READ IT ALOUD!

1 Timothy 4:8-16
8 Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance 10 (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

With so many excellent translations of the Bible to choose from these days, it's hard to comprehend that for more than 350 years one version was used by much of the English-speaking world. From its translation in 1611 until the mid-20th century, the King James Version was the Bible of home and pulpit.

Today some people are put off by its "thee's," "thou's," and "verily's." Yet there is still something beautiful about hearing the King James Version of the 23rd Psalm read aloud:

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul . . ."

Part of the enduring appeal of the King James Bible has to do with its method of translation. Simon Winchester, in his book The Secretaries of God, tells of the translators' great sensitivity to the spoken word. These scholars of ancient languages were determined to convey not only the accurate English meaning of the Hebrew and Greek, but they also cared about its sound. This meant listening carefully to the translated words. Winchester wrote:

"The twelve of them are sitting around the room listening. . . . This is the kingdom of the spoken. The ear is the governing organ of this prose; . . . the spoken word is the heard word, and what governs acceptability of a particular verse is not only accuracy but [good sound]."

The apostle Paul understood the power of the spoken word too. He instructed the young pastor Timothy: "Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching" (1 Timothy 4:13). Paul knew that the Word of God stirs the heart in a special way when spoken aloud.

So whether it's a contemporary Bible translation or the King James Version, what really matters is a listening spirit that appreciates both the meaning and the sound of God's Word. In your own personal times with Jesus, during family devotions, or in church, remember the power of the spoken Word and look for opportunities to read it aloud! --Dennis Fisher

DESTINATION POINTS

* What version of the Bible do I prefer and why?
* What opportunities do I have to hear the Word spoken aloud?
* How can I find new ways of hearing it?

LINKS:
How Can I Understand The Bible?
How Can I Know God Through His Book?

bottom line: God wants me to hear the sound of His Word.

soul journey