason to throw the baby out over 4 verses of bathwater :)

I do VERY highly recommend this set, as it truly does bring Scripture alive and makes it very accessible to anyone. Its not hard to find time to listen to CDs, so no more excuses for not reading the Bible!

Much better than the Alexander Scourby recordings, both in sound quality, and in the entire presentation. The emotion and action can be felt in hearing the words. McLean indeed has a very special gift for presenting the scriptures in a way that holds the listener's attention, something that is lacking in other audio Bible products. Good work.

Max McLean does an excellent job of making the reading dynamic and impassioned without making it overly dramatic. The background music (although it is more sounds than music per se) creates a wonderful listening atmosphere that helps keep one's attention focused. Many other audio Bibles out there are rather insipid and are about as engaging as an automated answering machine; not so with this one. Overall I would highly recommend this audio version of the NIV Bible.

I waited a long tome to be able to purchase Max McLean's Listerner's Bible and it was well worth the wait. I am very pleased. I use it personally and for my Sunday School lessons.....sometimes you just want to hear the Word. Anyone who has a Bible should have this audio version.

Though I have heard different readings of the Bible, I highly recommend this one by Max McLean. His drama experience and various voice inflections make it very interesting to listen to. My husband's eyes are weak and he can no longer read his Bible for any length of time, but he LOVES listening to it read to him in this way.

This bible is what I expected and more. The books are clearly marked for easy review of the CD's. Max McLean uses his outstanding voice-over skills to cause the words of the Bible to take on an exciting and dramatic persona. In addition, the entire bible is packaged in a very nice leather CD case for easy transport.

I was very pleased with the Listener's Bible on CD. I love his voice. It was all I'd hoped it would be.

I am really pleased with this product. I have always wanted to get through the Bible from start to finish but finding time to sit down and read it has been hard and sometimes it's hard to concentrate on the written Word. Since getting this product I have loaded the discs on my iPod and take it with me to/from work and listen to it on my commute. Max McLean delivers the written Word in a clear concise voice that is enjoyable to listen to. When I get through the Listener's Bible and go back to read it, I'm sure it will make it much easier after having listened to it first! I'm sure you won't be disappointed either.