The Recovery Version is widely (but not exclusively) used by members of the local churches. The following examples are not intended to demonstrate the superiority of the Recovery Version over and against other widely-used translations. They are intended only to help convey that serious study and consideration has gone into ensuring that the Recovery Version is as faithful to the original Greek as possible so that the divine revelation in the Bible is expressed in the English language with the greatest accuracy. As demonstrated below, the Recovery Version’s rendering is similar to other major translations in the main. Often, differences in rendering are subtle, yet very significant in relation to our apprehension of certain divine truths.
John 3:16
New International Version
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
New American Standard Bible
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
King James Bible
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Recovery Version
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that every one who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life.
The Greek word here, εἰς, literally means to or into. We not only believe in Christ, we believe into Him. That is, by our believing, we are brought into a union with Christ (John 15:5, 14:20) whereby we receive Him as our very life. In this organic union, we are in Christ and He is in us. The footnote in the Recovery Version for this verse says:
Believing into the Lord is not the same as believing Him (6:30). To believe Him is to believe that He is true and real, but to believe into Him is to receive Him and be united with Him as one. The former is to acknowledge a fact objectively; the latter is to receive a life subjectively.
John 14:2
New International Version
My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
New American Standard Bible
In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
King James Bible
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Recovery Version
In My Father’s house are many abodes; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
The Greek word here is μοναὶ, the plural form of μονή, a noun derived from the verb μένω that means to abide or to remain. John uses this verb many times in chapters 14 through 17 to emphasize the believers’ abiding in God and God abiding in the believers. Therefore, our understanding of 14:2 is not that Christ is going to prepare a physical mansion or room in heaven for the believers, but that He is preparing a mutual abode of God and His people who, as the church, are His spiritual house, His temple (Eph. 2:19-22, 1 Tim. 3:15). The footnote in the Recovery Version for this verse says:
The many abodes are the many members of the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:5), which is God’s temple (1 Cor. 3:16-17). This is adequately proven by [John 14:23], which says that the Lord and the Father will make an abode with the one who loves Him.
For more information, see “Glossa: Heavenly Mansions or Abodes?”
Romans 8:15
New International Version
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
New American Standard Bible
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
King James Bible
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Recovery Version
For you have not received a spirit of slavery bringing you into fear again, but you have received a spirit of sonship in which we cry, Abba, Father!
The Greek word here, υἱοθεσία is a compound word that literally means to set someone as a son or to put someone in the place of a son. Whereas adoption implies that those who are not sons become so through a judicial procedure, an adoption, the New Testament reveals that our relationship with the Father is a relationship in life. By our regeneration, we are born of God to be His genuine sons (John 1:13; 1 John 5:1) who have His life in us (John 3:16; 1 John 5:12-13). Thus, our relationship with God is in life, not merely by adoption. He really is our Father, and has begotten us to be His genuine children, the many brothers of the Firstborn Son of God (John 1:12, 20:17).
For more information, see “Glossa: Sonship or Adoption as Sons?”