QnA: Different Translations, Christian without Hope, the Death of an Unbeliever, and Judgment prayer

[@lukeitaliano8841]

As a Christian who struggles with severe depression, one of my greatest comforts is, "Your heart lies." Jesus has died for me, whether or not I *feel* it. I am loved, whether or not I *feel* it. I am a child of God, whether or not I *feel* it. Also, it may be worth checking out the EHV translation. I've found it to be a good translation, other than a few wonky choices...

[@jedclampett7705]

Bingo, Pastor Packer! The NKJV, concur!!! 👍

[@RONdomTheology]

Thanks for the shout out! I was the one at the table lol

[@andrewpacker2592]

Ironically I heard a rumor about someone hearing a rumor…

[@kirstenhorne2029]

Do you go to CUNE too? 😄

[@RONdomTheology]

I do!! ​@@kirstenhorne2029

[@hildavoigts3416]

I Love my Lutheran Study Bible.

[@TheodenEdnewDoesDnD]

I like the NASB 1977, ESV and KJV. Those are my preferred translations at this point.

[@clarencewagner1278]

Thank you guys for what you do 😀

[@Ian-nm2pg]

A past elder in our church said read the introduction to your Bible That will tell you if it’s a Interpretation A translation or a literal translation The Message is a interpretation

[@colesmith3185]

Thanks for this!

[@Traderbear]

NKJV is awesome and very reasonable to read. NIV is also good

[@susanfike2713]

Thank you

[@dpd1184]

Today when listening to Issues Etc. answering listener questions Pastor Wilken answered a question about early Communion. His explanation about early Communion being the Lutheran tradition made sense to me, but was something I'd never heard about before, as a recent adult convert, so am curious to hear your views. Thanks in advance!

[@Steadfast-Lutheran]

For years the LCMS and WELS used the New International Version (NIV). The late Dr. Robert Preus (president of Concordia Theological Seminary) was on the NIV translation committee. Concordia Publishing House published the NIV Self-Study Bible with Lutheran commentary. It's the best translation for beginners, but readers should move onto the NKJV or ESV when possible; because a more literal translation is better. The highest level of course, is to read the Bible in the original Hebrew and Greek.

[@sarahh8575]

The self-study NIV is so interesting and insightful

[@christianusacross5084]

I wish Lutheran pastors would travel more! like around the country different states

[@bk24708]

They do all the time but it’s not heavily advertised.

[@CotnerMD]

I would like to hear more about Lutheran evangelism. I have plenty of experience with evangelism but it is Baptistic: e.g. Roman road to salvation, culminating in praying some kind of sinner's prayer. What is the outline of Lutheran evangelism? What is the goal? If not praying the sinner's prayer, then what? Inviting to church? Meeting with the pastor? I'm sure the Lutheran church has had many evangelism programs over the years. What have you found useful or effective?

[@andrewpacker2592]

If you search on this channel, there are several videos on evangelism.

[@CotnerMD]

@@andrewpacker2592 "MORE" :-) I found the video where you talk about giving your testimony. That was helpful. Have you done one comparing evangelical evangelism versus Lutheran evangelism?

[@dpd1184]

In our Parish we are about to start a study of the letter to the Hebrews. Can you recommend a good commentary? Also, I realize this is conjecture, but who do you personally (both Pastors) think wrote Hebrews? Who did Luther think wrote Hebrews? Thanks in advance from your friends on Vancouver Island.

[@andrewpacker2592]

Kleinig's commentary on Hebrews is fantastic. He argues for Luke being the author. It is also possible that Paul wrote it with Luke writing it down. Or it was just Paul.

[@RevHDMcLain]

What are your thoughts on the Evangelical Heritage Version?

[@stephenkammerling9479]

If only we spoke German, we could read Luther's translation!

[@paulblase3955]

There is the New King James translation, which is pretty good.

[@Mrsadams1]

Does anyone know what kids' Bibles he uses?

[@cindystokes8347]

Pastor W, you really need to do a little digging and familiarize yourself with the story of the passion translation. If you catch that in anybody’s hands worn them. It was written by someone who say they had a dream that God wanted them to rescue his word, and revealed new things to him. It’s downright pagan and its origins because he claims special revelation.

[@amirsmith9269]

Hi pastors! Recent Lutheran convert. I have a question. If Christ’s two natures are united into one Person, how did He descend into hell. Was He physically present in Hell?

[@dpd1184]

FYI The Passion "translation" is a channelled book. The author says he was visited by an angel named Passion who told him what to write. It's full of hypercharismatic jargon. No Christian should read it.

[@Americandream805]

When I was confirmed in the lutheran church in the mid 80's, my pastor at the time gave me a Good News bible. Is anyone familiar with it and have any thoughts on that translation?

[@johnhouchins3156]

Thoughts on the EHV?

[@andrewpacker2592]

Overall it’s a good translation.

[@paulblase3955]

Re the Bible, a good study Bible like the Concordia version

[@br.m]

Have you heard that pastor Packer wanted to be part of the Wartburg project but he was the wrong kind of Lutheran?

[@andrewpacker2592]

I did not hear that…

[@Urosaurus]

Is your Bible Luther’s translation?

[@andrewpacker2592]

No. Luther’s translation was in German.

[@salinafedrick977]

How do you bless and serve someone you've had to go no contact with? I can pray and love, but to bless and serve, I don't understand.

[@kerrylink6305]

Maybe address the difference between a version of the Bible and a translation. I prefer translations for studying. KJ is a version of the Bible.

[@clarencewagner1278]

The Message is real bad..

[@zanereese4796]

Yes, but it's the only one I've seen so far that had English names for Job's three beautiful daughters.

[@dpd1184]

They are probably made up, because the author made many changes without concrete reasons.​@@zanereese4796

[@basher20]

But isn't reading a so-so translation better than not reading a perfect one? (and I do allow that there are translations that are just plain bad)

[@Alex-l6k4j]

I heard a rumor that Pastor Packer drinks coffee from an adult sippy cup?

[@andrewpacker2592]

Ouch.

[@carolynmorgan5611]

Where did my comment go...with my question...

[@andrewpacker2592]

Nothing has been deleted. So, it may not have been posted.

[@stephenbraun8710]

What's so scary about KJV?

[@dpd1184]

Perhaps because it's so closely associated with Anglicanism and the fierce KJV only crowd.

[@61loneviking]

The Bible takes work-exactly! So read the KJV, and if you find a word you don’t understand, Google it! Then write the word and definition down in a note pad. The modern, critical text based translations make hundreds of changes in Scripture.

[@michaels7325]

Would it not then be better to devote your life to learning the common language of the time being Greek and read the Bible in said language?

[@br.m]

You might as well just google an interlinear Bible that has all the definitions for you.

[@61loneviking]

@@michaels7325 No, for a couple of reasons. First, the KJV translators were masters of Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin. Many had been speaking these languages for decades. That’s a feat that’s almost impossible for us to do today unless you’re a scholar. And also, remember that there were almost fifty translators, fluent in the Biblical languages, comparing translations and reading the translations out loud. The KJV was designed to be read out loud. If it’s just you, translating Greek, there’s no one to check your translation into English. Just stick with the KJV. Four hundred years it’s been used and is still used for doctrine.

[@michaels7325]

@@61loneviking or you could dedicate yourself to learning Greek and confer with others. If you have to Google a word to learn it's meaning when reading the text you are putting a lot of faith into the translation of that word, many of which have several meanings depending on context. It will always fall into that logical conclusion unless you learn the source language

[@andrewpacker2592]

@@61loneviking- they did a survey where most pastors that used the KJV misunderstood what various verses meant because they didn’t understand the English. It would be like arguing for the Latin Bible when people were trying to translate it into the language of the people.

[@GurrrBatSh_t]

How are we supposed to feel about things? Who's to say, who decides that!? There is so much room for ego projection in that. And grossly burdening Christians with things they ought not be burdened with, heaping up false guilt, etc. Somebody in the despair of dementia needs to repent? Read up a little bit on what trauma does in utero to a fetus. Now in that child comes into this world you're going to guilt trip them because they don't feel the way someone else think they should feel? Jesus Cleanses the Temple The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem in the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade." His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” Looks to me when it came to putting burdens between people and God - including false guilt - Jesus had a way of feeling about that. And then there's the way most people feel about the homeless, Mt 25:34 ff, wow. Who is it that's holding themselves aloof and disdainful from those who don't feel right in Matthew parable sheep and the goats? The goats. Does Christ save sociopaths? Absolutely, they can biggest trophies of grace. But they're never going to feel the way other people want them to feel. They can feel right about as well as a blind man can see