Question:  Dear Greg,

            Thank you for your ministry and your answers to tough questions in understandable terms.

            I started using the New Living Translation Study Bible.  I am currently in a small group (4 people) Bible study.  One of the members of our study group is a minister from our church.  He uses the NIV study Bible and has told me that the NLT is not a good Bible to be using.  What do you think?

            Brad

Answer:  Dear Brad,

            Thank you for taking the time to express your appreciation!  We are thankful that God can use us to help others, and we do thank you for your support and prayers for the ongoing work of PTM!

            The Living Bible.  It is a paraphrase of the Bible, not a translation, and at times takes liberties, becoming more of an interpretation than a faithful translation.  I suspect that is the source of the misgivings your pastor expressed.

            Because of this reaction from many Christians, the Living Bible folks have now completed a new version.  In this version, called the New Living Translation, translators were employed to go back to original languages, bringing accuracy into their translation, and removing interpretation.  It has been well received by scholars, pastors and lay people—many of whom were skeptics (and remain so) of the original Living Bible.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht