The latest Christian Booksellers Assocition (CBA) ranking has the NLT #3 in dollars sales and #2 in unit sales. I believe Tim Challies saw this coming, because he took some shots at it but misfired. And with the launching of the NLT blog to discuss matters NLT, sure didn’t hurt and will only increase it’s readability.
In fact, R. Mansfield and Elshaddai have us all excited about the NLT Study Bible. Now I leave you with this postscript come from the post Rise of the New Living Translation:
I don’t believe that for one Bible version to succeed another one must fail. I still recommend reading translations in parallel. Regardless, I believe current trends point to the NLT continuing to gain momentum which may eventually lead to its place as the most used Evangelical translation in a number of years. And it may even be able to reach beyond the walls of Evangelicalism.
Are we really in for an evangelical NLT takeover?
Are we really in for an evangelical NLT takeover?
I’ve given up on an evangelical REB takeover.
That being the case, I would vote for either the TNIV or the NLTse.
I think everyone should own a copy of each. Of course I’m about to own two ot the NLTse as I will be getting the NLT Study Bible when it becomes available.
I hope so- with one caveat:
That this would not become an NLTse-only take-over. I think Keith and the guys at the NLT blog have it right to point out that the various translation methods all have their place. I would love to see the NLTse in the hands of many more people, to be frank, a LOT more people, but at the same time I don’t want it to fall into the same mentality that the KJV and, more recently, the ESV, have fallen into.
Bryan,
That this would not become an NLTse-only take-over.
Good point.
Stan, my TNIV is not doing to well on the CBA list right now. The REB has taken you over. That’s a good thing.
Bryan, I believe the TNIV is eventually going to make a serious push. People will eventually come around to accepting it. The more they read the NLT, they’ll be wondering what the fuss was about.
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It would be revolutionary though….
Brian, it will be moving the #1 choice of Bible from the mediating approach toward the dynamic, from the NIV to the NLTse.
who knows… who knows…
its such a great translation for just sitting down and reading tho…
I have sung the praises of the NLT since I first got a copy of it in 2000. While I still use the NASB as my main Bible, and will for the foreseeable future, the NLT is a good backup.
Martin
Roger and Martin, I second that the the NLT is a good second choice.
Well the great joy for me would be the ESV supporters murder the TNIV and the net result is an even more dynamic translation which is even more gender neutral becomes the evangelical choice. That is divine justice both for the CBMW and Zondervan for not hitting back.
Everyone knows I’m with Stan and ElShaddia on the REB, and the NLT is not top 5 for me even. But people buy study bible’s not translations and if I were buying a bible for an evangelical the NLTSB is looking really good. I couldn’t imagine the Oxford REB as someone’s first/only study bible.
CD-Host, the ESV supporters seem to be making inroads in the Reformed/Calvinist community. The TNIV will silence its gainsayers.
The REB will always be around to reference.
Keep going. What is Zondervan’s strategy on the TNIV? I feel like they just threw in the towel.
Well, I know that late this fall Zondervan will be coming out with the new and improved TNIV Reference Bible.
I will be getting both the new TNIV Reference Bible and the NLT Study Bible.
I know that late this fall Zondervan will be coming out with the new and improved TNIV Reference Bible.
Are you referring to the binding/cover or have you received information about other changes? I would hesitate to call the TNIVRB “new and improved” if the only change is offering another style of binding/cover. After spending some time with it earlier this year, I was forced to agree again with my initial impressions.
El, we just have to wait and see.