One of the benefits of living in America in this time is the wealth of English Bible translations. If you visit a Christian bookstore or an online store you will soon find out there is no shortage of translations to choose from. This can be very confusing to new Christians and even seasoned ones who are looking to read a different translation. There isn’t a one size-fits-all answer to this question however, simply because every person is different as to how well they can read English and what their goals are. Also, some translations are better for different purposes, such as preaching or personal study. Given that there isn’t one answer, there are some general guidelines to follow when deciding what translation to read. Before making this decision, it’s important to know where a translation falls on the spectrum of translation philosophy.
Bible translations generally fall into one of three categories:
- Word-for-word (formal equivalence or literal)
- Thought-for-thought (dynamic equivalence)
- Paraphrase
Word-for-word or literal translations are written to match as close as possible to the original languages that the Bible was written in (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic). Words from the original languages are translated into English while keeping the sentence structure intact wherever possible.
Word-for-word translation examples: King James Version (KJV), New King James Version (NKJV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), Legacy Standard Bible (LSB), English Standard Version (ESV)
Thought-for-thought translations seek to capture the overall thought of the author while not intending to match exact words and structure to English. More interpretation is involved in these translations, but are generally easier to read than word-for-word translations, especially for younger readers.
Thought-for-thought examples: New International Version (NIV), New Living Translation (NLT), New English Translation (NET)
Lastly, paraphrases are at the other end of the spectrum. These are intended to put the Bible into an almost novel-like structure for ease of reading. Even though they are listed above, these are technically not actual translations because they are solely the ideas of how the author interprets the passage. They are also typically written by a single author and not a panel of translators. While these can be useful to read alongside the Bible, it is best to avoid paraphrases as a primary Bible.
Paraphrase examples: The Message (MSG), The Living Bible
Guidelines
When deciding on a translation, the two most important guidelines are that you can understand it and that you enjoy reading it. If the wording is cumbersome and hard to grasp, it’s probably not the best translation for you.
Having multiple translations to read from can be very helpful. A word-for-word translation that gives a literal rendering coupled with a thought-for-thought for further clarity is a great strategy for in-depth Bible study.
There are also useful online tools such as Bible Gateway and Blue Letter Bible where you can read multiple translations side-by-side to easily compare one translation to another. When deciding on a translation, it is a good idea to look at several and determine which one best suit your current needs.