Updated 24.0619
Many years ago when I first started following Jesus I would listen to Chuck Swindoll on Insight for Living almost every weeknight. Since there was no local church I could attend then, Chuck was most influential in my spiritual growth when I was I was a new Christian. I deeply respect Chuck’s teaching and opinions.
Many Pastors that were primarily preaching from the 1984 Edition of the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible started to look for another translation to use when that Bible edition was no longer being published. Many have switched to the English Standard Version, the New King James Version or the Christian Standard Bible. There has been a lot of confusion among people that think the New Living Translation (NLT) is a “Paraphrase” like Living Bible was and therefore not suitable for preaching. Over the last few years I have heard more and more Pastors are choosing to preach from and distribute New Living Translation Bibles. At our church we have been using it more often because we believe that people’s lives will be transformed if they read, understand and apply it to their lives. I share this to show that pastors and Bible scholars do find the NLT is a useful text. I personally prefer the 2015 revision of the NLT and give New Believer’s NLT New Testaments away at our church and community.
Here’s what Chuck Swindoll’s webpage is saying about his choice to preach from the New Living Translation:
What version of the Bible does Chuck use?
For many years of his ministry, especially since 1971 in Fullerton, California, Chuck exclusively used the New American Standard Version Ryrie Study Bible in his preaching. However, beginning in early 2013, after careful investigation, personal research, and discussions with those involved in the publishing of The New Living Translation, he has switched to that version of the Bible in his public ministry. Approximately 90 biblical scholars went to the original texts during the foundational work of their translation to guarantee the accuracy of their efforts.
These devoted individuals then pursued the best and most helpful ways to express the meaning of the biblical text in our English language, which resulted in a much more readable translation. Because Chuck’s threefold commitment remains the same (accuracy, clarity, and practicality), he desired to use a version of the Bible that did not require a seminary-trained scholar to understand it, and yet he wanted to make certain the version he used remained faithful and true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Chuck has come to realize that The New Living Translation best serves his purpose in helping others realize how reliable, relevant, timeless and true God’s Word remains to this day.
– See more at: http://www.insight.org/about/questions-about-chuck.html
WHICH BIBLE TRANSLATION SHOULD I READ? | BIBLE TRANSLATION REVIEW
by Alan Parr
Other interesting facts about the NLT
One of the best places to buy New Living Translation Bibles in large quantities is https://www.biblesatcost.com/
The New Living Translation was first published in 1996 and then a major revision was published in 2004. There were also minor revisions in 2007, 2013 and 2015. You can tell the difference between the first and second editions by looking at the Tyndale logo on the Bible – a square shaped logo is the first edition and the baseball diamond shaped logo is the second edition.
Eagle Brook, one of Minnesota’s largest multi-site churches uses and recommends the NLT on their website “choose a version of the Bible that’s easy to understand, such as the New Living Translation (NLT), which we use most often here at Eagle Brook.” click here
Listen to the Rainer on Leadership Podcast Episode: “The Rise in Popularity of the New Living Translation: An Interview with Tremper Longman, III” click here
Riverside Church in Big Lake Minnesota (one of the largest and most effective C&MA Churches in their district) hands out and the pastor preaches from the New Living Translation (and other versions).
Tommy Keene at Reformed Seminary has written an article “Why the NLT is Good, actually.” click here
Carl Hinderager – Professor of New Testament at Briercrest College and Seminary shares 3 Reasons Why he Loves the NLT click here
The Canadian Gideons chose the New Living Translation for distribution click here and used the New Living Translation for their New Life Bible App click here
The newly updated third edition of the best selling and extremely useful Life Application Bible was released in October 2019 in The New Living Translation and New International Version. click here Now the NLT Chronological Life Application Bible 2nd edition has just been released click here
Chris Teien 