All modern-day translations are the best attempt to capture the intent and meaning of the author’s original writings. The Bible is written in Hebrew, Aramic and Classical Greek. These ancient languages have nuances, both cultural and when spoken. It’s hard for any modern translator to fully do them justice when interpreting and translating meaning.
There are over 1800 translations, including those beyond English. So, one can be forgiven for not being sure whether there are differences and where might be best to begin.
Here is a scale of popular Bible translations from formal to informal. At the end of this article, you’ll also find them listed with their descriptions. Tap on the coloured titles to highlight which category they fall into, or tap on the abbreviated bible translation for more detail.
Formal translations aim to give a like-for-like word translation, preserving as much likeness as possible. Informal translations prefer to capture the sentiment and meaning (or at least perceived meaning) of a text.
Language evolves decade by decade. What was meant by one word in the 1920s may have a drastically different meaning today. So, translators need to regularly work and review their versions to ensure they have captured the best possible phrasing. And even then, there are limitations.
Hebrew, for example, is a very emotive and evocative language, while Classical Greek is semantic and logical. The way they express meaning differs. And that’s before we even consider cultural context!
Consider the table below. We have a literal paraphrase of John 13:35 in the original Classical Greek, the KJV, MSG and NIV to give you a sense of variation in language.
| Version | Text |
|---|---|
| Original Greek (Word-Reflective Transliteration + Continuous English) | ἐν (en – in/by) • τούτῳ (toutō – this) • γνώσονται (gnōsontai – will know) • πάντες (pantes – all) • ὅτι (hoti – that) • ἐμοὶ (emoi – to me/my) • μαθηταί (mathētai – disciples) • ἐστε (este – you are) • ἐὰν (ean – if) • ἀγάπην (agapēn – love) • ἔχητε (echēte – you have) • ἐν (en – in/among) • ἀλλήλοις (allēlois – one another) Continuous Transliteration: En toutō gnōsontai pantes hoti emoi mathētai este, ean agapēn echēte en allēlois. Continuous English (literal flow): By this will know all that to me disciples you are, if love you have in one another. |
| KJV (Public Domain) | “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” |
| NIV (Concise paraphrase summary) | Everyone will recognise you as Jesus’ disciples when you genuinely love one another. |
| MSG (Concise paraphrase summary) | Your active, visible love for each other becomes the clear sign that you belong to Jesus. |
We have a good sense of meaning, but some work needs to be done to make it flow with meaning and understandability for the modern-day reader.
What Is The Best Translation Of The Bible To Read?
So, what is the best translation to read? The one that makes the most sense to you. An informal text like The Message translation looks to smooth out the text and make it easily readable. A more literal word-for-word translation, like the English Standard Version, aims to give you a sense of exact words as close to the original as possible, but puts the sentences into a coherent arrangement.
Whichever translation you use, something will be missed in sentiment or range of chosen words. There are several levels of reading that can help deepen your understanding of the Bible if you want to try to be faithful to any original meaning.
How To Read The Bible On A Deeper Level
There are 4 basic ways to engage with your Bible and gain a better understanding of what you are reading.
Level 1 – Face Value
As you read the text, it’s viewed in the same way as anything else you would read. Take it for what it is, without digging deeper. This is the default for most people, and whilst it’s not bad, it does not scratch the surface. There is a richer meaning as you go deeper.
Level 2 – Devotionally
The aim of this second pass of reading is to consider, reflect and pray about what the text might mean. What do you think it meant for the people of the day, and what might it mean to you? Does it carry wisdom, advice, observational lessons or something else that feels significant?
Level 3 – Observation
This time, you will want to read to better understand the intended meaning of the writer. You can still consider what meaning you might take away from the text; in fact, it should be enriched by your study. But the aim is to understand its purpose, the first time it was written. You will want to pick a commentary written by a biblical scholar to help you see things from a new perspective. Perhaps write out the text and make notes as you read through a commentary. Learn about the cultural context and consider if the nuances of the culture change your understanding.
Level 4- In-Depth Study
Using the same techniques as levels 1-3, push even further by using 2-3 contrasting commentaries. Pick one with a traditional approach and one with a critical approach. Read a formal and an informal translation side by side. Get your hands on a Greek and/or Hebrew interlinear Bible. Print out your main English translation and make notes on common words, significant verbs and look up their meaning in the original language. Consider several interpretations and how understanding each word might enrich the insights into the meaning of the text.
The Bible can be as deep as you want it to be. I have discovered that you can read the same text a hundred times and find a hundred new layers on each reading. It is rich, engrained and reflective of itself and the one who it is written about.
What’s your favourite way of reading the Bible?
Have you discovered something new in studying scripture?
What’s your favourite translation and why?
A list of translations
- KJV: King James Version — Very formal, historic literary style. There are a number of conflicts between the KJV and other translations, which are highlighted at the end of this article.
- NASB: New American Standard Bible — among the most literal modern translations. a 1950s modern take on the American standard version from 1901.
- ESV: English Standard Version — A literal with a readable style. Formed in the 1970s with over 100 scholars contributing, and my preferred text for this website.
- NKJV: New King James Version — Formal, modern vocabulary. Completed in 1982, this was a modern revision effort of 130 scholars who wanted to update the language but remain faithful to the KJV.
- RSV: Revised Standard Version — Formal, classic English tone. It incorporated new scholarship discoveries and sought to move away from archaic language that of the KJV.
- NIV: New International Version — Balance of accuracy and readability. Often the staple of most churches, it sticks faithfully to the original text while providing contemporary language. The NIV was formed using a wide range of ancient manuscripts and like many of its contemporaries, born out of a desire to move away from archaic language.
- CSB: Christian Standard Bible — balanced, highly readable. Seeking to supply word-for-word and a thought-for-thought balance, the CSB aimed at something readable and faithful. It incorporates gender conscious language and reverence for the name of God by using Lord, instead of Yahweh.
- NLT: New Living Translation — Dynamic thought-for-thought for clarity. The NLT preferred a paraphrase approach and proves to be a reliable and readable translation.
- GNT: Good News Translation — Simple and conversational. Using a dynamic equivalence approach, the GNT has undergone revision and is often a more inclusive text being conscious of contemporary language. Simple, clear and easy to read.
- MSG: The Message — Paraphrase capturing overall sense and tone. Translated by Eugene Peterson, the 2002 release uses highly contemporary language and focuses almost exclusively on meaning over literal translation.
- CEV: Contemporary English Version — Simple, clear, informal. With a focus on modern speech patterns, the ABS team focused on a functional approach to making scripture more readable.
- ERV: Easy-to-Read Version — very accessible and informal. Its primary goal was to meet the needs of those who have difficulty with language and reading.
