Consider these two translations of Proverbs 30:8 and 30:9
Douay-Rheims
8 Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:
9 Lest perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.
New International Version (NIV)
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD? ā
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.
I know they are saying the same thing, but what hits you harder? I say NIV is the better translation.
Christine-
In many respects, the NIV is easier to read; itās written in contemporary English. The problem is that it is VERY biased doctrinally.
Two examples:
In Persona Christi
The Douay-Rheims and King James Versions provide powerful backing for the Catholic doctrine of confession to a priest.
The passage is found in 2 Corinthians 2:10 and hinges upon the translation of the Greek word,
prosopon. Here is the passage as seen in context in three major translations.
Douay-Rheims
āFor to this end also did I write, that I may know the experiment of you, whether you be obedient in all things. And to whom you have pardoned any thing, I also. For, what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned any thing, for your sakes have I done it in the person of Christ.ā
King James Version
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
New International Version
The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgivenāif there was anything to forgiveāI have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake
While the first two translations each contain the words āin the person of Christā or
in persona Christi, the modern Protestant translation carefully avoids this phrase. Why is this important?
In persona Christi is a
Latin phrase which translates literally as āin the person of Christ.ā This is an important theological concept of the
Catholic Church referring to the action of a priest while celebrating a
sacrament. The priest acts in the person of Christ, or it could be said, the Person of Christ is acting in the performance of the gesture and the pronouncing of the words of the sacramental rite.
In particular, there are essential moments in the rites where the priestās words and gestures confect the sacrament. These words are spoken
in persona Christi. āThis is my body.ā in the
Eucharistic prayer and āI absolve you of your sinsā in the
Sacrament of Reconciliation are chief examples.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_persona_Christi
Works āMissingā in James 2
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no
deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, āGo, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,ā but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action,
is dead. But someone will say, āYou have faith; I have
deeds.ā Show me your faith without
deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (James 2:14-18 NIV)
What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him? And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food: And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit? So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself. But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith. (James 2:14-18 Douay-Rheims)