Book Crash Review: New Testament Breakthrough Version translated by Ray Geide

About the Version:

Gain a better understanding of God’s Word from this exciting new version of the New Testament. This literal translation in today’s words tears down the language barrier and provides a more meaningful connection to the Bible. This New Testament unlocks God’s message to today’s world through:

• more accuracy
• easier to understand
• correcting thousand of problems in other versions
• bring out the descriptive and exact language of the original Greek documents
• replacing old misunderstood words with new word that portray the correct meaning.

To find out more or to purchase a copy visit the website.

My Opinion:

I’m in no way a Bible scholar but I do enjoy looking at new translations as they become available, especially ones that are supposed to help Believer’s understand the Bible in our common language. I used to use only the KJV and while I still love that translation and use it, I must admit sometimes all the thee and thous throughout make it hard to understand. How much more so the new Believer, the baby Christian? Enter the New Testament Breakthrough Version translated by Ray Geide. I don’t agree with his take on words like lord, believe, Christ, gospel, and more not meaning what readers think they mean, but then again I grew up in the church and know what they mean in relation to my faith. I can see where a new Believer may have misunderstandings about some words he says are misleading, but not all, like tabernacle.

This is not a fancy Bible, there is no foot notes or side notes indicating where something was changed or translated differently or what it meant in Greek or Hebrew. There are no notes, say to direct us to an Old Testament prophecy that is mentioned in the New Testament. If you want those you’ll have to look elsewhere, this is a plain Jane Bible, one that is meant for reading and to be understood. One thing that stood out to me was the adding in of Old Testament Scripture, such as Matthew 11:10 says “This is the person about whom it has been written in Malachi 3:1, ‘Look I am sending My messenger our on a mission before Your face who will construct Your road in front of You’ (italics are included in this version). However, in my ESV it says in red letter, “This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you’.”

Overall, I think I’d continue to use this Bible if I wanted just a read worthy version, but not one to truly study by. Knowing that some of the language is changed because it is viewed as misleading such as the use of lord, has me thinking that some of the stressing that Jesus is Lord may be lost. Since there are no footnotes for further study I’d also take that in consideration when deciding if it should be used for study. That said, I think this may be great for a new Believer who is struggling to understand the Bible and who may not have a strong mentor near them but overall I still think some things may not come across as important. Also, I’m concerned that there is no oversight – whereas other translations of the Bible have many translators and each will check each others work with Ray working on this version on his own, there is no oversight should a mistake be made. When it comes to the Bible the Word of the Lord is clear what happens to those of us who take away or add to the Word.

 

Book Review: Cast Me Not Away by Zara Heritage

About the Book:

Aktion T4, a largely secret program approved by the Nazis in 1939, was designed to rid the nation of young children deemed unworthy of life. It eventually took the lives of over 200,000 children and laid the groundwork for the destruction of millions of Jews and other perceived enemies of the state. Despite Nazism’s defeat, its wickedness lives on. Today the world wrestles with concepts such as quality of life, meaningful medical benefit, and rationing care for the sick and elderly. Where will it end?

Fast forward to a time and place where the future meets the past and the abortion/euthanasia movement reaches its inevitable conclusion. Family size is strictly regulated, the unborn are routinely aborted, and unwanted children are labeled useless and sent away to be gassed and their bodies incinerated.

In this time of societal darkness, Mira Hastings and Grayson Stevens join a cadre of brave individuals who stand against this juggernaut of evil by putting their lives on the line to rescue ill-fated youngsters from certain death. In a bold attempt to bring down the beast, they publicly expose the greed and corruption that drives the system. Declared enemies of the state, Mira and Gray are forced underground as they flee the wrath of a vengeful government. While on the run they encounter danger at every turn. But, with the aid of a network of supporters, they also encounter hope, joy…and eventually love.

You can purchase a copy on Amazon.

My Opinion:

Since this is Zara’s debut novel I was a bit nervous about how the book would actually be written and I was so pleased by it. The book is well written and the characters well formed and add a dimension of reality to the entire story. Set in the future when family sizes are limited and if you want more than allowed you have to get permission or chose which child to get rid of. Heartbreaking. Thought provoking. This book runs the gamut of emotions from the feeling of justice for an unnecessary murder, to love both the protection kind and the truly agape love of the Bible. As I said the characters come to life on the pages of Cast Me Not Away, from the bad characters to the good, they all come to live with Zara’s vibrant writing.

The scary part about this book is that it’s only a matter of time before these fictional happenings will become reality – in fact with abortion and even letting babies born alive after an abortion attempt die or be killed – is already coming to fruition. The thought of it being allowed by law to kill a child up to age 4 is beyond our comprehension, for those who view children as valuable and as blessings, no matter their abilities levels. What about the family that has “too many” and must make the decision to give their pre-born child away or abort it or give away a child they’re already bonded too? As the saying goes, evil triumphs when good men do nothing, and so Zara’s novel will open many eyes, or at least I pray it does.