Anyone seeking a Bible will most likely be faced with one very common dilemma: finding the one translation out of the numerous English translations. Browsing for Bibles in any bookstore—whether online or in brick-and-mortar form—can be quite overwhelming. This blog post is not designed to endorse any particular translation; however, I will share my personal opinion when selecting a Bible.
There are a lot of translations. To give you an idea, the number of English translations probably exceeds 30. So, when you browse a store for a Bible, you may be looking through 30 different translations to select the one you want. Of course, the easiest solution is to just buy one of each, but that isn’t always economically feasible—or logical for that matter. I think that only a Bible enthusiast or collector would fancy the idea of purchasing 30 Bibles. So, the question is this: How do you sift through all of those Bibles to find the right one?
Each Bible translation has a different method or philosophy behind it. Typically, the translation is put together by an organization that upholds a particular belief as to how the Bible should be written and/or read. This isn’t necessarily a good thing. Not all translations are correct and some lose much of the original meaning to make all attempts in upholding the organization’s beliefs.
Nearly all translations fall under two different translation style categories: word-for-word and thought-for-thought. Word-for-word translations are considered to be the most accurate translations a person can read. The idea behind a word-for-word translation is to take the Greek or Hebrew words in the original manuscripts and render them to the closest English-equivalent word(s). This gives accuracy to the text in the translation, but it can (although rare) make certain wordings slightly more difficult to read. Thought-for-thought translations work the other way around. These translations focus on translating entire phrases or thoughts to the most easily read English equivalent. This weakens the accuracy of the text, but readability is almost never an issue. Critics claim certain thought-for-thought translations are “dumbed down” translations because they sacrifice word meaning for readability. The biggest trouble I have encountered when reading a thought-for-thought translation is weak word usage. For example, some may translate “kindness” in place of “grace,” which is not a good word choice. Grace has far more implication than kindness. Personally, I prefer to select from the word-for-word translations, but I do keep at least one thought-for-thought translation nearby.
When it comes to studying the Bible, a word-for-word translation should be used. This is merely my opinion, but if I’m going to study the Bible, I want the most accurate rendering of the Scriptures that I can find. In my studies, I start with a choice translation from the word-for-word line of Bibles (i.e. American Standard Version, Amplified Bible, English Standard Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Webster’s Bible, etc.). Using these translations allows me to capture a close-to-the-original-text idea of what the Scriptures are saying. This also helps when referring to a Greek/Hebrew concordance, such as a Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, which is based on the King James Version.
Now, if you want to sit down and read the Bible in a non-study manner—like reading a typical novel—you might consider a thought-for-thought translation. The ease of readability will allow for a more comfortable reading experience. Personally, I do not read from a thought-for-thought translation. I use these translations for alternate wordings of a scripture.
So, after that explanation, you might be wondering which Bible translation(s) I recommend. My highest recommendation is for the New American Standard Bible (NASB). This translation is considered to be the most accurate translation in English. Another plus to the NASB is that, while it is a word-for-word translation, it has a remarkably high readability. The NASB also features minimally invasive scriptural cross references. This allows you to see references between two or more scriptures and see how they are linked or related. This is a very good study resource. My second recommendation will go to the English Standard Version (ESV). Just like the NASB, the ESV is a word-for-word translation with high readability, and it also has cross references. My third recommendation will go to the New International Version (NIV). The NIV is considered a thought-for-thought translation; however, it does maintain a balance with word-for-word translating for accuracy.
My final recommendation will come in a discussion of its own—simply because it is an obvious choice. That goes to none other than the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. The KJV is a really good translation. It is one of my personal default translations. The KJV is a tried-and-true survivor of almost four centuries (it was first printed in 1611). It has also been the predecessor to many of the greatest Bible translations. The only downside to the KJV is the use of antiquidated English—namely Elizabethan English. Many words and grammar usage have long been obsolete. So, the alternative is the New King James Version, which is a more modern version of the KJV.
Finding the right Bible is a very important part of the Christian walk. The Bible is the written Word of God and is the link to the mysteries of God. Selecting the right Bible will give you the proper understanding of those mysteries and allow you to know how to be a good steward of those mysteries. It says in 1st Corinthians 4:1 to, “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.” Knowing the Word is the way to know God. If you are looking for advice on Bible selection, I hope that this post will help guide you in the direction of the right Bible for you. Of course, if you happen to have any questions, feel free to email me your questions or post them in the comment section below.
Get fed!
You might enjoy this post by the president of Covenant College; it touches on Bible translations.
http://president.blogs.covenant.edu/2008/03/31/reading-and-writing-well/
NASB? ESV? KJV? I love the NAS and the KJV but none of these are reader friendly in my mind. And the ESV is a sloppy, rushed to market translation. Why not check out the TNIV? It’s the updated NIV. Just a thought…
Sound advice, but don’t forget to mention Hebrew and Greek. While I grant that most laymen won’t pursue these original languages, there are enough Wordstudy Bibles and Interlinear Bibles available that most laymen can have a lot of access to the original languages with just a little bit of effort. In addition, software like Bibleworks, Logos, and my choice, Accordance, can make the job that much easier. Even the free software from folks like the Sword Project make original language work fairly accessible. I have known a number of laymen and women who have had their Bible studies greatly enriched through these tools. Blessings,
Win
Preacherwin,
Interlinear Bibles are very nice. I have used one in my personal studies. However, they are merely an impression to the original languages. By no means could someone learn Greek/Hebrew from an Interlinear Bible or even a concordance. I wouldn’t recommend one to a beginner, but your advice is definitely sound for one of seasoned Bible knowledge or someone who desires to dig deeper. Now, when it comes to digging deeper, http://bible.cc is a sure place to start. You definitely hit the nail on the head with your advice on Bible software. It is a critical part of my studies. Thank you very much for the comment.
James,
That is a very good article. I really liked the comparison between the NIV and the ESV towards the end of the article. Dr. Nielson gave a fine example of comparing a thought-for-thought translation to a word-for-word translation. Thanks for the recommendation.
Paul,
I don’t recall mentioning that the KJV was reader friendly. I have read from about 10 different translations and (merely my opinion) the New American Standard Bible is the most readable, while remaining accurate, translation. That is typically the Bible I buy for people. I have looked at the TNIV before, and it is a decent read. I don’t exactly agree with a lot of the changes they made, nor do I agree with the fact that Zondervan wanted to target 20-somethings and 30-somethings specifically with that translation. Thanks for the comment.
I think my next bible purchase will be a NASB. Several other sources I have read agree with your assessment that it is the most accurate word-for-word English translation while at the same time being highly readable. It will make a good companion for my current translation of choice – the ESV.
BTW – What? No love for the Geneva?
Beaconlight,
You won’t go wrong with the NASB. Oh, man. I did forget the honorable mention of the Geneva Bible.
Well, the Geneva Bible predates the KJV by roughly 71 years. It is a word-for-word translation and the project was spearheaded by a group of reformed theologists. The translation is highly accurate, but does lack in readability due to the Early-Modern English. You can purchase an updated 1599 Geneva Bible that contains modernized spelling and words. The Geneva Bible makes for an excellent study Bible with its many marginal notes and cross references. I own a 1560 facsimile edition of the Geneva Bible and it is a lot of fun to read. I would recommend a Geneva Bible to someone who is comfortable reading the KJV.
For the sake of trivia, the Geneva Bible is the translation quoted by William Shakespeare. Rumor has it that the Geneva Bible was present during the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Dear Friends:
I’m a minister and musician and just dicovered your website. Great work!
I also recommend the NASB above all for its precise accuracy and high readability.
Other good sites include…
http://faith.propadeutic.com/questions.html
http://faith.propadeutic.com/conclusions.html
http://greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/index.html
Thanks and God bless your efforts for Him!
I was discussing Bible translations with a friend whose church specifically uses the KJV. I told her that my personal favorite Bible was the NASB and she told me that that translation was not a good or accurate version and that there were many passages left out of it. Is the NASB more reliable that the KJV or vice versa? She also to me that some of the Bible translations are satanic in nature…is that true? I am so confused and don’t wish to be led astray by being misinformed.
Thank you and God bless!
New Jesus Follower,
The NASB is said to be THE most accurate English translation of the Bible. The NASB is a descendant of the KJV, which means that they will be similar to each other. The NASB is a totally COMPLETE translation. Nothing has been left out. Paraphrased translations (i.e. God’s Word Translation, Bible in Basic English, etc.) will leave out entire verses or portions of verses. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that there are Bible translations, at least mainstream translations, that are satanic in nature. Granted, there are some translations that are sloppy or just way off (i.e. The Message). As for the KJV, it is a good translation, if you don’t mind the antiquidated English. My 2nd major Bible translation for study is the Webster’s Bible, which is a direct descendant of the KJV. So, you can say that I like the KJV. However, keep in mind that the KJV was not the 1st modern English translation. That would be the Tyndale Bible; the 2nd was the Geneva. Most Bible scholars will point out that the KJV borrowed from either of those two translations. Keep your NASB. You have an EXCELLENT translation. You won’t have any need for confusion if you stick with it.