Choosing A Bible Translation
Which Bible translation is the best to use? The answer is, "Several." In my opinion, it is good to read from several different Bible translations. It is amazing how easy it is to skim past things once a person has read through the same material several times from the same translation. Many times, reading from a different translation will bring new insights. Even though they often say the same thing, the simple fact that it is worded differently will cast the information in a new light.
However, it is also good to remember that some translations are better than others. Not all Bible translations are translated equally well! I am going to give a brief list of a couple of translations that I recommend, followed by a couple of translations that I do not recommend. Then I will give links to a couple of Web sites that offer excellent information on choosing a Bible translation.
Note: I do not give reasons for why I recommend or do not recommend certain translations. I recommend that a person check out translations for themselves using the resources that I have provided at the bottom of this article.
List of translations that I do recommend:
- NASB (New American Standard Bible)
- ESV (English Standard Version)
- AMP (The Amplified Bible)
- HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
- NIV (New International Version)
- NLT (New Living Translation)
List of translations that I do not recommend:
- RSV (Revised Standard Version) and NRSV (New Revised Standard Version)
- The Message
- TNIV (Today’s New International Version)
- NETBible
Links to Further Resources:
- "Which is the best Bible to use…" – by Bro. Buddy of Christian Challenge
- This is a blog entry written by Bro. Buddy, and it gives an excellent breakdown of the different kinds of translations that are available.
- "The Bible Researcher" – by Michael Marlowe
- This Web site is an excellent portal to all things related to Bible translation. The "English Versions of Scripture" has reviews of pretty much every major English translation on the market, and many minor ones as well.
July 22nd, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Just wondering why I don’t see the King James Version in your selections.
July 22nd, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Because I don’t recommend it =)
More seriously: It is not a very accurate Bible translation. It was superb when it was translated, but now many more manuscripts have been discovered–such as the Dead Sea Scrolls–that make for more accurate translations. Also, the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic languages are understood better now than they were when the KJV was translated.
The KJV is not the worst translation on the market. Far from it! But my opinion is that there are much better ones to choose from =)
- Josh S.
July 23rd, 2010 at 6:26 pm
I have been studying and comparing different versions for many years now. I love the kJV and believe it to be the only word of God. Have not found any inaccuracies yet which even when others tried to point out contradictions that they thought existed I could prove were not contradictions at all. Cannot say the same however for other versions. I find it really funny how much the KJV is attacked. I wonder why? Which version do you use?
Carole
July 24th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Carole,
The only true word of God are the original manuscripts. Everything else are man made translations and copies. God, in His divine providence, has given us tremendously accurate copies of the original manuscripts. Because we have those copies we are able to make very accurate translations of the Bible into any language that is advanced enough to be written down.
Nevertheless, they are still translations. No translation is perfect.
If the KJV is the only Word of God then what are we to do with people who don’t speak English? Are we to teach them English to the point of fluency so that they can read the Word of God? (That’s a rhetorical question. I understand that there are those who teach that translations into other languages should be made from the KJV. That, in my opinion, is patently absurd. People who make that claim seem to think that the English language is the only one that matters. It’s ethnocentrism at its finest.)
I do not attack the KJV, but neither do I recommend it. I think that there are much more accurate English translations available. I also think that there are translations that are far worse.
The NASB is the English Bible that I use as a study Bible. I often use the NIV and ESV as my primary devotional Bibles. It seems that you hold a different opinion, and that’s well within your rights =)
The translation that a person picks doesn’t determine their salvation. This brief article is simply meant as a guide to help people who are coming from a primarily KJV-only background but now want something different to read. If a person chooses to stay with the KJV then that doesn’t bother me in the slightest.
God bless,
- Josh S.
February 19th, 2011 at 11:12 am
Carole,
If the KJV is the only word of God, then why does it call itself a “version”?
And don’t forget that the true KJV includes the deuterocananical books (Apoocrypha). The modernists corrupted the KJV, removing those scriptures from God’s Word. You can’t accept the KJV and reject the deuterocanon.
James