Sometimes I really like the more modern wording of the NET Bible. It really resonates and speaks in a language that I get. Other translations can sound a bit formal, distant, colorless. Sometimes though, it's really jarring and sounds inappropriate, because it uses terms that are completely out of place in the original context.
Like, for example, in the book of Ruth, when Boaz goes to meet Ruth's distant relative to see if he will redeem Ruth's property and so marry Ruth or, alternatively, what he wants is to redeem Ruth's property and marry her himself. He has to identify the man without saying his name - apparently that was part of the custom - so, in the NET Bible, Boaz says, in Ruth 4:3, "Come here and sit down, 'John Doe'!" In every other translation, it has something like - "Then he [Boaz] said to the kinsman-redeemer, 'Naomi [Ruth's mother in law] is selling the land, etc'. I think that's so much better, because 'John Doe' is a very modern formulation.
But, you know what? I'm glad there are things like this. This is what I look for. I look for differences. I like that there are so many translations of the Bible, and that they're different and each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
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