What is the best selling Bible translation (verion) in the United States?

What is the best-selling Bible version in the USA?

Answer: The NIV.

Interesting trends: Shown below are sales rankings realeased by the Christian Booksellers Association for the years 2011, 2009 and 2006.

The Reina Valera 1960 (RVR 1960) moves up to number 6 from 10th place in 2006.

The English Standard Version (ESV) was first published in 2001 and currently holds fifth place in unit sales.

March 2011

Bible Translations - Based on Dollar Sales

1 New International Version various publishers - NIV
2 King James Version various publishers - KJV
3 New King James Version various publishers - NKJV
4 New Living Translation Tyndale - NLT
5 English Standard Version Crossway - ESV
6 Holman Christian Standard Bible B&H Publishing Group - HCSB
7 New American Standard Bible update various publishers - NASB
8 The Message Eugene Peterson, NavPress -
9 Reina Valera 1960 (Spanish) American Bible Society and licensees - RVR 1960
10 Amplified Bible Zondervan

March 2011
Bible Translations - Based on Unit Sales

1 New International Version various publishers
2 New Living Translation Tyndale
3 King James Version various publishers
4 New King James Version various publishers
5 English Standard Version Crossway
6 Reina Valera 1960 (Spanish) American Bible Society and licensees
7 H olman Christian Standard Bible B&H Publishing Group
8 The Message Eugene Peterson, NavPress
9 New American Standard Bible update various publishers
10 Other Translations

2009
Bible Translations - Based on Dollar Sales

   1. New International Version
   2. New King James Version
   3. King James Version
   4. New Living Translation
   5. English Standard Version
   6. Holman Christian Standard Bible
   7. New American Standard Bible updated
   8. The Message
   9. New International Readers Version
10. Today’s New International Version

2009
Bible Translations - Based on Unit Sales

   1. New International Version
   2. King James Version
   3. New King James Version
   4. New Living Translation
   5. English Standard Version
   6. Holman Christian Standard Bible
   7. The Message
   8. New International Readers Version
   9. New American Standard Bible updated
10. Reina Valera 1960 (Spanish)

2006 - Based on Unit Sales

   1. New International Version
   2. New King James Version
   3. King James Version
   4. New Living Translation
   5. English Standard Version
   6. Reina Valera 1960 (Spanish)
   7. Holman Christian Standard Bible
   8. New American Standard Bible updated
   9. The Message
10. New International Readers Version

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Under what conditions would laboring men who planted an assembly step in to guide that flock?

Under what conditions would laboring men who planted an assembly step in to guide that flock?

Two possibilities exist: intervention may be necessary to prevent the destruction of the testimony; intervention may weaken the assembly’s ability to trust God, learning from and of Him through its needs. If intervention increases the assembly’s dependence on the laboring man, this contravenes his God-given role, because he has hindered the development of maturity in the assembly. The rare cases when he judges that he must intervene will be emergencies. He will need spiritual wisdom to determine this, and the principle James states (James 1:5)" TARGET="_blank">James 1:5) indicates his recourse.

David Oliver
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What is the gift of speaking in tongues?

The gift of tongues is a God-given ability to speak another human language without ever studying or growing up in the language. The gift of tongues is a miraculous ability. The Bible has several references to people who had the gift of tongues.

The Bible's Example the Gift of Tongues

The first mention in the Bible of people having the gift of tongues is found in Acts 2:1-4" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2:1-4 during the Jewish festival of Pentecost. The apostles were instructed by Christ to wait in Jerusalem to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost, the apostles spoke to the crowds gathered in Jerusalem who had come from all parts of the world. Each nationality and tribe heard the Apostles speak in the language or dialect from which they had traveled. The Apostles, however, were local fishermen, who had never traveled or studied foreign languages.

“We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:11" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2:11

Although there are other occasions in which people spoke in tongues (languages), Acts 2" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2 is the only chapter where the nature of the tongue is described.

Regulating the Gift of Tongues in the Church

The Church in the city of Corinth was have a lot of problems, including the unrestrained and chaotic use of the gift of tongues. Paul mentions several times the importance of speaking intelligibly in order to help people.

“But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue” (1 Corinthians 14:19)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:19).

1 Corinthians 12:1" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 12:1 through 1 Corinthians 14" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14: is an extended discussion about regulating how tongues should be used in the church. The gift of tongues was designed to help people understand a word from God even if the evangelist normally didn't speak the language of the person listening.

“Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?” (1 Corinthians 14:6)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:6).

The Gift of Interpreting

Similar to the gift of tongues is the gift of interpreting (1 Corinthians 12:30)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 12:30). Normally to be able to interpret for another speaker, the interpreter needs to study or grow up speaking two languages. The gift of interpretation is a super-natural capability to understand a foreign language in order to tell the listener what is being said.

The End of the Gift of Tongues

The gift of tongues was given by God to call the attention of the Jews to the fact that new prophets were on the scene in Jerusalem. Every person in the Bible who was able to perform miracles was given their amazing abilities in order to authenticate that their message was indeed from God. For example, Moses, who wrote the first five books of the Bible, performed many miracles. Later, men like Elijah and Elisha spoke authoritatively for God and had the ability to perform miracles. The Apostles, who were delivering a new message, the gospel of Jesus Christ, which would eventually become the New Testament, also had the divine seal of authority from God, namely the ability to perform miracles, including the gift of tongues.

First Corinthians 13:8" TARGET="_blank">First Corinthians 13:8 says that gift of tongues would cease along with the completion of the revelation of God given through the apostles. No new messages need to come from God today since the collection of books of the Bible is complete.

1 Corinthians 13:8-10" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 13:8-10 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. (9) For we know in part and we prophesy in part, (10) but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

Does the gift of tongues as seen today match the Biblical example?

Those who claim to have the gift of tongues today often have a very different form of tongues than that found in the example of Acts 2." TARGET="_blank">Acts 2. Random vocal sounds are attributed to being "a heavenly language". No trace of grammar, vocabulary or similarity to any known langue can be found. How different that what we find in scripture, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God” (1 Corinthians 14:27-28)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:27-28).

I speak in tongues

I went to Mexico as a missionary in 2006 where I studied for over a year every day with many hours of practice. If I had been given the gift of tongues, I would have saved a lot of time and frustration. Acts 2" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2 is not the normal experience for today since we have a full Bible.

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Does God have different expectations for a husband and a wife?

Does God have different expectations for a husband and a wife?

For the wife, the Scriptures teach that fondness for her husband is a learned behavior (Titus 2:4)." TARGET="_blank">Titus 2:4). Romantic love is a pleasant start, but this deepening fondness is an ongoing education and the grace manifested in Christ is our ultimate teacher (Titus 2:11, 12)." TARGET="_blank">Titus 2:11, 12).

Submission to her husband is enjoined on the Christian wife (Ephesians 5:22, 24;" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:22, 24; Colossians 3:18;" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1)." TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 3:1). This is not a form of benevolent slavery. Submission recognizes, respects, and supports her husband's God-given role.

For the husband, the Bible says, "Husbands, love your wives" (Ephesians 5:25)," TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:25), to which Paul adds (Colossians 3:19)" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 3:19) "and be not bitter (exasperated, irritated, indignant) against them." This love is not dutiful, but is a joyous devotion to understanding and meeting the varied and unique needs of his wife, to contribute to his wife's fulness in God's purpose for her.

The wife's role is to complete her husband, providing him with the insights, emotional sensitivity, and balance required for them, as one, to accomplish God's will. The husband's role is to care for his wife by giving her the security and leadership she desires. The Lord has suited each for the role He designed. The beauty of marriage is understanding these differences and working within the framework of God's design for each spouse.

D. Oliver
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What is the difference between fallen angels, demons, unclean spirits, and familiar spirits?

What is the difference between fallen angels, demons, unclean spirits, and familiar spirits?

This is a matter concerning which many seek to be wise beyond what is written, with results that are not profitable, either to themselves or to others. That Satan is a fallen angel, and a leader of other angels who fell with him, just as Michael is of unfallen angels, seems to be definitely proved by Revelation 12:7." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 12:7. That the sinning angels of 2 Peter 2:4" TARGET="_blank">2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6" TARGET="_blank">Jude 1:6 are a different company, whose fall took place at a different time, is a view held by some, but without sufficient proof. That Satan is identical With Beelzebub the prince of demons is implied in Matthew 12:24-28" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 12:24-28 and Mark 3:22-26," TARGET="_blank">Mark 3:22-26, where Christ uses the terms interchangeably; and if that be so, the demons are most probably of the number of those who fell with him. These demons are otherwise called “unclean spirits,” because of their character, as may be seen by comparing verses Mark 5:12" TARGET="_blank">Mark 5:12 and 13. As for “familiar spirit,” it is a term used in the Old Testament of demons who, by entering into diviners, enabled them to carry on their evil work. See 1 Samuel 28:7," TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 28:7, etc.. The “spirit of divination” in the damsel of Acts 16:16" TARGET="_blank">Acts 16:16 is similar. W.R.

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Is it still an assembly when the believers do all the right things, but don

Is it still an assembly when the believers do all the right things, but don’t have love?

How much better if no assembly ever gave reason for such a question to be asked!

To be fair, not everyone expresses his love in the same way. Sometimes a believer perceives a lack of love in others because he expects others to express love in the same way he does.

To be honest, a lack of expressing love in an assembly is not a deciding factor in whether it continues to be an assembly. Believers must love one another or they are not demonstrating that they have divine life (1 John 3:14)." TARGET="_blank">1 John 3:14). The absence of expressing love for one another is an evidence that the Spirit is grieved in that believer (Eph 4:30;" TARGET="_blank">Eph 4:30; Gal 5:22)." TARGET="_blank">Gal 5:22). When the Spirit is grieved, what is to hinder that assembly from losing its devotion to Christ and subsequently its lampstand (Rev 2:4-5)" TARGET="_blank">Rev 2:4-5)?

David Oliver

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Does the Gap Theory agree with the Bible?

How well does the Gap Theory square with the Bible as a whole?

If we compare Scripture with Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:13)," TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 2:13), we find several passages that make the Gap Theory untenable. First, Exodus 20:11" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 20:11 puts the creation of everything that God made inside of six literal days: "In six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the seas and everything that moveth therein and rested the seventh day." This allows no gap, and requires a recent creation. Exodus 31:17" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 31:17 says the same thing and Nehemiah 9:6" TARGET="_blank">Nehemiah 9:6 links the creation of the heavens and earth (Genesis 1:1)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 1:1) with the days that follow in Genesis 1." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 1. Further, Romans 5:12" TARGET="_blank">Romans 5:12

states that "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin," and 1 Corinthians 15:21" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:21 also affirms that "By man came death." And Romans 8:20-22" TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:20-22 reveals that the groaning of creation results from Adam's sin. If suffering and death came by Adam, then suffering and death did not predate Adam. Yet death is a necessary prerequisite for becoming a fossil. If fossils are assigned to the gap period, then death must have prevailed on the earth before sin entered into the world. How then could God pronounce everything that He had made "very good" (Genesis 1:31)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 1:31)? In what sense are vast graveyards full of dead things "very good"? God's assessment of the creation at the end of the sixth day must mean that Satan had not yet fallen, that no death had occurred, and that the earth was just as He intended it to be.

D. Vallance
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What becomes the role of those God has used in planting an assembly?

What becomes the role of those God has used in planting an assembly?

The assemblies in Crete were apparently exposed to the attacks of those who contradicted sound doctrine (Titus 1:9)." TARGET="_blank">Titus 1:9). Paul was concerned that the men who led the flock would be able to stand against such men and thus preserve the assembly for which they were responsible. Titus had a part to play in this by his teaching (2:1), but the goal was that each assembly would have men within it who possessed this capability. The role of those who plant and nurture a young assembly is to so strengthen that assembly that it will be able to function and flourish without him (or them). In speaking to the Ephesian elders, Paul makes it clear that this is also the Spirit’s goal (Acts 20: 28-32)." TARGET="_blank">Acts 20: 28-32). Remarkably, God is able to accomplish this despite the native characteristics, even of Cretans (Titus 1:12)." TARGET="_blank">Titus 1:12).

The instruments the Spirit is using in this work need sensitivity so they neither rush ahead of the Spirit’s working nor lag behind it. Circumstances differ and the rate at which this good work progresses differs from case to case. Those who are not familiar with a particular work may not be fitted to understand the timing of the Spirit’s work. Nonetheless, the goal remains the same.

Paul speaks of himself as having a role like a mother (1Th 2:7)" TARGET="_blank">1Th 2:7) and a father (v 11) in the development of the Thessalonian assembly. Parents work toward the day when their child will be able to function on his own and make choices consistent with the truth they have taught him. Some parents can so control a child that they limit his maturing. Sometimes parents step in too quickly when they see some unsteadiness in their mature child. Eventually, parents must trust the power of the principles they have instilled in their child and commit him to God in prayer. They trust God’s power and wisdom to continue the training required. Epaphras certainly practiced this (Col 4:12, 13)." TARGET="_blank">Col 4:12, 13).

David Oliver
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Does Matthew 18, verses 15 to 20 deal with an interpersonal problem?

Does Matthew 18," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 18, verses 15 to 20 deal with an interpersonal problem?

"If thy brother trespass against thee" clearly seems to involve a trespass against an individual. However many translations and most of the manuscripts from which our translations come either omit "against thee" or note that it may not have been in the original writings.

Rather than leaving us in confusion, this calls for greater care in understanding the passage. If "against thee" belongs in the passage, the Lord is instructing an individual who has been injured by another's sin. If "against thee" was not in the Lord's teaching, the teaching is more general and addresses one who is concerned about his brother who has strayed. Actually, the context, an important aid in interpreting any passage, supports either possibility.

Consider the first possibility ("if thy brother trespass against thee"). At the beginning of the chapter (vv. 1-4), the Lord states the requirement for entering the kingdom. Apart from the simplicity, lowliness, and dependence that characterizes a child, no one will enter the kingdom. These who thus enter are like the One Who is meek and lowly (v. 4; 11:29); He identifies them with Himself. They are of inestimable worth to Him. Unbelievers who harm them face severe judgment, for He came to save them (vv. 6-11). As dependent as children and defenseless as sheep, His own have His protection against unbelievers who wrong them. But what if another believer wrongs his brother (not now pictured as a child or sheep)? The Lord has given full administrative authority to His own - to the assembly - to protect such a wronged brother.

Consider the second possibility ("if thy brother trespass"). In verses 11 through 14, the Lord shows that both He and His Father have shepherd hearts in their concern for these "little ones." How suitable that one who belongs to this family should be like the Father and His Son and should persistently seek the recovery of his sinning and straying brother!

This second possibility flows more smoothly since it fits the context of the verses immediately preceding it. Furthermore, this second view includes the first view. The straying brother's sin may be an interpersonal problem, but it is not limited to that. It includes other kinds of sins.

D. Oliver
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Should a Christian celebrate the Passover?

Should a Christian celebrate the Passover?

The Jewish holiday of Passover commemorates the Exodus of the children of Israel from their slavery in Egypt. Moses commanded the people to choose a lamb, prepare it with bitter herbs and apply the blood to the doorposts and lintel of the doors of their houses. Those Egyptians who chose not to participate in this ceremony, lost their first born sons at midnight. Pharaoh then permitted the people of Israel to leave the country. Jewish homes still celebrate the Passover today with some changes to the original details of the meal as recorded in Exodus 11" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 11 and12.

The New Testament says that Christ is the fulfillment of the Passover event (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 5:7-8) and that Christians should recognize the spiritual significance of the feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately precedes the Passover.

There are some Christians who not only see the spiritual lessons of Christ’s salvation prefigured in the Passover, they also wish to celebrate the Passover in all of its details. They say that the Passover is a cultural event. Continuing the supper allows Jewish believers to retain their cultural heritage and at the same time embrace Christ as their savior. A second reason for a Christian to celebrate the Passover is to use the event as an evangelism tool to explain the gospel to Jewish friends.

A Christian may choose not to celebrate the Passover based on the teaching of the Epistle of Hebrews. The whole point of the Book of Hebrews is that Christ is the fulfillment of the law. All Old Testament rituals were mere shadows of the coming Promised Messiah. We should leave all old practices now that they have become obsolete. Hebrews 13:10-13" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 13:10-13

10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

11For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

12Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

13Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

14For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

The “Last Supper” of the Lord Jesus and his disciples was a commemoration of the Passover of Moses. It was the last time to be practiced before Christ introduced the New Covenant. (Matthew 26:28)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 26:28). The epistles never command us to remember the Passover, but to break bread remembering the death of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-34)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 11:23-34).

If a believer chooses to celebrate the Passover, he should be fully aware that there is no sanction for it in the Bible. However, it would be wrong for another believer to condemn him for doing so. Colossians 2:16-17" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 2:16-17 and Romans 14:5" TARGET="_blank">Romans 14:5 say that believers are free to conduct celebrations of Sabbaths and other holidays.

Shad David Sluiter

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The Bible's Example the Gift of Tongues