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a different perspective


One of the most incredible things we can do is gain perspective.  It is like hearing only one side of a story.  When you hear from the other personā€™s perspective, things might just change.  Another way to look at it is like looking into the sky or to the top of mountain, and in the next look you go up in the sky or on the mountain and look make.  Either way the views and story are very different from the other.

But it is the same place or same story.  The same type of thing is true about Scripture.

In todayā€™s devotion Iā€™d like to make my point in relation to studying the Bible.  It can be helpful and insightful to examine other translations of the Bible.  It is always helpful to go back to the original language like Greek or Hebrew or Aramaic, but that is not always possible.

Different translations of the Bible will use words or phrases that highlight more of the meaning that God intends to share with us.  We always have to rely on God for understanding, and we can take it on ourselves to be good students of the Bible and of our faith in God.

Like I shared yesterday, I pray that God and our walk with Him will consume us.  To be consumed will encourage us to know Him and to know His word even more.

To illustrate I take one of my favorite verses, James 1:5 that I quote often, and look at it from very different angles using translations of the Bible.  Enjoy.  Read carefully.  May God open His word for us so we know Him even more!

James 1:5  New Living Translation (NLT)
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

James 1:5  Amplified Bible (AMP)
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

James 1:5  Contemporary English Version (CEV)
If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and wonā€™t correct you for asking.

James 1:5  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.

James 1:5  King James Version (KJV)
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

James 1:5  The Message (MSG) *
If you donā€™t know what youā€™re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. Youā€™ll get his help, and wonā€™t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.

James 1:5  Living Bible (TLB) *
If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it.

James 1:5  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.

Santiago 1:5  Reina-Valera 1995 (RVR1995)
Si alguno de vosotros tiene falta de sabidurĆ­a, pĆ­dala a Dios, el cual da a todos abundantemente y sin reproche, y le serĆ” dada.

James 1:5  Common English Bible (CEB)
But anyone who needs wisdom should ask God, whose very nature is to give to everyone without a second thought, without keeping score. Wisdom will certainly be given to those who ask.

This is one of my favorite verses because I often, I mean daily, need God to invade my mind and heart with His supernatural and unending wisdom.  One my own I am in trouble.  With His truth I will find success, peace and be a blessing to others.

I pray that we will be consumed by God and love His word more and more.

* These are paraphrases; make sure you understand the difference between a translation and a paraphrase of the Bible. 

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