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Andy Rau
March 8, 2013

Live-Tweeting Episode 2 of “The Bible”

A quick reminder: this Sunday evening, the Bible Gateway team will be watching the second episode of the History Channel’s “The Bible” miniseries—and we’ll be sharing our thoughts on Twitter as we do so.

We had a lot of fun watching the series premiere this past Sunday, and enjoyed participating in the very lively online discussion of the show as we did so. As we did last week, we’ll be linking to the original Bible stories that the miniseries dramatizes, so that you can read the original accounts and compare them to the way they’re presented by the series’ writers and actors.

If you’re planning to tune in this Sunday evening, be sure to join us on Twitter and take part in the conversation!

March 7, 2013

How to Read Multiple Bibles Side-by-Side on Bible Gateway

Did you know that you can view multiple translations of a Bible verse or passage side-by-side on Bible Gateway? This is useful anytime you want to compare how different Bible versions (including Bibles in different languages) translate the same verse or passage. This is sometimes called reading Bibles “in parallel.” Here’s how to do this on Bible Gateway:

While Reading a Bible Passage

To bring up a parallel translation while reading a passage (for example, Genesis 1), click the Add Parallel button, located to the right of the chapter and book navigation arrows:

A new column will appear with a drop-down menu where you can select the Bible you want to add:

Select a version from the list. Bible Gateway will automatically display the passage in that translation alongside the version you were reading.

If you want to compare a third, fourth or fifth translation, click Add Parallel again. To remove a Bible from the parallel view, click the X in the top right of any column:

While Performing a Bible Search

You can also choose to search in multiple versions from the Passage Lookup and Keyword Search pages. Click Lookup passage(s) in multiple versions on the Passage Lookup or Search in multiple versions on the Keyword Search:

This will expand the version selector to five drop-downs. Select the versions you want to view:

Compare Multiple Passages in Multiple Versions

You can also compare more than one Bible passage in more than one translation by using the Passage Lookup. Use the directions above for searching multiple passages from the Passage Lookup page, but instead of just filling in one passage, click “Lookup Multiple Versions”:

Type in each passage you’d like to compare and then click on “Lookup Passage.” The passages will appear in rows on top of each other in each translation column.

Here’s an example comparing Genesis 1:1-3 and John 1:1-10 in five different versions.

Andy Rau
March 6, 2013

Lent Reflection: God Spoke All These Words

Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, was three weeks ago. What has your Lent experience been like so far? Has it been a time of prayer, reflection, and peace? Or has it been a struggle to maintain a spiritual focus with all the stresses and distractions of “real life?” Whether your Lent thus far has been quiet or hectic, let’s take a few minutes to consider the main reason for Easter in the first place: God’s Law… or more specifically, our inability to obey it without God’s help.

Below are the famous “Ten Commandments”—the rules for holy living that God first revealed to the Israelites, who needed to know how God expected them to live.

God’s Law: Exodus 20:1-17

And God spoke all these words:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

“You shall not murder.

“You shall not commit adultery.

“You shall not steal.

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” — Exodus 20:1-17 (NIV)

A Quote to Consider

“The Law is that word by which God teaches what we shall do, as for instance, the Ten Commandments. Now, if human nature is not aided by God’s grace, it is impossible to keep the law, for the reason that man since the fall of Adam in Paradise is depraved and full of sinful desires, so that he cannot from his heart’s desire find pleasure in the law, which fact we all experience in ourselves. For no one lives who does not prefer that there were no law, and everyone feels and knows in himself that it is difficult to lead a pious life and do good, and, on the other hand, that it is easy to lead a wicked life and to do evil. But this difficulty or unwillingness to do the good is the reason we do not keep the Law of God. For whatever is done with aversion and unwillingness is considered by God as not done at all. Thus the Law of God convicts us, even by our own experience, that by nature we are evil, disobedient, lovers of sin, and hostile to God’s laws.” — Martin Luther, sermon on Matthew 11:2-10, #19

Questions for Reflection

  • What can we learn about God from the commandments He gave to His people?
  • If God knew that humans would inevitably fail to keep His law, why do you think He issued these (and other) commands in the first place?
  • How does Easter change your understanding of the Law and its place in your life?

A Bible Passage to Memorize

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” — Matthew 22:36-40 (NRSV)

Andy Rau
March 1, 2013

Live-Tweeting “The Bible” Miniseries

Will you be watching “The Bible” miniseries when it premiers this Sunday, March 3? Are you wondering how faithful it will be to the Bible text, and which Bible stories will be included?

We’re curious too, and so the Bible Gateway team will be watching and discussing the miniseries at our Twitter feed when it airs! We’ll be sharing our thoughts, linking to relevant Bible passages, and checking out what others have to say, and we hope you’ll follow us and join the discussion. So keep your laptop or mobile device open to Twitter as you tune at 8pm EST and let us know what you think.

See you there!

Andy Rau
February 25, 2013

Lent Reflection: God Himself Will Provide

How has your Lent progressed so far? Nearly two weeks into the Lenten season, are you still praying, reflecting, and keeping focused on Christ? Have you noticed a change in your attitude and behavior? Whether or not you’ve stuck to your Lent commitments (and even if you didn’t commit to anything in particular), there’s no bad time to decide to set your mind on Jesus. Below is a devotional reflection, drawn from our Lent Devotional, about an Old Testament story that directly foreshadows the miracle of Easter.

A Prayer for Lent

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. Do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior. — Psalm 38:1,2,4,21,22

Scripture to Consider: God Himself Will Provide — Genesis 22:1-14

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven,

“Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” — Genesis 22:1-14 (NIV)

Questions to Ponder

  • What is your reaction to this story? Does it encourage you? Inspire you? Does it frighten or alarm you?
  • Was it “fair” or “just” for Jesus to die for our sins?
  • How does Jesus’ death and resurrection change your relationship to God’s law?

A Verse to Memorize This Week

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. — Psalm 139:23-24

Andy Rau
February 21, 2013

Verse of the Day Now Available in The Voice Translation

The Voice Bible, now available in our Verse of the Day email.

The Voice Bible translation has been added to our email Verse of the Day!

The Voice is a unique Bible translation that brings several interesting features to the table, including screenplay-style dialogue, study notes embedded in the text, and more—we walked through The Voice in detail earlier this month when it was added to Bible Gateway’s library.

And now you can receive the Verse of the Day email in The Voice translation, alongside the NIV, ESV, KJV, and several other Bibles. To receive The Voice Verse of the Day, all you need to do is go here to sign up—just click the Verse of the Day checkbox on the right and select up to five Bibles. Then click Sign up at the bottom of the page.

(If you already receive the Verse of the Day, you can add The Voice to your daily email by clicking Manage My Bible Gateway Subscriptions at the bottom of any email you’ve received from us, and the following the instructions.)

Our Verse of the Day email is exactly what it sounds like—a daily Bible verse emailed to you, in up to five Bible translations. See this post for more information on the Verse of the Day.

Andy Rau
February 20, 2013

Coming Soon to a Television Near You: The Bible

Adapting a literary work for the big screen is an endeavor fraught with peril. Stray too far from the original work and you risk wrecking the story’s appeal (and angering fans of the book). Yet adhere too slavishly to the exact details of the book and you risk producing an uninspired film that doesn’t play to any of the strengths of the medium.

And those are just the risks you face when adapting a typical novel—say, a Harry Potter or Twilight installment. You can imagine how much more intimidating and problematic this becomes when you’re adapting a book that millions of people consider to be the living Word of God.

Despite the risks, there have been many attempts to adapt Bible stories to film, from the Cecil DeMille epic The Ten Commandments to Mel Gibson’s controversial The Passion of the Christ. As you can imagine, such films have ranged all across the spectrum of fidelity to the Bible text. The meticulous Jesus film limited its dialogue largely to the actual text of the Gospel of Luke and subjected itself to daily review by Bible scholars during filming; while on the other end of the faithfulness/entertainment spectrum, the 1999 miniseries Noah’s Ark featured the Biblical character Lot pursuing Noah across the flooded planet with a fleet of pirate ships. (There are no pirates in the original story, and Scripture never hints that Lot ever went back in time to take up a career in nautical villainy.)

I mention all this because in a few weeks we’ll get a chance to watch the latest effort to bring the Bible to the small screen: The Bible miniseries, the first episode of which airs on March 3 on the History Channel. Here’s the trailer:

What balance will The Bible miniseries strike between faithfulness to Scripture and the demands of the film medium? Which Bible stories will it cover? The trailer above suggests that it will hit most or all of the most well-known stories; will any less-commonly-known Bible stories make the cut? We won’t know until the miniseries airs, but our interest has been piqued: the Bible Gateway team will be watching, and sharing our thoughts on our blog and Twitter feed. Among other things, we’ll share links to the original Bible stories on Bible Gateway, so you can read the original accounts and compare them to the miniseries’ treatment.

Will you be tuning in?

[Full disclosure: The Bible miniseries is a Bible Gateway sponsor—you may have spotted ads for the miniseries around Bible Gateway. But rest assured, we’ll be fair and honest in our discussions of the miniseries as it airs.]

Jonathan Petersen
February 13, 2013

Bible Gateway Hears ‘The Voice’!

NEWS RELEASE
News Release Archive | Newsroom

Thomas Nelson’s newest Bible translation is now offered for free on BibleGateway.com

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (February 13, 2013)—Celebrating its 20th year online, Bible Gateway kicks off 2013 by adding a new voice to its multiplying list of available Bible translations. “The Voice,” the newest Bible translation introduced to the market in late 2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. has received hundreds of endorsements from pastors, ministry leaders, Bible readers and faith seekers from all over the world.

“The Voice” experience has grown in popularity among active, private and cultural Christians everywhere. “The Voice” appeals to its audience with its unique dialogue written in screenplay format, allowing readers to step into the story of Scripture. The reaction by readers to this translation’s format was Bible Gateway’s initial attraction to bringing “The Voice” on board.

“We fell in love with the concept of ‘The Voice’ and its desire to reach the average reader,” said Rachel Barach, General Manager of Bible Gateway. “After noticing that overwhelming reviews were coming from scholars, pastors, ministry leaders and the everyday Bible readers, we knew it fit Bible Gateway’s mission.” Bible Gateway’s effort to provide free Scripture for all who want a better connection with God’s Word made “The Voice” a natural resource for the site.

Bible Gateway, one of the largest Christian websites in the world, currently hosts more than 160 different translations in over 70 different languages. As the site and mobile app continue to grow, Bible Gateway now averages over 100 million unique visitors per year.

“I was so impressed with ‘The Voice’ from the moment I first experienced it personally, ”said Chip Brown, senior vice president and publisher for HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “Everybody I know that reads ‘The Voice’ is passionate about how it brings the Scriptures alive for them. Readers on Bible Gateway have been asking for ‘The Voice’ and we are pleased to honor their request.”

Bible Gateway users can engage with “The Voice” in a number of ways to expand their Bible reading. In addition to making the full Bible text available on the site, “The Voice” will introduce several reading plans throughout the year, beginning on February 13th, in celebration of Lent and Easter. On February 21st, Bible Gateway will launch “The Voice” daily Bible verse newsletter for email subscribers.

“The Voice” is the result of a unique collaboration among scholars, pastors, authors, poets, musicians and other artists. The 120-member team translated each word of Scripture into a story that is faithful to the original Greek and Hebrew text, easier to understand and conveys the beauty and timelessness of Scripture.

For more information about “The Voice” and to download a free copy of the New Testament visit www.HearTheVoice.com.

___________________________________________________________________________________

About Bible Gateway BibleGateway.com, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, seeks to encourage Bible reading and Scriptural understanding among Bible readers everywhere. Celebrating 20 years online, Bible Gateway continues to offer free access to the Bible in more than 70 languages and 160 different translations. BibleGateway.com has grown to currently more than 14 million unique visitors per month. Please visit Bible Gateway at www.biblegateway.com.

About Thomas Nelson, Inc. Thomas Nelson, Inc., part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, is a world leading provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. The publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson, is headquartered in Nashville, TN with additional offices in Plano, TX. For additional information, please visit www.thomasnelsoncorporate.com.

Andy Rau
February 12, 2013

A 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer is Back (Just in Time for Lent!)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

One of the most popular email devotionals on Bible Gateway over the last year has been A 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a daily walk through the devotional writings of the famous pastor, preacher, and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer worked actively against Hitler in Nazi Germany until he was murdered by the Nazi regime in 1945. This devotional draws on the wealth of devotional material he left behind, vividly describing the kind of faith that leads a man to proclaim Christ even in the face of incredible evil. (Read more about Bonhoeffer and the writings from which this devotional is assembled.)

Well, we’re pleased to announce that A 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer is back, and just in time for Lent! You can sign up for it on our Newsletters page. When you sign up, you’ll receive the first the first day’s reading the next morning. (Previously, the devotional was tied to set dates throughout the year, but now we’ve detached it from specific calendar days. It begins for you whenever you sign up.)

So if you missed out on it before, or if you’d like to experience Bonhoeffer’s insight anew, sign up for A 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer!

Andy Rau
February 12, 2013

The Voice: Recapturing the Passion, Grit, and Beauty of Scripture

What features would you add to a Bible translation to make it more accessible and understandable?

Christians believe that the pure, unadorned text of Scripture is sufficient in itself to communicate God’s message for us. However, we also recognize the usefulness of study notes, different translation styles, and other tools in explaining the meaning of what we read.

Different Bible translators and publishers have approached this in a variety of ways, usually by incorporating a specific feature that aims to overcome a particular barrier to Bible study. The Message, for example, uses very modern language with the goal of making the ancient text more accessible to readers today. The Reformation Study Bible incorporates an impressive amount of commentary and study notes to make deep Bible study easier. The Expanded Bible includes variant translations of key phrases to highlight the textual nuances that are often lost in translation.

The Voice Bible, now available at Bible Gateway.

The newest addition to our library of online Bibles uses not one, but several different methods to make it easier to understand Scripture, and the result is an impressive translation that just might have you looking at familiar Bible passages from a fresh perspective. It’s called The Voice. You can read all about it at The Voice page on Bible Gateway, but it’s easier to show you what it’s like than to just describe it, so let’s take a look at what new elements The Voice brings to the table.

The first thing you’re likely to notice as you read The Voice is that dialogue is handled differently than in most other Bible translations. Here’s an example of a conversation from 1 Samuel 1 as found in The Voice (click to enlarge the image):

An example of the screenplay-style dialogue found in The Voice Bible.

As you can see, The Voice uses a screenplay format for dialogue and conversations. One advantage to this style is that it removes the need for lots of repetitive conjunctions and verbs (“he said,” “she replied,” etc.) that slow down reading. It also lets the translators use some clever and useful ways to convey key details: for example, in Matthew 8, note the use of stage directions to add detail and clearly identify the audience.

You may have noticed some text in italics in the example above; that’s another feature of The Voice. Words and phrases in italics represent words that aren’t found in the original text, but which are important for bringing out the original intended meaning of the passage. In the words of The Voice translators, this brings out “the nuance of the original, assist[s] in completing ideas, and often provide[s] readers with information that would have been obvious to the original audience. These additions are meant to help the modern reader better understand the text without having to stop and read footnotes or a study guide.” Here’s an example from Romans 6 (click to enlarge):

An example of italicized, clarifying text in The Voice Bible.

Another feature you’ll quickly encounter upon reading The Voice is its collection of explanatory material embedded in with the Bible text. These short paragraphs contain devotional material, study notes, background information, and other clarifying detail of the sort that you might typically find in a study Bible or commentary. These notes are placed near the passages they’re expounding on, and are clearly delineated from the text of Scripture as seen below in Romans 7 (click to enlarge):

An example of an information box in The Voice Bible, sharing additional information and study notes about the Bible verse you’re reading.

And of course, beneath all of these features is a Bible translation that aims for both accuracy and readability. The purpose of these features is to recapture the “passion, grit, humor, and beauty that is often lost in the translation process.” It all comes together to form one of the most interesting Bibles in Bible Gateway’s library.

If you don’t have a favorite Bible translation already—or if you’ve tried reading the Bible in the past, but struggled to make it through—you’ll find The Voice to be a very approachable Bible that works hard to make what you’re reading clear and understandable. And even if you already have a favorite Bible translation, The Voice makes for a fascinating change of pace from most other translations, and its study notes are relevant to any Bible translation.

We’re grateful to Thomas Nelson for making The Voice available on Bible Gateway, and we hope you find it to be a useful and inspiring element of your own Bible reading! The Voice is now available on BibleGateway.com, and print copies are available for purchase at the Bible Gateway store.

Note: If you’d like to give The Voice a try during Lent, sign up for Readings for Lent and Easter from The Voice, a daily email devotional that leads you to Easter through a series of Bible readings—all using The Voice translation.

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    The Bible Gateway Blog features the latest news, announcements, and reflections from Bible Gateway. We hope what you find here will add to your understanding of and appreciation for the Bible.