Uh, sorry to burst your bubble, coldstream, but your Revised Standard Version of the Bible is just that, a version, one more crack at interpertating the bloody thing. A good chunk of Christians deem that the 1611 King James - and only that - is the one true Bible that all good Christian's should have and connect to.
Then there's all those other versions...
So honestly, you can't say for sure which Bible is even the right one, let alone use it as a guide to life.
The King James Version is a pillar of the English Language. Many of its phrases are inculcated into our modern modes of expression. It became unfortunately a victim of the religious divides of Protestanism and Catholicism of the time in some of its translations. The Catholic Douay Rhiems version of the same period was more precise and authentic, but far less poetic.
The Revised Standard Version in the late 19th Century, the first new comprehensive translation since the KJV, was developed from original texts with the intent of retaining the poetic character of the KJV and the authenticity of DRV.
At same time it updated some of the language to exclude archaic words and expressions.. although it still kept most of the Old English pronouns. Hence my point that if you're looking for a good study or reference Bible, the RSV is your best choice (the Catholic Version of course). But i'd certainly say everyone should keep a King James Version on hand as well, just because of the historic power of its articulation.
By all means though, avoid some of the modern translations that have been corrupted by an agenda of political correctness. Some of them revising original intent or translating them to correspond to feminist or homosexual agendas. Some have become 'gender neutral', and really a pile of nonsense.
Last edited: