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HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST BIBLE TRANSLATION

We understand you.

You are not alone if you felt totally overwhelmed at the Christian Bookstore when you found the gigantic Bible section, with dozens of translations…and each of those had multiple variations from which to choose. Then, perhaps, you asked people for their advice. Instead of resolving the issue, the chaos intensified and acquiring your study Bible became more overwhelming, as you heard responses such as:

“Get the same version they most often read from at your Church.”
“Don’t get a Bible translated by a single translator.”
“The King James is the only authorized Bible. Other versions aren’t really the Word of God.”
“The NIV definitely. King James is impossible to comprehend.”
“Unless you get a Catholic Bible, a bunch of books are missing.”

So which Bible translation is the best?

So which Bible translation is the best? I don’t know.

What is the most important tool in completing a project?

Who knows?!?

If we were told the specific kind of project, however; and the materials we were using and the background and skill level of the worker(s); we would have a much wiser opinion on the topic.

It would still be an opinion, though. That information puts us in a better position to wisely opine. . . but it is still just an opinion. You want to keep in mind that most ‘projects’ would be severely limited by using only a single tool. In fact, having only one tool may prevent the job ever being completed in many cases. To get most projects done, and certainly to do so with maximum effectiveness and efficiency, we need a host of tools to fulfill a variety of functions. (Note: that is a GOOD thing…it means don’t stress too much about your first primary Bible! Just get one and start…instead of being overwhelmed).

Some other things to keep in mind as you are prayerfully deciding on the best Bible Translation for you: No translation is ‘more’ or ‘less’ pleasing to God. No matter what your particular religion may say, God does not “grade you” based on your Bible reading habits. All that matters is your relationship with Him. Having said that, your Bible reading is a primary way to develop that relationship. With that in mind, I think your enjoyment of your Bible should be given great weight — especially with regard to choosing your first Bible. I would much rather see you purchase a loose paraphrase that may be doctrinally questionable (and get to know God with only a 92% accuracy), then let your KJV or ESV collect dust on your bookshelf (and get to know God with a 0% accuracy).

While I personally avoid denominationally-translated Bibles (especially if this is your first serious attempt to deeply study the Bible), I have not yet seen a Bible that fails to contain Salvation. It is hard for me to believe that a Bible exists that will fail to point you to peace of mind, joy, truth, love and salvation if that is what you are prayerfully seeking.

If, on the other hand, we are acquiring a Bible simply because that is ‘what “Christians” do,’ or to impress others, or as an attempt to “earn points” with the Almighty or make “all nations disciples,” you may find that every version of the Bible is difficult to comprehend. But if you do: Don’t let that dissuade you from reading. Just ask for God’s guidance. Reading the Bible has an uncanny way of working into every part of your soul…even if you know you are reading it for the wrong reasons.

I made a little chart to give you some ideas of the range of Bibles available for you to consider. On the left are literal word-for-word translations. These Bibles attempt to render the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek literally. This results in a Bible that may be somewhat difficult to read and because of changes in expressions, language, customs, and many years – may result in serious differences between the author’s intent and what you actually are understanding

On the other end of the spectrum, to the right on my chart, are idea-for-idea translations. These Bibles seek to convey the meaning the author was trying to impart and are not nearly as concerned with keeping each individual word the same as the original language.

The “blended” translations attempt to strike a balance between the two and tend to be my favorite.

Various Versions of the Bible

Some notes about specific translations:

King James Version (KJV) – The KJV is considered by many to be “the only authorized” translation of the Bible. It is a literal word-for-word translation of the original text. It is written in Old English, which gives it the elegance that we are used to hearing when we hear the Bible read aloud.

I am an outspoken critic of the King James. The “original” or “only true” translation and other reasons the “KJV-only crowd” advances are propaganda-laced nonsense. The truth is that King James gave his 47 Church of England translators direct instructions to translate his version to conform to the views and practices of the Church of England. With the thees, thous, charities (meaning “love”) and other words that we no longer use, especially in the U.S., this is not the Bible I would choose. But Salvation can certainly be found in this beloved book!

New International Version (NIV) – The NIV version of the Bible is currently the most widely read English translation. It is a more modern translation and is easy to read. It is not as literal of a translation as the word-for-word translations, but in most instances captures the original meaning of the Bible well by attempting to translate thought for thought.

New Living Translation (NLT) – The NLT is one of the newer translations of the Bible. It is easy to understand, perhaps at the cost of complete accuracy. The criticism is that it is sometimes ‘watered down’ in its effort to make the Bible more understandable. Its easy reading, however, makes the NLT an excellent choice if you are a new Christian or if you are just getting into studying the Word for yourself. Find out if the Bible is for you or something you even want to study. I think I translation like this will help you decide if you love it. If so, after have read this Bible a time or two, you can always ‘graduate’ to a more literal version. Even if you have been studying the Bible for years, you may still enjoy the ease of reading that accompanies a version like the NLT.

There is not a best Bible translation. As your depth of understanding increases, you will want to compare various translations, instead of just one translation alone. It’s kind of like when you were a kid and one parent had been trying to teach you something for an hour, and it took the other parent a sentence or two. Sometimes it just clicks when you hear the same idea in a different fashion.

When you become expert level at handling The Word, you may wish to acquire a Comparative Study Bible that includes several translations in one.

If you still are unsure or have questions about which Bible is right for you, feel free to ask Karen or me. We will do our best to help you decide which Bible is best for you.