To the Portland Bible College Alumni & Friends

July 13, 2021August 30, 2021
by Matthew Barron

My dear, fellow alumni: Do you know that motivating drive you get when you recognize the importance of the project you are working on?

Six years ago, I began such a project. I was stirred by what should have been a simple search for a resource that would answer the question “What is the best Bible?” More specifically, the question asked, “Which of the more than forty English Bible translations currently in print merit our study, preaching, teaching, and devotion?” Along the way in answering that question, I confirmed that there are more than a handful of excellent translations which could meet those needs, but each fit a particular niche and serve a specific audience. I also learned about some translations that fail to measure up or whose marketing claims woefully exaggerate their capabilities.

Six years later, I still live in in Portland, Oregon. I am still married to Molly (by God’s grace), and our first child—a boy—is on his way. (I also help pastor a church here and serve with a community safety group.) Six years later, that book I was talking about is finally ready for you to read.

The drive to complete the book, titled The Best Bible?, was molded by this conviction: I am convinced that the book’s content encourages faith in the reliable transmission of God’s written word, its authenticity, and its faithful translation into English. It sheds light on the legacy of historic English Bibles and reveals the circumstances and motivations for their production. It serves as a valuable and timely reference for both familiar and new Bible translations. In short, this book will give you all the answers you need to answer that question, “What is the Best Bible?”

Because I am committed to the value of this work, and because I am convinced that it will give our ministries such a useful tool and a handy reference, I am offering all alumni free shipping in the United States. Check your email from Portland Bible College where you will find a coupon code, which you can use for yourself and offer to your family and friends.

(The coupon code is valid until the 15th of September. International alumni, contact me through this link.)

The Best Bible? by Matthew J. Barron (Cover, Front & Back)

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Matt Barron

Matthew J. Barron has been a student of the Bible and biblical languages for well over a decade. He has studied at Portland Bible College, Concordia University, and Multnomah University, all in Portland, Oregon, where he now resides and pastors with his wife, Molly.