What Bible translations do you use?

peaceful-forest said:

What Bible translations do you use? Do you use one that accurately reflects what the original Greek New Testament says? I don't think that's possible in English, but I would like to hear what you read.

I have been reading the Amplified (AMP) translation, but I've noticed errors in it. I would like to find a different one.

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I'm not an Egalitarian Christian, but when you say I've you noticed errors in it; do you mean you've found translation choices that don't align with your Egalitarian preference or that it genuinely seems to mistranslate the true message of the author?

Btw no translation is perfect - any translation means losing something, and any translation means making choices regarding interpretation. Completely theology bias-less translations don't exist.

Online tools allow you to check the original Hebrew or Greek, and there's free software (e.g. scripture4all) as well for that purpose.

Personally I use the LSB these days as it in my opinion most accurately translates while still keeping the name of God intact somehow. It's a derivative of the ESB. Usually the more you translate with the original Hebrew/Greek in mind the less inclusive it sounds simply because those societies were Patriarchal.

E.g. Hebrew has no specific word for marriage or husband. The word commonly translated 'husband' in the TNK/OT simply means 'owner' (baal) Even in nowadays Israel the word 'baali' (literally 'my owner') is used to refer to your husband. Just a funny bit that shows the challenges of translation.

I generally use the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) for study, especially for study groups at church, and the Revised English Bible (REB) for my own reading when I'm reading multiple chapters at a time. The NRSV is what we use in Sunday worship, and I'm a lector (person who reads Scripture in church), so I end up reading lots of Sunday morning passages in the NRSV. I like the literary style of the REB, so that's what I pick if I'm, for example, reading the whole gospel of Luke on my own.

For the Psalms, I really like the translation used in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer (US).

Both the NRSV and the REB are inclusive-language translations. Now that I've gotten used to inclusive-language translations, gender-exclusive translations bug me, because when I read "man" in one of them, I don't know whether it means "male human" or just "human". (Goes off to look up the underlying Greek word...)

I have a beginner's knowledge of Greek, so for some things I can pull out my Greek New Testament. But I still have a lot to learn there. Memorizing vocabulary is so hard for me.

Hebrew, alas, may be hopeless for me.

My daughter is a linguist, with a degree in translation, and we've had some interesting conversations about what it means to translate the Bible, or any text, accurately. A translation that proceeds word-for-word but misses emotion or emphasis or tone may not be as accurate as one that uses English wording a little more freely in order to catch those nuances.

I use various translations depending on what I am doing.

My everyday Bible reading is in the CSB. I do my Bible study with the ESV. I like to look at the NASB for more word-for-word study.

I also use an English translation side by side with the original languages. I also make frequent use of lexicons.

I generally use the NRSV; it's not perfect (no translation is) but it's reasonably good, and is careful about translating in a gender-inclusive way when that reflects the meaning of the original passages.

peaceful-forest said:

What Bible translations do you use? Do you use one that accurately reflects what the original Greek New Testament says? I don't think that's possible in English, but I would like to hear what you read.

I have been reading the Amplified (AMP) translation, but I've noticed errors in it. I would like to find a different one.

Click to expand...

I use the New King James Version (NKJV).

If somebody takes it seriously, I think the only way is to learn the biblical Greek, at least to be able to read the New Testament passively.

And to learn about the textual families and textual criticism.

Translations are OK, but nobody needs to rely on them for years or even decades. You will miss all the original nuances, cultural associations, the language/thought structure or the style of authors. You can read more easier parts of the NT in months and the whole NT in few years.

peaceful-forest said:

What Bible translations do you use? Do you use one that accurately reflects what the original Greek New Testament says? I don't think that's possible in English, but I would like to hear what you read.

I have been reading the Amplified (AMP) translation, but I've noticed errors in it. I would like to find a different one.

Click to expand...

Personally, I don't have a favorite. Some translations are better on some verses and passages and others on others. I try to read as many as possible as well as various commentaries and lexicons to arrive at the truth of any matter. I almost exclusively quote the 1769 KJV simply to appease onlyists. Many of them actually believe the KJV in print today is the original anyway. I find it is pretty accurate most of the time and am always quick to point out the instances where I believe a certain translation isn't the best.