# Black or Red letter?



## JM (Apr 6, 2009)

Do you prefer to read from a black or red letter Bible?



> On June 19, 1899, the now Dr. Louis Klopsch was writing and editorial for the Christian Herald when his eyes fell upon Luke 22:20 and the words: "This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." Dr. Klopsch realized that these were the words of our Saviour when he instituted the Lord's Supper. reasoning that all blood was red, he asked himself, "Why not a red letter Bible with the red words to be those of our Lord?" Dr. T. Dewitt Talmadge, pastor of the Brooklyn Temple where Louis and his father worshipped, encouraged him greatly by saying, "It could do no harm, and it most certainly could do much good." Red Letter Bible: Fyi


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## E Nomine (Apr 6, 2009)

I prefer Red Letter. 

More importantly, I prefer quotation marks; the lack thereof is my biggest stumbling block when reading the Geneva Bible.


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## LawrenceU (Apr 6, 2009)

Personally, I do not like them. I have a few. The thinline NASB that I have preached from for over twenty years is red letter. But, that is because that was all that was available in that binding at the time I purchased it. I find it distracting. Further, many people will say that the 'red letters' are all that we really need since they are the words of Christ. The entire bible is the 'words of Christ'.


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## Southern Presbyterian (Apr 6, 2009)

One of the Elders in our denomination is fond of going into Christian bookstores and asking if they have any Bibles with the words of the Holy Spirit in black.


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## JM (Apr 6, 2009)

Nice!


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## toddpedlar (Apr 6, 2009)

LawrenceU said:


> Personally, I do not like them. I have a few. The thinline NASB that I have preached from for over twenty years is red letter. But, that is because that was all that was available in that binding at the time I purchased it. I find it distracting. Further, many people will say that the 'red letters' are all that we really need since they are the words of Christ. The entire bible is the 'words of Christ'.



I also have a significant distaste for red-letter Bibles specifically for this reason. I hear far too often statements to the effect that we really need to pay more attention to Christ's words than to the others, or "if Christ didn't say it, then it can't be nearly as important." Add this to the fact that there are ambiguities as to which words are actually from the lips of Christ and which are not (and different translation committees allocate some statements differently) and I strongly recommend people simply get black-letter Bibles and feed on ALL of God's Word.


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## Blueridge Believer (Apr 6, 2009)

I have bibles with and without. Can take it or leave it.


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## Theognome (Apr 6, 2009)

LawrenceU said:


> Personally, I do not like them. I have a few. The thinline NASB that I have preached from for over twenty years is red letter. But, that is because that was all that was available in that binding at the time I purchased it. I find it distracting. Further, many people will say that the 'red letters' are all that we really need since they are the words of Christ. *The entire bible is the 'words of Christ'.*



Now where is that in red letters Brother Lawrence?

Just kidding.

I don't mind the red letter versions, though I agree some folk go quite loopy over them.

Theognome


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## jaybird0827 (Apr 6, 2009)

All of it is the word of God; therefore all of it is the word of Christ.

No need for red letter.


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## PresbyDane (Apr 6, 2009)

Well we do not even have "red letter" bibles, so that is one problem less for us


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## Curt (Apr 6, 2009)

Black or red, it's all God-breathed (in the autographs).


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## JM (Apr 6, 2009)

Re4mdant said:


> Well we do not even have "red letter" bibles, so that is one problem less for us



see OP


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## Scottish Lass (Apr 6, 2009)

I prefer black, for the reasons above.


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## Skyler (Apr 6, 2009)

I like red. It provides some variety when there's red letters sprinkled across the page every now and then. 

But, I'm currently using a black-letter bible, so... I guess no real preference.


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## E Nomine (Apr 6, 2009)

I should disclose that I also have a Sword Bible, "KJVER," that has not only the words of Christ in the NT but also the words of God in the OT in red.


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## toddpedlar (Apr 6, 2009)

E Nomine said:


> I should disclose that I also have a Sword Bible, "KJVER," that has not only the words of Christ in the NT but also the words of God in the OT in red.



Is it just the direct verbal quotations from God, or the words of the prophets prefaced by "Thus saith the LORD"? 

Seems to me if you're putting the Words of God in Red, then you'd have a red Bible. I honestly don't understand what the aim of such silly things is, unless the purveyors of these Bible versions really have a poor doctrine of inspiriation and of Scripture in general.


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## CalvinandHodges (Apr 6, 2009)

Hi:

If "Words of Christ are in Red" then, should not the Whole Bible be in Red?



Blessings,

Rob


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## Poimen (Apr 6, 2009)

I find the red letter bibles extremely annoying and I am still looking for a nice leather bound NKJV that does not have the red letter text in it. 

Also, older ministers have told me that the red letter text is harder to read.


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## JM (Apr 6, 2009)

During yesterday's sermon I noticed my eyes kept going back to the red letters, he had moved on by my eyes returned over and over again to the red letters. I wonder how much I miss while reading the NT because of the red letters…


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## LawrenceU (Apr 6, 2009)

JM said:


> I wonder how much I miss while reading the NT because of the read letters…




I know you meant to write ' . . . of the red letters. . . ' But, what you wrote is priceless. Cracked me up. I'm weird.


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## DMcFadden (Apr 6, 2009)

I have both kinds. However, if given a choice I prefer the black letter Bibles ("once you've gone black, you'll never go back"). The red letter Bibles reflect a form of piety that borders on theological distortion for all of the reasons aforementioned. I doubt that it is an issue worth fighting over (not a "'second coming' type" of offense). However, it hardly reflects a full-bodied evangelical view of the theopneustos and can be distracting.


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## Berean (Apr 6, 2009)

DMcFadden said:


> ("once you've gone black, you'll never go back").



Dennis, you crack me up too.


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## PresbyDane (Apr 6, 2009)

DMcFadden said:


> I have both kinds. However, if given a choice I prefer the black letter Bibles ("once you've gone black, you'll never go back"). The red letter Bibles reflect a form of piety that borders on theological distortion for all of the reasons aforementioned. I doubt that it is an issue worth fighting over (not a "'second coming' type" of offense). However, it hardly reflects a full-bodied evangelical view of the theopneustos and can be distracting.


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