Originally posted by James Peter in the thread So why's your translation better...? on February 27th 2005:

Its one thing that I think we can actually really learn from Islam (there are several), learning the original languages is completely worthwhile and whilst not essential should be strongly encouraged. To be honest I think we are generally just lazy. Boys in their early teens have memorised the entire Qu'ran but most of us struggle to learn a few verses (or at least I know I was always learning the 'memory verse' for sunday school in the car on the way to church anyway and had forgotten it by the next day).

If God is worth everything and nothing can even begin to compare to knowing and serving Him then we should make the effort to try to learn Greek (and ideally Hebrew as well) over a period of several years if necessary. Its an investment that over the next 40 years should more than be returned. Of course not everyone has the intellectual ability to do that but anybody who can probably should and anyone who is called to teach most certianly should.

Which text? No single text of course. The Nestle-Aland is the standard scholarly composite text though and so thats what I'd recommend...when different manuscripts diverge it is indicated and you can either follow the majority or choose to say follow the Codex Alexandria at all times if your conscience feels that is a better option.
Too high for me, I'm afraid.