Gorgeous Bible, just a concern over the Introducing the NLT Sunrise text by the publishers
I purchased this Bible translation a couple of weeks ago and have not yet had a chance to read through it. I have paged through it though and it is gorgeous - I love the Dore illustrations, I love the callouts in Blue. I love the leather cover. IThe paper is a bit thin so it's necessary to use care in turning the pages, or even bumping them accidentally and dog-earing them! - but that's to be expected. I love that it's a single column, etc.
So, the only concern I have with this Bible is the "Introducing the NLT Sonrise" text written by the publishers, at the very beginning of the Bible. My issue is with the very first paragaph.
I appreciate that the space for text is limited, the publishers obviously wanted the text of the two pages to end at roughly the same place on the page for design reasons, so didn't go into a lot of detail.
And most folks will just think I'm quibbling.
But - the vey first paragaph: " During the 16th century, individuals did not have the ability to interpret God's word independently. They relied on their priests for a knowledge of God. This changed when William Tyndale was inspired to translate the first Bible into English."
This is a parochial view of the situation. From almost its very beginning, the scriptures were translated into other languages. It couldn't be translated into English until the English language existed, but the "average person" - at least one who could read - could read the scriptures in their own language in other parts of the Christian world.
The paragraph should have specified that "in England," individuals did not have the ability to interpret God's Word independently. Even in what would become Germany, there were translations of the Bible prior to Luther.
Frankly, people today still need help interpreting God's word. Listen to sermons by two different preachers,on the same verse, and they'll each present a different interpretation of what it means. Just because you can read the Bible in your own language doesn't mean that you'll understand it.