Get to know the Bible Translations available.
With so many different translations of the Bible floating around, finding one suited for you can be very overwhelming. The best translation for one person won't 'read as well' for another. In this article I'll review the English Standard Version (ESV), the New American Standard Version (NASV) as well as the New International Version (NIV) (all accurate translations) to help you better understand what options are available in choosing a Bible. The English Standard Version and the New American Standard Version are literal translations (or word-for-word translations), this means that the translators looked at each word and translated it from the original Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek. The New International Version is a very popular thought-for-thought translation, which means that the translators looked at individual phrases and translated them with today's vernacular in mind. What are you waiting for? Let's get started choosing the right Bible Translation for you!
Decide what you want out of a translation. Do you want word for word? Or thought for thought? The following selected translations are all good and accurate translations.
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It's that easy :)
Focusing on The English Standard Version:
The English Standard Version was first published in 2001
Personally, I prefer this translation for both my study translation as well as my reading translation. The ESV offers the best of both worlds in readability and formal equivalence (literal translation). It is a great example of conservative scholarship - a little library of theological information from an evangelical point of view.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." ~John 3:16 ESV
by Crossway Bibles, which is a division of Good News Publishers. This is a modern translation that is translated in the same tradition of the King James Version. What does that mean? Simply put - this Bible is translated using a literal or "word-for-word" philosophy. The translators sought to capture the original language while using modern day grammar.Personally, I prefer this translation for both my study translation as well as my reading translation. The ESV offers the best of both worlds in readability and formal equivalence (literal translation). It is a great example of conservative scholarship - a little library of theological information from an evangelical point of view.
Best ESV Bibles Available
The Essentially Literal Translation
Don't be intimidated - there's a translation for you!
All About the New American Standard Version:
The complete version of the NASB (New American Standard Bible) was published in 1971
Despite the revisions, this translation remains to be the most literal you can purchase in modern English. This makes this particular Bible an excellent choice for serious study. The translators were guided by this fourfold aim:
1.Publications shall be true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages.
2. They shall be grammatically correct.
3. They shall be understandable.
4. They shall give the Lord Jesus Christ His proper place,
the place which the Word gives Him; therefore, no work will ever be personalized.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." ~John 3:16 NASB
by the Lockman foundation. This version was meant to be the most literal modern translation published. Many readers had felt that this version was a little "choppy", which lead the publishers to create a much more fluid version in 1995.Despite the revisions, this translation remains to be the most literal you can purchase in modern English. This makes this particular Bible an excellent choice for serious study. The translators were guided by this fourfold aim:
1.Publications shall be true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages.
2. They shall be grammatically correct.
3. They shall be understandable.
4. They shall give the Lord Jesus Christ His proper place,
the place which the Word gives Him; therefore, no work will ever be personalized.
Best NASB Bibles Available
The most literal version
All About the New International Version
The New International Version was translated by the
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." ~John 3:16 NIV
International Bible Society in 1978. It is essentially a "thought-for-thought" translation yet it is very accurate given its textual basis. It is widely popular for its readability and is one of the most common used in evangelical circles. The reason for its popularity is that it is a very good and accurate translation. I highly recommend the NIV Archeological Study Bible; which was produced in partnership with the Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. The general editor of the Archeological Study Bible is Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. past president of Gordon Conwell Seminary, distinguished professor and scholar of the Old Testament. It is a wonderful bible that contains in depth notes explaining how the people of the Biblical era lived in their own time, what this text meant to them (exegesis) and how you can apply it to your life today.Best NIV Bibles Available
Most popular thought-for-thought translation
These three translations are great to begin studying if you are a new believer or even a seasoned Christian looking to read God's Word in a new way.
Which translation is right for you?
Tell us what you really think!
Which Translation is better?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byThought for Thought
Word for Word
Cari_Kay says:
I love my KJV. I started with NIV but it doesn't always line up with what I learn so I'm pretty solidly a KJV fan.
Posted April 24, 2009
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- HenryE HenryE May 20, 2009 @ 8:45 pm
- Neat concept and well executed!
Henry
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- Snozzle Snozzle Apr 26, 2009 @ 10:58 am
- Very interesting. I find it's more the interpretation of what is written than the translation itself that is probably more important. Thank you for giving me something to think about.
Mike.
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- Light-in-me Light-in-me Apr 13, 2009 @ 1:52 am
- Really love this lens, you made it beautiful and a really great topic ! 5*s
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- likeapenguin likeapenguin Apr 10, 2009 @ 11:15 am | in reply to d-artist
- Good! I'd HIGHLY recommend the English Standard Version then. It has the same quality of language, beauty and translation of the King James, but in modern English. :-)
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- d-artist d-artist Apr 10, 2009 @ 9:08 am
- great lens and great information...I'm used to reading KJV and language...now am looking for a newer and easier read, so thanks for this insight...5*
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