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41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent formal equivalent translation w/stellar Notes, October 4, 1998
My first copy of this translation was given to me by a friend at dinner. I was particularly grateful for the gift for it was the $80.00 burgundy leather bound edition. His comment to me at the time was, "Danny, you have a gold bar in your hands!" I listened with amused but knowing disposition. Over the next few weeks and months as I tested the translation, I was careful to keep with me my copy of Nestle's 27th edition of the Greek Text and to compare the translation with other formal equivalence translations that I already trusted (like the New American Standard Version), and even a more dynamic equivalence translation (New International Version). I must say that it met the test well. To be sure, the translation can be stiff, but it is entirely accurate, reading much like a slightly updated American Standard Version or Revised Version. Occasional oddities of option in translation got my attention (e.g. 'believe INTO Christ" rather than "believe in Christ"; ). But in considering the copious footnotes explaining choices for translation and giving a general mini-course in "Recovery" theology, every deviation from typical translations was within the range of reasonable lexical options, so much so that I would not tag the translation as aberrant. Actually, I am quite comfortable with using the translation exclusively, if not preferentially over other formal equivalence translations. It is the notes to the text, however, that make the bible as valuable as it is (A paperback edition can be ordered from Living Streams Ministries for about $17.50. Amazon.com doesn't carry that one [hint, hint], so one will have to settle for the $56.00 hit to your Visa card.) Obviously competent scholars in the "Local Church" led formerly by the now deceased Witness Lee, a direct disciple of Watchman Nee, are responsible for the translation. Lee wrote the notes. This group has been tagged as cultic in the past, particularly by Walter Martin's Christian Research Institute, but the Local Church pursued legal remedies and, as best as I can tell, the current edition of the new CRI president's Kingdom of the Cults (by Hank Hanegraf) has expunged any mention of the body of believers, although in one telephone conversation that I had with representatives at CRI, the group is yet considered aberrant. The notes clearly bring out a central doctrine of the church about the Triune God, their preferred terminology over that of Trinity per se. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one and three. Consider carefully the notes at John 7:37ff; 1 Cor. 15:45; 2 Cor. 3:17-18; and even Rev. 1:6 (or so,) where we find, all in all, that Jesus, spoke to his disciples of a time when the Holy Spirit would flow from within them; that he himself IS the last Adam now become the life giving Spirit; he, Jesus, is indeed The Lord Spirit, now sevenfold intensified to be able to effectively enter others born again to become literal sons of God as was Jesus. I.e. as Jesus, who was divine took on humanity in his incarnation and became a God-Man, so do we have a hope of a future as literal sons of God with the divine nature within us. In that light, our hope is to be like Jesus, the man in the heavens, now as God-men (so to speak), although not the Almighty God (Check notes at Philippians 1:6; 3:21; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; and 1 John 3:1-2). I don't think you can go wrong to have this translation with the notes at least to read along side whatever might be your favorite translation for insightful comparison. Witness Lee will make your spirit reflect deeply even if, for the soul of you, you do not initially agree with what he has to say. I think, for me, the initial problem was in the precision of terminology Lee uses in his explanations (pay extremely careful attention to prepositions both in the translation as well as in the notes), which are likely to grow on you in time. I'll give it five stars since these are all that are allowed.
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