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Bible Translations

Which Bible should I read? This question concerns people more than it ought to. Almost any Bible you have can be suitable. What Bibles do you have available to read? What Bibles are you most used to? What Bible is used most often in your church? Do you intend to use this Bible for serious study or for reading straight through?

How do Bible translations differ? Some translations are more literal than others. Some are easier to read than others. Some use more modern language (which is not to say that they are necessarily eaiser to read). Some rely on different sets of Greek manuscripts than others. Some are more conservative or liberal theologically.

  • King James Version (KJV). The granddaddy of all English Bibles. A pretty literal translation. While its cadence is beautiful, it's hard for most people to understand and always has been so. This Bible is still used in many conservative churches. The Greek sources from which it was translated are not the best. It's not really a good choice for serious study, and it's definitely not a good choice for simply reading through.
  • Revised Standard Version (RSV). One of many revisions of the King James Version. Not quite as literal, and not quite as poetic. Much easier to understand. This Bible is popular in liberal churches. Translated from a critical Greek text. It's not a bad choice for either study or reading, but other translations are better.
  • New American Standard Bible (NASB). Another revision of the King James Version. Very literal – probably the most literal of the modern popular translations. Still, not as poetic as the King James. Relatively easy to read, but feels somewhat "stiff." Translated from a critical Greek text. It's an excellent choice for study because it conforms so closely to the Greek. Not the best choice for simply reading, but not a poor choice either. (I recently started reading the NASB, after having finished reading through the NIV.)
  • New International Version (NIV). The most popular translation being sold today. Read in both liberal and conservative churches. Very easy to read. Falls somewhere in the middle in terms of literalness. That is, not a word-for-word translation, but an thought-for-thought translation. An excellent choice for simply reading. Not the best choice for serious study, but not a poor choice either. Because of its popularity and readability, it's probably the best overall choice available today. (I recently finished reading through the NIV, which I've been using almost exclusively for 2-1/2 years for church, devotions, and study.)
  • Good News Translation (GNT). (a.k.a. Good News Bible or Today's English Version/TEV.) Very easy to read. Reads at a low grade level. Uses a limited vocabularly. An excellent choice for children or teenagers. Also a good choice for those who speak English as a second language. Reads like a novel. A thought-for-thought translation but tending toward paraphrase. An excellent choice for reading through quickly, especially if you've already read another more serious translation, or if you've tried to read a more serious translation but failed. It has been said that the first half of the Old Testament (Genesis through 2 Kings) reads just like a novel.
  • The Living Bible. Very easy to read. A paraphrase, not a translation. Originally intended for children, and succeeds well for that purpose. Definitely not a good choice for serious study, but a not a terrible choice for quick or light reading.
  • Amplified Bible. The English text is "amplified" by extra notes that aid in understanding the original Greek. Considered a pretty literal word-for-word translation, except for the extra amplifying notes. Hard to read because the notes interrupt you, and because the notes increase the overall length of all passages. Also, the notes become annoying after a while because the same notes are used every time the same Greek word is translated. Not a bad choice for serious study, but other choices are much better. Not really suitable for reading straight through.
  • The Message. I've not read this Bible. I've been warned away from it. It's definitely a paraphrase. But it's published by the Navigators, so it can't be all bad, right?
  • New Living Translation (NLT). A revision of the Living Bible, the paraphrase that everyone loves to hate. However, the NLT is not a paraphrase but a thought-for-thought translation. I haven't read this one either, but I've only heard good things about it.
  • New King James Version (NKJV). I've not read this Bible. It's the favorite of some of my friends. "Modern English makes it easier to read than the King James, while retaining the familiarity of the 17th century sentence structure. Suitable for study, teaching, and devotions." (from the Zondervan web site)

Resources

(roughly in order of usefulness)