Okay Matt, Just to muddy the water for you, there are translations and
interpretations of the bible.  If you're interested in just getting the
basic gist of a passage, an interpretation, such as the Living bible or
The Message will do.  If you are interested in study, however, you are
better off using a translation such as The King James or the N.I.V.
(which means, New International Version," or The New American Standard
version.   To put it simply, a translation is translated from original
documents.  An interpretation is one person's attempt to take a
translation that is already in English and make it even easier to
understand.  That is why you perceive The New Living bible to be in
normal English.  It is one person's attempt to modernize the bible to
make it easier to understand for people who aren't very familiar with the
bible.  If you are just trying to get a feel for what is in the bible,
that is fine.  Just remember that you are seeing God's word through one
person's understanding of that word and not necessarily the original.  It
can get a bit like playing telephone.  Some people can  pass on the
message pretty well, others get it distorted.
        Matt, I am so thrilled that you are beginning to dig into the
word yourself.  You will find it rewarding in so many ways!  May God
bless this latest adventure with you and Him.
Sincerely,
In Christ,
Kathy

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