Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #392477 in Books
• Published on: 1995-04
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1577 pages

Customer Reviews

Best easy-to-read version--with a couple of serious flaws
If any translation claims that it has made an accurate dynamic-equivalence translation, then it is God's Word (GW). The revisers of God's Word (GW) originally intended this version simply to be a revision of Beck's An American Translation (AAT). However, they so completely revised GW from the AAT, and its New Testament translation, the New Evangelical Translation (NET), that the revising committee decided to call GW a new translation, and rightly so! It is as revised from Beck's AAT as the NRSV is from the KJV. Although GW is very readable and--overall--accurate for an easy-to-read version, readers still should note it has some problems. At best, a translation is a very close approximation. At worst, it may change, delete, or skew a passage's meaning. God's Word does that in a few areas. GW translates "to be justified" as "to have God's approval." What does "justified" mean? It means that God has given us His approval and acquitted us of our wrongs because of what Jesus has done for us. "Justified" means much more than simply "God's approval." Also, GW uses "because of" where other translations use "by" or "through" when referring to faith. This impresses that God has granted forgiveness (and so saves a person) as a result of the person's faith. The causes of salvation are God's undeserved kindness and Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. God declares people righteous (acquits them) and saves them by faith not because of faith.

This version, also, has a few areas where the sentences are artificially short. Fortunately, they are never to the point of being patronizing.

In other areas, this reviewer particularly liked GW's clean format, and its preservation of poetic styles when in the original texts.

In the GW 1 John 3:17 reads:

Now, suppose a person has enough to live on and notices another believer in need. How can God's love be in that person if he doesn't bother to help the other believer? (GW)

GW receives an B+ in accuracy and an A+ in readability.

A great book for those having a hard time with other bibles!
This book is perfect for those who have a hard time understanding the Bible! It seems like you have to learn a whole new language to read the Bible and this book puts it in todays terms which makes it soooo easy to read. I have had other knowledgeable Christians compare it to the Kings James version and they love this book! I absolutely recomend this book to anyone who is having a difficult time interpreting other Bibles. This book leaves nothing out, it just puts it in easier terms. Great for Christians of all ages and especially good for those just coming into Christianity, regardless of denomination. Enjoy and God Bless!

A true translation from the best manuscripts available
The reviewer above needs to learn a little more about translation before he criticises it. GOD'S WORD is NOT a paraphrase, and I suggest he's very likely an old 1611 authorized King James hold-over. That's someone who's more interested in keeping the Christian faith an elitist group instead of allowing God's message to be understood by all.

Some people will just always find something wrong with modern Bible versions. We need to first understand that when we read these other reviews. I despise the NIV for example, it is one of the worst translations around and should be banned from every Church. But is there a perfect Bible out there? Sure, but it's all written in Hebrew, Greek & Aramaic on tablets and papyrus. Not exactly very useful to me, or you.

Gods Word is a wonderful Bible and has received commendation from such notaries as Billy Graham, Kel Richards, TW Wilson, Tim Todd, Dr. James Kennedy, Charles Bell, Ron Crawford, Ben Goldsmith, Peter M Wallace, and dozens more, all well seasoned Fathers of the Christian faith, all who preach relationship with God, not religion. They know this Bible is drawing God's people closer to Him, and so should we.

If you want a Bible for intensive Biblical study, you would be a fool to rely simply on one translation anyway. On my Palm Pilot I have 13 different versions. It is important to compare, and all faithful students of the scriptures will.

The bottom line is, that for everyday reading and growing in God, this Bible is the best out there, and although it has not become very widespread, I have a feeling that due to the amount of people being saved through this version, it will move to a position of leadership.

As a Discipler, I can not recommend this Bible more.

Israel