I've fallen in love with the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible. I've read through several other versions, including the KJV sometime ago, and had been wanting to get back to it. Then in June, I found an almost brand new copy in our fave bookstore, Payless Books in Ampang Point, and grabbed it at RM10.90 only. A gift from Heaven!
Every morning I read 3 chapters, one Psalm, one Old Testament (Ecclesiastes now), and one New Testament (Romans). As the old hymn goes: "Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life." They lift up my spirit, fill my soul, satisfy my heart and mind. Not only that, they challenge me to change, first the thinking, then the behaviour. Most of all, they reveal God to me, the Lord Jesus Christ in ever increasing glory and majesty. As Simon Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." John 6:68
I did some online search on the KJV. There are some Christians who hold the view that the KJV is the only version we should all read. I believe that God works through many ways and that the many versions and translations that we have now are a blessing to mankind. My first bible was a gift from my Christian classmate Jennifer. A non-christian who knew little of Christianity except what the school curriculum taught, which was precious little, I came to know God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through reading the Living Bible, a paraphrase by Kenneth Taylor. Later, I went on to the Revised Standard Version, the New International Version, the New Living Translation and the Amplified Bible. Debates continue on the positive and negative qualities of the different versions (see the KJV only , the Living Bible, and why so many translations links). I thank God that He has enabled various people through the ages to write all these and also to translate into the many languages and tongues of the people groups of the world so that all men and women and children may be able to read His word and come to know Him. He is a God who speaks in all our languages and He is not silent!
From the KJV link, I found out more about King James, the King who commissioned the translation of the Authorized King James Version (KJV) of 1611. English history forgotten or not learned before, including the interesting fact that he was a friend and patron of William Shakespeare, who of course used the KJV and wrote Macbeth based on his family history in Scoland (King James was a Scot and Macbeth was known as the Scottish play.) Well, guess what, I'm reading Macbeth now, aloud, and enjoying it a lot, in between others like Philip Pullman's The Subtle Knife.
3 comments:
It's PAY LESS Bookstore isn't it?
Lar, don't be so mean-lah David. Payless Books or Pay Less Bookstore, it brought me a HUGE load of fun. Experience of just being there (unsuccessful AND successful entries) and them books. Whoa. Them books are... overwhelming.
Yes, its Pay Less, but how come every time we go there we end up buying more and paying more?
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