What Bible translation is the best one to read? Which translation will truly deepen your understanding of God's Word, and therefore bring you into a closer relationship with the Lord? With so many versions available, it can be a daunting task to buy a Bible, especially if you are a new believer. This practical guide will help you in the decision-making process of buying your copy of the most important and influential book in the history of mankind.
Translation Processes
There are three basic translation philosophies and methods that scholars may embrace when translating the Bible:
- Formal Equivalency (aka: "word-for-word"): this method offers the closest renderings of the actual and original wording of the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts available today. "Word-for-word" translations are the most reliable when studying the Bible in any serious manner. Sometimes their approach makes the language wooden and cumbersome, but they should still be understandable to most english speakers. Two great "word-for-word" translations include the NASB and the ESV Bibles.
- Dynamic Equivalency (aka: "thought-for thought"): this method seeks to make the original language easily understandable in a thought-for-thought manner, choosing to modify some words or phrases in such a way so as to make it comprehensible to the average reader while maintaining the main thought of the author. These translations are sometimes influenced by the theology of the translators. Two good "thought-for-thought" translations include the NIV and the HCSB, the HCSB landing somewhere in between "word-for-word" and "thought-for-thought" translations, making it a great compromise.
- Paraphrasing (explaining through rewording): this method does not produce a true translation in a strict sense, as it merely takes an already existing translation and explains it by rewording and rephrasing passages. Paraphrases are the most unreliable translations, especially if "translated" by one individual (such as the Message Bible). They are deeply influenced by their creators' theology and biases, sometimes to the point of obscuring the Word of God. Some paraphrases include: The Message Bible, the NLT (New Living Translation), NIrV (New International Reader's Version), GNT (Good News Translation/Bible), CEV (Contemporary English Version), and TLB (The Living Bible). We recommend not using these "translations"—ever. If you need some verses explained, it is better to find good commentaries by theologically sound scholars instead of using a paraphrase.
Our Recommendations
According to many, there are pros and cons to reading each translation type, but we contend that sticking with translations that at least lean more towards Formal Equivalency (word-for-word) is the best option for personal study and everyday Bible reading. We believe this for several reasons, which we think are sufficient enough:
- Jesus told Satan, when being tempted, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
- Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."
- There are warnings in the Bible for those who would add to or remove words from the Bible, found in Revelation 22:18 (although John probably meant the warning for the book of Revelation, the principle still applies to the whole Bible); and in Proverbs 30:5-6.
When you opt for a translation that deviates from the original language too much (either by adding or removing words, unless supported by trustworthy scholarship), you are missing out on "every word of God." And when you choose a paraphrase, you invite the words and theology of someone other than God Himself—this may be dangerous to your spiritual health, not to mention those you are leading. Only God's words (inspired through the Spirit) can and should be in your Bible, not someone else's.
Sure, some may say that reading a paraphrase is similar to reading a commentary. But the difference is that, when you read a commentary, you know you are reading a commentary and need to be extra discerning; when you read a paraphrase, it is still in the format of a Bible, making it more difficult to discern the writer's errors, since it is written as if it were a "translation" of the Word of God.
Therefore, we recommend everyone to stick with either one, or two–or all–of the translations below (they are arranged in order of preference):
- NASB (New American Standard Bible)
- ESV (English Standard Version)
- HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
- NIV 1984 (New International Version)
What's Wrong With the Newer NIVs?
The NIV is the best selling Bible translation to date, dethroning the great King James Bible—no pun intended. It has been a part of evangelicalism for over 30 years now, and has certainly left its mark. The newer versions, however, such as the 2011 update, have some changes that need to be taken into consideration when choosing a Bible.
The NIV 2011 translating committee allowed our culture to influence its rendering of the Biblical text. The committee chose to change many gender-specific pronouns into gender-neutral ones, thereby sometimes obscuring the text's meaning (e.g., changing he/him to they/them). Also, the new NIV includes translations that advocate egalitarianism; the God-ordained authority structure of men and women is blurred.
Therefore, if you are stuck on using the NIV (maybe because that's the one your pastor uses), we recommend acquiring an NIV 1984, and not the newer versions. But we still prefer the "word-for-word" translations of the NASB and ESV.
What About the KJV (King James Version)?
Although the KJV has had a long and fruitful history, it is undoubtedly outdated. Besides the obvious language gap that makes it difficult to understand, the King James Version of the Bible was based on the available manuscripts of the 1600s (Textus Receptus), which were limited. Since then, archaeologists have found many more manuscripts, and only our newer versions reflect this; the more manuscripts there are, the more accurate the translations become.
Can a person be saved by reading the KJV? Why, yes, of course—many have throughout the centuries! But we advocate for the replacement of this great translation, opting for the newer, updated versions available today—if for no other reason than having an understandable translation. The KJV's archaic language makes it difficult, especially for new believers, to fully make sense of many verses. Yes, there are beautifully rendered phrases worthy of memorizing in the King James Version's text, but many of our newer translations (e.g., the ESV) also display a wonderful mastery of the English language.
The King James' descendent, the New King James, falls into the same problem as the KJV: The NKJV is based on the same manuscripts as the King James, since it is simply an update of the language of the King James, and not a brand new translation derived from the newly available manuscripts today. Therefore, we also suggest you to refrain from buying a New King James Version of the Bible, and instead select one of the aforementioned translations.
What About Spanish Translations?
The most popular Spanish translation is the Reina Valera 1960, but this translation is essentially based on the same manuscripts that the King James Version was based on, since the original Reina Valera was introduced years before even the KJV. There are, then, a few problems with this:
- The Reina Valera does not reflect the current Biblical scholarship (it excludes the newer manuscripts available)
- Even the newly revised Reina Valeras (1960, 1977, 1995, 2015) are still based on the King James' manuscripts
- The RV1960 uses a Spanish that is archaic and outdated, making it difficult to understand in many passages
We recommend using La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA), which is a cousin of the NASB in English, and which is published by the same publishers as the NASB, the Lockman Foundation. A suitable "thought-for-thought" translation is the Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI), the cousin of the NIV in English.
What About Gift Bibles?
If you are trying to buy a Bible for a new believer, we recommend gifting them an ESV Bible, as this version is one of the most updated and comprehensible translations available. If an ESV is not an option, then an HCSB is also very good. These two translations offer the readers an easily readable language without compromising the original language too much.
In the End...
Choosing a Bible is a very personal matter, and it is one of the most important decisions you will make, in terms of becoming a Christian and growing in your faith. Many people say to simply choose a Bible that you will read, but it is of no use to read a Bible translation that won't convey the totality of God's Words. We need to choose a good Bible translation that we will read; and it seems that nowadays there are more questionable options than reliable ones.
Stick with "word-for-word" translations whenever possible, and use reputable commentaries to help you with the difficult passages and verses. This method will greatly help your walk with the Lord, as every Word that comes from Him is important and should be transmitted to us.
May God bless you as you study His Holy Word.
