Information wanted on translation use especially use of multiple translations in your church and in

Logos is built around the idea that a user has a single preferred Bible and that Bible defines their preferred canon. I find this wrong on both counts.

1. A single preferred Bible? in churches leaning towards the liturgical side, multiple translations may be used in a service. This may include any or all of the following:

a metric psalter for singing e.g. Brady & Tate for Anglicans
a psalter for chanting e.g. the Grail Psalms for Catholics
the liturgical text translation e.g. ICEL for scripture outside the lessons
an aural Bible e.g. a translation understandable when heard which may present as a lectionary with minor textual modifications to ensure pronouns have antecedents etc. e.g., NABRE, NRSVCE
the translation from which the sermon/homily is preached (usually but not always the same as the aural Bible)

Some congregations double or triple the 5 translations listed above by having services in multiple languages.

In addition, members/pastoral staff may have

translation used for exegesis
translation used for devotional reading

I find myself wanting to switch easily between these texts as "highest priority" i.e. what is shown in the popup.

2. When using studies/commentaries/etc. there is usually a default translation as well as translations that are specified within the text. See Confused: Logos Bible References in Another Resource - Logos Forums for a use case. I recognize that the issue of "own translation" within a Bible commentary has added complexity given the legacy (polite term for outdated scheme that was appropriate when initially implemented) but the lack of an easy way to navigate to the specified translation is a major handicap in understanding the author's point. They generally specify a specific translation to support a point because that translation illustrates the point and other translations may not.

3. I have to "waste" my highest priority slot in order to get the broadest canon available -- and I still have problems with books that treat 1 Enoch as canonical unless I adjust my priorities. Samaritans, Mormons, Beta Israel, Tewahedo Orthodox, and progressive Christians such as Butcher (An Uncommon Lectionary: A Companion to Common Lectionaries) simply cannot define their canon. On the other hand, some of my priority Bibles as described above may have a narrower canon than I wish to use. Therefore, I think canon and preferred translation should be uncoupled; preferred translation can give a default but needs an override.

What translations do you use for what purpose? How can Logos help you switch among them? How nuts have you been driven by the inability to use the translation specified by a book?

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Comments

Jerome Smith

I have often wished it were easier to view and quickly switch among any of the many English translations and study Bibles I have in Logos. This is easier for me to do in another program so I usually use it for this purpose rather than Logos.

Sam Shelton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1265089#Comment_1265089

For the most part, I use the NASB95 (for Bible Study and sermons), WEB (for Bible Study and communion), and NIrV (for younger groups). I have shortcuts on the toolbar to switch each of these to preferred, along with a shortcut to update the active layout. This makes it easy to switch between layouts and primary Bible needs.

I refer to the KJV, NKJV, ESV, ASV and NIV from time to time, but generally have no need for them to be preferred.

1Cor10 31

I use Parallel Resources to move across translations (2 clicks). Alternatively, I use the Comparison tool to see how the various translations differ.

JBR

Not coming from a liturgical tradition I don't have as frequent encounters with what you are describing in 1. Since when I do encounter it, it is more often individual -- I have incorporated the use of a lectionary in my daily devotion time. -- rather than trying to follow another reader, I typically benefit from prioritized resources to select a translation that has the selected passage. The last part of your number 1, exegetical versus devotional, which is common for me independent of the liturgical aspect, I handle with having a separate layout that includes the translation I wish to use for my devotional reading rather than relying on my top priority.

For the situation you describe in 2, I almost prefer it when my preferred Bible is different from the translation that the commentary is based on. That way when the commentary writer makes a point that may be translation dependent, at least to better understand the author's point, then if my preferred translation is similar it serves to reinforce in a way the point the author is trying go make, at least for me. If, on the other hand, the author's point of emphasis isn't as easily discerned using my preferred translation then it alerts me to the fact that there may be a more likely difference in understanding from this part of the text. In that case it probably makes sense for me to spend more time reading other translations and other commentaries to get a more complete picture of what the text may be saying.

I haven't given much thought to your third situation, so it would be unfair for me to comment on that.

HJ. van der Wal

Logos is built around the idea that a user has a single preferred Bible and that Bible defines their preferred canon. I find this wrong on both counts.

Logos also seems to be built around the idea that this preferred Bible is an English translation (or a French/German/Chinese/Korean Bible). I prefer to read the Bible in the original languages as much as possible. The four Bibles with the highest priority in my library are: Lexham Hebrew Bible, Logos LXX, SBL Greek NT and the Clementine Vulgate. However, for the past years I have had the latin Vulgate in the top spot because this translation has the broadest canon.