Book Review: The Voice New Testament

Many of you have read my How Sharp is Your Sword post from 2006, and know that I'm not fond of many translations other than the KJV. I read the KJV daily and study out of the KJV and the NIV. I truly enjoy paralleling versions to see what they say. If I could read Greek and Hebrew, I think I would probably read from original versions, but I can't so I stick to the version that I can compare as the closest translation as far as I can tell in my personal studies. That is something that you must each decide for yourself, what translation to read from and how you believe about translations.

When I got the chance from Thomas Nelson publishing and Booksneeze.com to review this new version of the Bible that claims, "You will fall in love with the Bible in this bold, new translation and format," I jumped at it. By the description, I thought I would enjoy this version that was acclaimed to be laid out easier to read while capturing the "mood and voice" of the original writers. I thought wrong.

I did NOT enjoy this translation. If they were to call it a book, and not a translation of the true Word of the Father, I might enjoy it more. Take, for example, the very important Revelation 22:18:

The Voice version:Beware, everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book. Know this for certain: if anyone adds to these words, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book.

KJV: For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

The Voice added to it right there! Hello? The verses removed in the footnotes of the NIV were there, and the verses completely removed in the NIV were there, but noted in the footnotes.

I must say, I really did enjoy the format, the script style made it very easy to know who was speaking, but for a book, not my Bible. The format, type and print was easy to read, aesthetically pleasing and good looking book. The "translation" however, was very loose and not fitting to the Greek. I would not recommend this translation to my friends, family and readers.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”