“While I was teaching a class on Galatians, I began to realize that the adults in my class weren’t feeling the vitality and directness that I sensed as I read and studied the New Testament in its original Greek. Writing straight from the original text, I began to attempt to bring into English the rhythms and idioms of the original language. I knew that the early readers of the New Testament were captured and engaged by these writings and I wanted my congregation to be impacted in the same way. I hoped to bring the New Testament to life for two different types of people: those who hadn’t read the Bible because it seemed too distant and irrelevant and those who had read the Bible so much that it had become ‘old hat.’”

Some people say that The Message is a paraphrase and even though Navpress and the author say it is a translation, I would side on the side of paraphrase.  The reason why I say that is that, sometimes the words are just too liberal.  Yes I know he was trying to make a point and trying to get you to see that IF the men of the Bible were alive today, this is the way they would have said it.  And in some places I think he hits the nail on the head.  In other places it is like.. what the heck is that about?  Sometimes the meaning is not even the same as in other translations.  Do I think it is bad?  No, I have a couple of copies myself.  Remember what I said that sometimes it is good to quote different versions to make a point, and The Message is good for that, but I DO NOT recommend you using The Message as your main Bible to read and study.

However in 1996, Tyndale decided to create a real Translation that was a thought by thought version, and the New Living Translation was born. It was updated to the 2nd Edition in 2004.   I do use this translation often.  Matter of fact Michael Card, who is a big NIV fan, started to post and use the NLT on his website.  When asked why, he said sometimes when you have read a certain version of the Bible for so long, you can get to where you just skim it and not really READ IT.  So it is good to read others form time to time to keep you from doing that.

I have found the NLT to be a Bible that I used in teaching as well as preaching, when I want to make something clear.  Sometimes, even in the NIV, the sentence structure can be a little stiff.  I will use the NLT to give a more modern understanding.  I like it, I used it and I have studied with it.  I really like it.  There are some that still call it a paraphrase, but it is not.  It is a thought for thought translation.  I will say this though, I do not use this as my MAIN translation.  It is just a compliment to the others I use.  So if you are looking for an easier to read translation or if you are looking for a Bible for a new Christian, I recommend this one.  They come in many different forms and I have about 5 of them.  I will review the NLT Study Bible in a few days.

So I promise in the next day or two, to get back on this one and update the translation talk as well as my picks for Study Bibles.

Windows 7 Home Premium $119

Windows 7 Professional – $199

Windows 7 Ultimate – $219.

For a look into what each one offers go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/compare/default.aspx

Now if you are using XP or Vista, I do recommend upgrading.  XP be is just outdated.  It has been around since 2001 and it is 2009 and that is kind of old for software.  Also XP is not very secure and they have had to keep making updates available.

Vista has its issues but in someways it got a bad rap before it was even out the door.  Part of that is not Microsoft’s problem.  Many manufactors would not update their drivers or provide patches and so that left a bad taste in people’s mouth when they could not use some of their older hardware and software.  Many of those problems have been addressed in 7.

Here are some of the new cool features of Windows 7:

When I was installing Windows 7 on my XP Desktop, I had plugged into the computer an older HP printer.  While it was installing and doing it’s set up, a window popped up and it said, the Printer does not have a driver that will work with Windows 7.   Hold on while we search the internet for you.  After a few minutes it said, found it and installing.  After all of the installation was done, sure enough, there was the printer in the list of components and it worked.  That is something neither XP or Vista did.

It does run faster.  Yes the boot up time is faster and so is the shut down.  Something that XP took forever to load and close down and Vista did a bit better but Windows 7 has it beat.

The Redesigned Taskbar.  One of the things I love is the new taskbar.  I have a lot of programs open and running and sometimes I get confused as to where something is.  In Vista they did that side few, and let you flip through the Windows like a card file.  I never did like that.  But with 7, all of the windows are open in the taskbar and if you highlight one, it will open in a mini window to let you see what it there.  That is so much better.

Got old software that you do not want to pay to upgrade or not available anymore?  Well in Vista it was a gamble if it was going to run or not.  Not so in 7.  I got a few of my older programs to work in 7 but the ones that would not do it, I used the new feature Windows XP Mode.  What that is, is a program that uses Windows Virtual Desktop.  You run those programs and then install older software which then will be allowed to run in XP Mode inside 7.  When you are down and you close it down, it returns back to the look of Windows 7 and not XP.  That is worth it to me.

If you have a touch screen monitor, Windows 7 is setup to do that.  Just like in the movies, just use your finger to open and close and drag things around.

Setting up your network is easier as well in the new Home Group.

There is also away to remote stream your music on your computer hard drive.

If there is a program that you use and open all the time, you can pin it to the taskbar and run it from there.  Better then Start, all programs, then look for the program and then click it to open.

One thing you will notice is there is not a Windows Calendar or a Windows Mail program like you had with XP and Vista.  XP had Outlook Express and Vista had Windows Mail.  They are not longer there… HOWEVER, you can go to Windows Live and download all of those programs and even more as free programs.

Also Windows now offers free Antivirus and Antispyware program.  It is called – Microsoft Security Essentials.  This is free and works pretty well.

There are many ways that you can customize to your liking including different themes, music and pictures.

Action Center is also a new feature that I like.  If your computer crashes or if there are issues, there is a little white flag, down on the bottom near the time and it will let you know if there are any issues that need to be address.  When you open it up, it will show you what the programs are, then the solutions to fix it.  All done in a click or two.

Windows Paint has gotten a whole new makeover.  About time, it was way outdated.  There are some neat things you can do with that.

Windows comes with Windows Internet Explorer 8.  I hate it.  I prefer to use Google’s free Internet browser.  It is called Google Chrome.  It is faster and easier to use and I love the fact you can pin your favorite sites instead of having to type them in all the time.

And my last favorite thing is the Sticky Notes.  Yep, the yellow note pads you can stick on your desktop.  I have 3 open in mine right now and what is cool about it, is if someone calls me and gives me a number or inforantion, I do not have to go look for a pen or paper.  Just click and it opens and I make a note.  Very easy to use.

There are many other features and many other things I could tell you about, but again, I am giving you some of my major likes about 7.  If you have questions … post a comment and I will try to answer it for you soon.

As they were working on this translation, they put down why they went with what word and other ways it could read helping the reader to better understand how a translation is made. These 25 translators used the most up to date Hebrew, Greek and Aramic documents available and gave us a very readable translation that is pretty much word for word but put in today’s language.  Man there is so much information that it will open your eyes to just how much work goes into translating the Bible.  I have a lot of respect for these people and what they do.  Ok you may ask me, well many notes are there in it?  Try, over 60,000 of them.  Yep you read right.  60,932 translators’ notes to be exact.  Go to their site and download it to check it out.

But let me tell you something else about this wonderful work.  I am a person who loves to have a Bible in my hands, and they make this translation available in print.  There are 3 versions of it available. The NET Bible with all the notes.. and this is a big Bible.  It comes in very many different types from bonded to high quality leather.  Then the next version is the Reader’s Edition.  This was made for people who teach or who wanted the translation without all the notes.  And then they came up with the Compact Edition.  Now I have all 3 or I did have all three.  I gave my pastor, who had never heard of the NET, my Reader’s Edition.  In the Reader’s and Compact there are close to 7,000 of the 60,000 translators’ notes.  But let me tell you about how wonderful these are made.

It is a shame that so many Bible publishers have gone to fake leather or poor grain leather and very thin paper.  Many of the Bibles today are not sewn together but glued and fall apart from a lot of use.  That is not the case with the NET Bibles.  These are made with premium paper, premium smyth sewn binding, full color satellite maps of the holy lands (these are really cool to look at) and gold gilded edges.  The font is very easy on the eyes – even the Compact is easy for me to read and I am 54 years old and these eyes need good fonts.

So, let me just say – if you want a great translation and if you want all of those wonderful notes… this is a great tool for anyone who is in the ministry – be it a pastor, teacher, sunday school teacher or just someone who loves to study God’s word, then you need the NET Translation. I promise you, you will not be disappointed.  Oh, and talk to Todd at Bible.org to see how your local Christian Bookstore can start carrying the NET.

Oh and check out the bible.org for all the wonderful teachings, studies and forums that you can join and be encouraged.  It is one of my favorite sites that I visit often.

Translations – I will be giving my thoughts on the NET, NCV,NLT and the Message.

Study Bibles – My reviews on the NIV , NLT, ESV, NKJV, and the Life Application.

Windows Software – As a computer tech for almost 20 yrs, I will be reviewing Windows 7 as well as free software you can use to protect your computer and some other programs out there that I think are good to use.  Also if you have any computer questions, send them to me and I will try to answer them.  I will also take a look at some of the other Bible software out there.

Websites- There are some great websites for ministry and for encouraging your walk with the Lord.  I will share with you some of my favorites soon.

Upcoming CDs and movies I will also blog about as well as great ideas for Christmas.. we are not too far from that time.

Hope you all had a great weekend and will have the next reviews on soon.

Lord Bless!

And it is sad, because this version of the Bible I think is one of the best I have ever read.  The gender thing is something that is not new.  For instance, if you read in the King James or even the NIV, it may say, Dear brothers in the Lord.”  In the TNIV, it says,” Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord.”  Where the Greek or Hebrew uses a male term and it is to be a male term, they kept it that way.  But in pleases where it could be to either men or women, they used things like, the person or persons, or instead of the man who does this or that, they say the person or they if it is plural.  Many other translations have done this, like the NCV, NLT, NET and others.

The TNIV did update the NIV and in my opinion did a great job of it.  The thing is, the bad press for this version has hurt sales so bad, that the owners of the translation, Biblica and their publisher, Zondervan, have now said they made a mistake and that they are going to go back and update the NIV but not be as gender inclusive as the TNIV was.  I am sad about this news because I really do like the TNIV and have used this as my main teaching and studying Bible over the last 2 years.  The NIV 2011 will replace the current NIV and the TNIV.  Once they come out, there will be no more versions of those Bible.  So, get them while you can still find them.  Once they go out of print, there will be people who will buy them up and sell them on Ebay and Amazon for hundreds of dollars.