Martin Clay

Which Bible translation is right for you?

So you want to get stuck into the Bible, but with dozens of versions available how do you choose? Martin Clay investigates

With an estimated six billion copies sold worldwide, the Bible is the bestselling book of all time. And now the explosion in Bible apps and websites means access to the library of 66 books we regard as Scripture has never been easier. But once we start digging below the simple word “Bible” things get more complicated.

The basics

Any English language Bible is necessarily a translation from the original languages, whether directly or indirectly. The Old Testament was written mainly in biblical Hebrew but with a few Aramaic chapters too, and the New Testament was written in koine Greek. Before the invention of the Gutenberg printing press in Germany around 1440 AD, biblical texts were reproduced by hand.

While the transmission of the Bible is reliable, scholars constantly review the available manuscript evidence to ensure the Hebrew and Greek texts that form the basis for most major Bible translations are as accurate as possible.

For the Old Testament, the newest critical edition is the Biblia Hebraica Quinta (BHQ). For the New Testament, the newest critical editions are the identical United Bible Society 6 (UBS6) and Nestle-Aland 29 (NA29) texts.

“Exact” and “readable” translations

Even the youngest of the biblical books was written almost 2,000 years ago within a culture and language quite different from our own. Bible translators, therefore, face a choice.

Should they translate biblical texts by reproducing as closely as possible the words of the original writers, even if this may be hard for English readers to understand? Or should they translate the idea underlying a passage, so it is easier for a modern reader to understand?

These options are termed “formal equivalence” (exact precision) and “dynamic equivalence” (readability).

The spectrum of choice between exact precision and readability means that Bible versions always have an underlying translation philosophy guiding them.

For those looking for the most exact versions, the major options starting from the most precise are the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the English Standard Version (ESV), the New English Translation (NET), the King James Version (KJV) and the New King James Version (NKJV). The New International Version (NIV) followed by the looser New Living Translation (NLT) are popular translations that seek to balance precision with readability.

Bible paraphrases

Some readers might still find the editions mentioned above difficult to read. Paraphrasing editions of Scripture can help readers grasp the main point of a passage by expressing it in a new language. However, paraphrase editions run the risk that readers fail to notice a translator’s particular theological interpretation of a passage and see it as being equivalent to the translation of Scripture itself.

The classic Amplified Bible helped readers distinguish between the biblical text and paraphrased interpretation by putting the additional meanings added by translators in brackets. However, newer paraphrases such as The Message by Eugene Peterson and, more recently, The Passion Translation by Brian Simmons do not attempt to make such a distinction.

Failure to be explicit about the assumptions influencing translation can become problematic. For example, The Passion Translation (TPT) claims to use a ‘heart-level... essential equivalence’ method akin to the NIV but is better characterised as a paraphrase saturated with theological assumptions drawn from charismatic circles.

For example, ‘You anoint my head with oil’ in Psalm 23:5 is translated in the TPT as ‘You anoint me with the fragrance of the Holy Spirit’. This mistakenly assumes that references to oil in the Old Testament are really references to the Holy Spirit.

The TPT also frequently translates a single Hebrew word two or more times and relies on highly emotional rhetorical intensity to impact readers.

Compare, for example, the following translations of Psalm 18:1. NIV: “I love you Lord, my strength.” TPT: “Lord, I passionately love you! I want to embrace you, for now you’ve become my Power.” (Although this original version has since been updated to “I love you Yahweh, and I’m bonded to you, my strength.”) Such paraphrased translations can be a refreshing read but should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Study Bibles

Study Bibles can be a useful tool for digging deeper into Scripture. Usually, based on an accepted Bible translation with accompanying notes, there are devotional works to help with daily Christian living, such as the NKJV Spirit-Filled Life Bible for adults and the NLT Teen Life Application Study Bible for teenagers.

Other Study Bibles focus on understanding the cultural world of the Bible, such as the ESV Archaeological Study Bible or the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Bible, both of which are written by teams of respected scholars.

Alternatively, the ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible explains the links between Scripture and core Christian beliefs, such as the Trinity.

Readers might find Jewish perspectives on the Old Testament helpful to compare with their own. The Jewish Study Bible provides the Jewish Publication Society translation alongside scholarly notes, while the award-winning translations of Robert Altar accompanied by a useful running commentary, are well worth your time (various editions available).

All these editions come with a caveat: despite their frequent usefulness, beware of allowing the interpretive notes provided in Study Bibles to become a substitute for reading Scripture for yourself.

The main thing

If you preach or teach publicly, consult multiple versions, including one of the “exact precision” texts as a check and balance in preparation... and consider a longer-term goal of learning Greek and/or Hebrew to help you.

If you are reading for yourself, rely on a standard version like the NIV or NKJV but keep things fresh by using other versions or a study Bible from time to time. Just make sure to distinguish between the biblical text and the (often helpful) notes or paraphrases that try to interpret Scripture for us.

If you are working with children, based on my own family’s experience, I recommend Sergio Cariello’s The Action Bible – a graphic novel edition – as well as the new DVD versions of Superbook by CBN.

Above all, though, read Scripture often and seek to discern what the Holy Spirit might be saying.

This article first appeared in the February 2023 edition of Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.

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