There is a new version of the Bible out called the Recovery Version. Have you any information on the accuracy and reliability of this version? -- Mike Armstrong (Athens)
I had not heard of this version before your email, after which I visited www.recoveryversion.org and sampled it. This version, which was translated by Witness Lee (coworker of Watchman Nee), was published in English in 1991.
My impression: it is a little stiff. This is a fairly literal translation--which is good in one way--but smoothness and readability suffer, as is always the case when a literal version is produced. Moreover, some of the notes are eccentric--for example, his dating of the writing of Genesis in 1490 BC. (Genesis 36:31 is just one passage indicating that the final product was probably five centuries later than this date.)
Normally translations are carried out by committees--there are more "checks and balances" than when one man undertakes such a venture solo. Some individual translations succeed (Kenneth Taylor's Living Bible and Eugene Peterson's The Message, for example), but most Bibles purchased are the fruits of a team-approach to translation. Nevertheless, I would not discourage you from reading a new translation. That is, in my opinion, far better than getting in the rut of using only one version!
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