The majority of Bible Gateway users responding to an online survey say they use modern English Bible translations to devote Scripture verses to memory.
We asked blog readers “What English Bible translation do you primarily use to memorize Scripture?” More than 2,000 of you responded. Of that number, 63% chose Bible versions other than the popular 400-year-old King James Version (KJV) and the 100-year-old American Standard Version (ASV), known for poetically old-English words like “thee,” “thou,” “ye,” and “verily.” However, at 34% of the votes, the KJV is the top single translation used by people for memorization. The ASV received 1% of the vote.
The New International Version is the second most memorized translation at 29% and is the top modern English Bible text for memory work.
The New King James Version, which retains the lyrical nature of the KJV but without archaic pronouns, is third (12%), followed by English Standard Version (7%), New Living Translation (4%), New American Standard Bible (4%), Amplified Bible (2%), and New Revised Standard Version, Holman Christian Standard Bible, The Voice, The Message, and the New English Translation at 1% each.
Two-percent of Bible Gateway users say they use other Bible translations for memory work than were listed in the survey.
We’ve talked about Bible memorization before—we offered some memorization pointers in “Ten Tips for Memorizing Bible Verse.” Bible memorization is also the focus of our newest email devotional newsletter, the three-week Memo Devo: Memorization as Devotion. And if you want to delve yet deeper, see the many Bible memorization resources and tools at the Bible Gateway Store.
Our next Bible Gateway poll asks “When Scripture is read publicly in worship service, I….” Cast your vote below:
When Scripture is read publicly in worship service, I...
- follow along using my print Bible. (53%, 3,281 Votes)
- follow along with the text projected on the church screen. (23%, 1,422 Votes)
- follow along using my mobile/tablet Bible app. (14%, 867 Votes)
- simply listen without looking at the words. (11%, 694 Votes)
- pray. (3%, 156 Votes)
- daydream. (2%, 154 Votes)
- don’t attend worship services. (2%, 143 Votes)
- other. (2%, 98 Votes)
Total Voters: 6,212
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