How to Choose a Bible Translation
Line up several translations, side-by-side, and compare the same verses., Consider your purpose., Decide what kind of translation you would like., Some consider the King James Version (KJV) but do remember that the English language has changed since...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Line up several translations
There are interlinear Bibles that will do this for two, four or eight translations.
Read some passages in each one. (You may want to compare Acts 26:14 and Psalm 1:1, since these show how translations deal with difficult Greek words and how sensitive they are to avoiding English idioms, respectively.) Are certain translations clear and understandable, while others make little or no sense? Ideally, the translation should "speak to your heart" as well as your mind.
The worst translations speak to neither, and make it easy to ignore items that a part of you wants to ignore.
Best translations are not the ones which are flowery or use old out of date terms and expressions which we no longer use in modern day language.
Many find that Bibles which use modern day, common language are easiest to understand and the easiest to build ones' faith on. -
Step 2: side-by-side
How will you use the translation? Do you intend to read through the entire Bible, or entire books or chapters? Will you be looking up single verses and then quickly checking their context? Will you be wanting to study the original language(s), word by word? As you compare the translations (in step 1), consider your intended usages.
Which translation will make that easiest and help you avoid misunderstandings? , Are you searching for a translation for serious study, or one that reads easily in modern language? Consider purchasing both
-- one of each
-- different translations serve well for different purposes.
New American Bible (NAB):
This a modern language Bible which is a relatively easy to read and study.
New World Translation (NW):
This is a modern language literal translation for serious study, and comparing the English to the Greek.
The NAB and NW are the most literal modern translations available, with the English rendering corresponding most closely to the Greek.
English Standard Version (ESV):
Also quite literal but has fewer study helps available.
Revised Standard Version (RSV):
A literal translation which was revised again in 1990 by the (New) Revised Standard Version (NRSV) which is considered a considerably looser translation then its predecessor. , Some words which seem familiar may have changed their meanings over time; for example, the word "nice" used in the KJV originally meant "silly." This translation is therefor harder to understand.
Also, archaeologists and linguists continue to learn about the sites, cultures and languages of the Bible.
We continue to discover earlier manuscripts.
Newer translations (such as the NKJV) account for such discoveries; the KJV does not.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) is very easy to read, and yet remains faithful to the original meaning.
Another popular choice is the Good News Bible (GNB, also called the Today's English Version or TEV); the English used is very simple.
The New Living Translation (NLT) is another popular example of this kind of translation.
The Living Bible (TLB) was a paraphrase by Dr.
Kenneth Taylor of the American Standard Version, whereas the NLT used a translation committee and translated from the Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.
Another popular paraphrase is The Message.
Many enjoy the freshness of this rendering of scripture, paraphrased from the Greek by pastor Eugene Peterson. , The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and New International Version (NIV) are examples of such translations that are generally well respected and used by many churches.
They are modified-literal translations that began with a word-for-word translation, and then translators modified the results to make the sentences more closely correspond to English syntax (grammar). , Staff at Christian bookstores may be quite knowledgeable about different translations, and will likely be willing to answer any questions you may have. -
Step 3: and compare the same verses.
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Step 4: Consider your purpose.
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Step 5: Decide what kind of translation you would like.
-
Step 6: Some consider the King James Version (KJV) but do remember that the English language has changed since the 1600s.
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Step 7: Remember that several major translations fall somewhere between the highly literal/thought for thought spectrum.
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Step 8: Before purchasing a Bible read the translators preface- this will help you to determine the philosophy of the translators
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Step 9: and whether the translation is likely to be more or less literal.
Detailed Guide
There are interlinear Bibles that will do this for two, four or eight translations.
Read some passages in each one. (You may want to compare Acts 26:14 and Psalm 1:1, since these show how translations deal with difficult Greek words and how sensitive they are to avoiding English idioms, respectively.) Are certain translations clear and understandable, while others make little or no sense? Ideally, the translation should "speak to your heart" as well as your mind.
The worst translations speak to neither, and make it easy to ignore items that a part of you wants to ignore.
Best translations are not the ones which are flowery or use old out of date terms and expressions which we no longer use in modern day language.
Many find that Bibles which use modern day, common language are easiest to understand and the easiest to build ones' faith on.
How will you use the translation? Do you intend to read through the entire Bible, or entire books or chapters? Will you be looking up single verses and then quickly checking their context? Will you be wanting to study the original language(s), word by word? As you compare the translations (in step 1), consider your intended usages.
Which translation will make that easiest and help you avoid misunderstandings? , Are you searching for a translation for serious study, or one that reads easily in modern language? Consider purchasing both
-- one of each
-- different translations serve well for different purposes.
New American Bible (NAB):
This a modern language Bible which is a relatively easy to read and study.
New World Translation (NW):
This is a modern language literal translation for serious study, and comparing the English to the Greek.
The NAB and NW are the most literal modern translations available, with the English rendering corresponding most closely to the Greek.
English Standard Version (ESV):
Also quite literal but has fewer study helps available.
Revised Standard Version (RSV):
A literal translation which was revised again in 1990 by the (New) Revised Standard Version (NRSV) which is considered a considerably looser translation then its predecessor. , Some words which seem familiar may have changed their meanings over time; for example, the word "nice" used in the KJV originally meant "silly." This translation is therefor harder to understand.
Also, archaeologists and linguists continue to learn about the sites, cultures and languages of the Bible.
We continue to discover earlier manuscripts.
Newer translations (such as the NKJV) account for such discoveries; the KJV does not.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) is very easy to read, and yet remains faithful to the original meaning.
Another popular choice is the Good News Bible (GNB, also called the Today's English Version or TEV); the English used is very simple.
The New Living Translation (NLT) is another popular example of this kind of translation.
The Living Bible (TLB) was a paraphrase by Dr.
Kenneth Taylor of the American Standard Version, whereas the NLT used a translation committee and translated from the Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.
Another popular paraphrase is The Message.
Many enjoy the freshness of this rendering of scripture, paraphrased from the Greek by pastor Eugene Peterson. , The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and New International Version (NIV) are examples of such translations that are generally well respected and used by many churches.
They are modified-literal translations that began with a word-for-word translation, and then translators modified the results to make the sentences more closely correspond to English syntax (grammar). , Staff at Christian bookstores may be quite knowledgeable about different translations, and will likely be willing to answer any questions you may have.
About the Author
Jerry Powell
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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