Recommend Bible Version

[ratchet30]

What version would you recommend that is easier to read but yet very accurate?

 

[MrJim]

I like the New King James Version personally; my wife like the Amplified version. I hear a lot of good things about the English Standard Version but haven't looked at it closely.

 

[Michael Snow]

NKJV has been my personal version for a long time, but I like what I see and hear about the ESV mentioned by MrJim. That would be the next version that I would buy and use.

I would beware of the newest version called the Common English Bible. It makes changes to be politically correct which changes some key meanings, e.g. in Daniel 7, the apocalyptic figure of Son of Man, is changed to 'human being.' This refers to Christ's coming in glory.

For the NT, I still like one of the earliest and best modern versions, Phillips' translation. [He never completed the OT. As there are 66 books in the Bible, Elton Trueblood once asked J.B. Phillips if he would call his version Phillips 66. Elton said that JB didn't get the joke--he was British-- he hadn't heard of "the gas that won the West."]

 

[busdriver72]

I have both the NKJV and ESV. I also have the New American Standard.
I enjoy the accuracy and readability of the NKJV. The ESV is also accurate and readable...I'm just not used to it. The New American Standard is also accurate, but it has a different "flow." It re-structures the grammatical flow into the modern English structuring. It is very "direct" in its translation and lacks the old-fashion "flow" of the KJV/NKJV...but I do refer to it for comparison. But for reading and study, I lean toward the NKJV.

 

[L.J.]

I use mostly the NKJV/KJV. Sometimes the NASV. One bible that I have and plan to use more of is the Sword Bible. It is KJVER. King James easy to read version. It uses red letters in both the NT and in the OT (where God speaks).

 

[fighlite]

I read the KJV and the NRSV. I like the King James best, though the only time I have read the bible all the way through from start to finish was the NIV because somebody had told me that it was the easiest to read. I honestly read A LOT so I couldn't say that it was "easier," but different. The only real reason that I use the NRSV is that it is the version we use at school and it is also what I have noticed in the pews of a lot of churches. Still, I prefer my KJV.
I have a lot of Bibles- Orthodox Study Bible, Harper Collins Study Bible, NIV (Zondervan), KJV Confraternity Version, KJV (Independently Published), NRSV (Zondervan), Greek NT, but I still take off the shelf my King James when I want to read.

 

[Unix]

I would say that JB (Jerusalem Bible) Standard Edition is the best

NKJV has been my personal version for a long time, but I like what I see and hear about the ESV mentioned by MrJim. That would be the next version that I would buy and use.

I would beware of the newest version called the Common English Bible. It makes changes to be politically correct which changes some key meanings, e.g. in Daniel 7, the apocalyptic figure of Son of Man, is changed to 'human being.' This refers to Christ's coming in glory.

For the NT, I still like one of the earliest and best modern versions, Phillips' translation. [He never completed the OT. As there are 66 books in the Bible, Elton Trueblood once asked J.B. Phillips if he would call his version Phillips 66. Elton said that JB didn't get the joke--he was British-- he hadn't heard of "the gas that won the West."]

I second the opinion about the Common English Bible and for more reasons too. yabt (yet another bible translation): the common english bible | “shields-up”

I make use of J. B. Phillips NT, it's the best out of ASV, COM, CPDV, JB, KJV, NAB '70 and '86, NIV '84 and '11, NJB, NKJV, NASB, NASU, NEB, NRSV, REB, RSV, TEV '71 and '76, TLB, UPDV version 2.15 for:
Mt 19:6-7, 19:21b-22, 19:25b, 19:26b, 22:22
Lk 6:45, 18:1-3a, 4a
2 Cor 1:10a, 1:11, 2:7b
Hebr 2:5, 2:14-15, 4:3b, 5:1c, 6:11-12a, 7:13-14, 7:25
1 Jn 2:7b, 2:11a-b (JB is the best for the end of the verse: because it is too dark to see.), 2:20-21, 2:27c-29, 3:5-6a, 3:8b, 3:17c-18a, 3:22a but leave out a part of a word so that it says: 'We receive what we ask', 4:5b, 4:6b except 6 'what we say means nothing to the man who is not himself a child, 4:7a, 4:11b-12a except b-c 'surely we, in our turn, should love each other! It is true that no human being has ever had a direct vision of God, 4:14-21, 5:2a, c-3a 'The test of our love for' 'lies in this question - do we love God himself and do we obey his commands? For loving God means', 6a except b-c 'Jesus Christ himself is the one who csame by water and by blood -', 6:19-20a-b

 

[FundamentalistJohn]

What version would you recommend that is easier to read but yet very accurate?

I'm quite fond of the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

 

[opengate07]

There are many opinions on what version is accurate, but I cannot say which one is closest to perfect. I would say that possibly the 2 simplest ones to read and understand would be either NIV or NKJV.

 

[Unix]

I have a lot of Bibles- [...] Confraternity Version,

Confraternity version is the best for for Sirach and about Joseph in Genesis

 

[Unix]

There's been recent discussion about the JB in:
1 Jn 2:5 - Christian Forums
The CTS New Catholic Bible - Catholic Answers Forums

If You doubt my agenda, take a look at:
Proof that the ESV, NIV, NASB are "Catholic bibles" - Page 12 - Christian Forums
... and scroll to the row saying: If I would be a protestant

I would say that JB (Jerusalem Bible) Standard Edition is the best

NRSV is not easy to read

I read the [...] and the NRSV.

 

[opengate07]

Let the Holy Spirit guide you.
BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 100 versions and 50 languages.

 

[Unix]

There's discussion about commentaries to the Bible, in:
http://www.christianforums.com/t7541241/#post56918116

I'm quite fond of the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

 

[marthak]

What version would you recommend that is easier to read but yet very accurate?

One that is very easy to understand and is good for children and for people who don't know English well is the NIrV (New International Readers Version). It is written at a Grade 3 reading level, has short sentences and uses simple words.Many teachers who are working with immigrants (teaching English) especially like this one.

 

[a pilgrim]

What version would you recommend that is easier to read but yet very accurate?

Ratchet, let me ask you a question, what is the most important to you, an "easy" read, or purity of text?

If it's an easy read, ANY of the "modern" versions will suffice. However, you will be sacrificing purity of text. If you are "saved," that is to say, you have established a relationship with Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God now abides within you, then you have a "built-in" scripture tool, the Spirit of God. He will shed light on things if you seek His assistance.

Just do your OWN study and see which English version, and it's line of supporting manuscripts, Satan tried to stamp out with martyrs blood and you'll be on the right track. Many versions, though they taut smooth, modern, flow, come from manuscripts, that though some of them date back to antiquity, have been tampered with in ways that affect essential DOCTRINAL issues like: the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, blood atonement, salvation through Christ alone, etc. These are IMPORTANT issues. Pray and seek.

Ben

 

[david14433]

New American Standard is the best and most literal version. But, beware the bible is full of flaws and even contradictions.

Peace!

 

[a pilgrim]

New American Standard is the best and most literal version. But, beware the bible is full of flaws and even contradictions.

Peace!

How, pray tell, could one have Peace! knowing God's book is, ". . . full of flaws and even contradictions. . . "?

This is a ludicrous assumption, and completely secular and unbiblical.

 

[childofdust]

Since almost all translations are written at or below a 10th grade reading level (which is really low!), I prefer to focus on accuracy.

When it comes to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, my preference is:
1. My own translation
Followed in no particular order by:
- Robert Atler's translation
- the New JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society)
- the Stone Edition Tanach (Artscroll)

For the New Testament...

My Greek isn't very strong, so I don't have much of a preference. I usually end up going with:
- Holman Christian Standard
- ESV
- NET

 

[childofdust]

For LXX/Septuagint (including deuterocanon!), I LOVE:
NETS - New English Translation of the Septuagint

 

[Unix]

Personally, I use many translations for the NT and compare them. I don't use versions such as HCSB, ESV, or NET AT ALL for any verse whatsoever. They're that bad.

It SEEMS from Your choices of versions that new must be good. However, read for example this post:
Catholic Answers Forums - View Single Post - Bad Commentary in New Jerusalem Bible???
... it's a comparison of the JB to updates.

JB has no big mistakes so therefore I recommend it most of the times to those who want to have one Bible and no more.

I have a book that analyzes the differences of UBSGNT4 to the earlier versions 1-3corr and lists every letter-rating of the variants. Then I have another book that lists the textual variants grouped into the Alexandrinian, the Minority, the Byzantian, the Vulgate, and the Codex Bezae -types. With those I can easily eliminate fluctuation due to the number of Greek texts with variant readings there has been as outsets to English versions.

The real progress in NT interpretation was made with the discovery of colloquial papyruses which made up records of how the language was used, dating back to the same period as the origin of the NT. Those were allready in place in the '50s-'60s.

So the JB is not too old at all. Just thought I would make a brief point.

For the New Testament... [...] I usually end up going with:
- Holman Christian Standard
- ESV
- NET