Some Issues with Expansion....

The NKJV Expanded Bible, which is part of the Signature Series by Thomas Nelson, fits its name perfectly. This Bible provides additional insight for deeper study. The bold type presents their translation into more modern language while the regular type, within brackets, serves as the expanded portion. These comments focus upon more literal renderings of the word, traditional renderings (often from the King James), cross-referencing material, or textual variants from the original manuscripts.

If a reader compares this New King James translation with another, they will immediately discover differences within the translation. That rationale is explained by the editors in the beginning. Rather than waging into the debate between formal (literal) equivalent or functional (meaning) equivalent translations, the authors “compromise” by blending both formats in this Bible.

While each equivalency has pros and cons, this merging of the two creates its own set of problems. First, the eminent readability of functional translations (the NIV) is lost while the beauty of language within the formal translations (the KJV) is also missing. Second, the “safety” of formal translations (typically theologically precise due to less personal interpretation by editors) may have been lost. I am not a student of the original languages, but this type of Bible forces one to rely upon the three editors for precision. I am not saying these men purposefully skewed the text one way or another, but this blended format opened the door for bias to enter into textual renderings.

The above-mentioned format for the NKJV Expanded Bible affords itself to personal, in-depth study; however, I cannot recommend this Bible for a new Christian or someone wishing to own a smooth reading text. The quirky nature of the expansion brackets inhibits the natural flow and, at times, can present confusion. I reviewed the electronic version of this Bible and am uncertain whether the same erratic pattern would exist. Maybe the actual hard copy would resolve some of that issue for me.



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