Bible Translations

[Baby Cottontail]

I am not sure if this is the correct forum to ask this question (please move it to the correct place if I have put it in the wrong spot).

Anyway, I am developing a wishlist of Bibles I would like to purchase in the future. Is there a list of recommended Bible translations for Christians? It seems like there has been a recent explosion of translations in the past few years. It used to be that New Revised Standard Version and New International Version seemed to cover enough of my experiences (church services, Christian conferences/events, Bible studies, etc.). However, now there seem to be a lot more in use.

I have the 1984 New International Version, the 1995 New American Standard Version, and the New Revised Standard Version. I also have a Good News Bible that I received when I was in 3rd grade, but do not care for that translation. I have a Common English Bible, as my denomination has been pushing it in its literature for children, and I teach confirmation classes at my church. I thought it would be good to have a copy of it.

I am aware that the NIV was updated in 2011, and the NASB was updated in 2020, both to be gender inclusive. I will probably eventually want to get updates of those translations. I haven’t gone to a church that used the NIV since I was in graduate school, so have not updated yet to the 2011 edition. The NASB is for my own personal study, as I like the literalness of it.

I would like to get a full copy of the New King James Version, as I think it is a beautiful translation, and I would just like to have one. When I was in Campus Crusade for Christ in College, and went to Christmas Conference or Big Break, someone read Ephesians 3 out of there, and it was just so lovely. This definitely would not be my main translation, but I would just like to have it.

My pastor really likes the New Living Translation, and has asked that I use that in the confirmation class that I will be teaching in the fall. I would like to have a copy of that so that I can become familiar with it. I also am aware that many Christians like the English Standard Version and the Christian Standard Bible. If those are super popular, I may want to pick those up in the future.

I am also trying to future proof myself, as I don’t know if I will end up staying in my current denomination or not. It all depends on how things go, and what happens. I know some churches/Bible studies really celebrate a diversity of Bible translations, while others prefer people in a Bible study to all be reading the same translation of the Bible.

What are the translations that you use in your church, and do the Bible studies that you are apart of prefer one translation, or do they like diversity? If one is preferred, which one? What do you believe are the essential Bible translations for Christians today?

What about study Bibles? Do you use/encourage a specific one, or do you like it when people bring different ones to a Bible study?

I have several study Bibles —
Zondervan NASB (which doesn’t appear to be in print anymore. It uses the study notes from their NIV Bible)

NRSV Harper Collins Study Bible (required for the New Testament class I took)

New Oxford Annotated NRSV Third Edition

NIV 1984 Life Application Bible

NIV 1984 Student Serendipity Bible

 

[Sketcher]

My church quietly switched to the ESV when the NIV underwent its 2011 update. It's a good translation.

I usually recommend reading whatever version one's church teaches from. Easier to follow along that way. In addition to that, a KJV is good to have on hand since classic study resources use it.

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Baby Cottontail, you might be interested in this new, additional translation of the NASB. Lockman Foundation gave their permission to a non-Lockman translation team who was interested in making the most accurate/literal translation of the Bible in modern English to date.

The NT is finished, as are the Psalms/Proverbs, which you can buy right now if you'd care to (see the link below), or you can download a LSB Android or Apple app and read it all for free. It's the LSB/Legacy Standard Bible and it can be found/read about here: Legacy Standard Bible | Your Translation for a Lifetime | Your Translation for a Lifetime (lsbible.org)

It's pretty similar to the NASB 95, not the 2020, and I like it

You can also buy it here if you want a print copy of the LSB NT/Psalms/Proverbs, though the entire LSB translation is supposed to be ready in the early Fall this year.

God bless you!

--David
p.s. - another thing that's different about the LSB is the fact that it translates יְהוִה/YWHW as "Yahweh", instead of as "Lord" or "God" (in the OT).
.

 

[Baby Cottontail]

Hello @Baby Cottontail, you might be interested in this new, additional translation of the NASB. Lockman Foundation gave their permission to a non-Lockman translation team who was interested in making the most accurate/literal translation of the Bible in modern English to date.

The NT is finished, as are the Psalms/Proverbs, which you can buy right now if you'd care to (see the link below), or you can download a LSB Android or Apple app and read it all for free. It's the LSB/Legacy Standard Bible and it can be found/read about here: Legacy Standard Bible | Your Translation for a Lifetime | Your Translation for a Lifetime (lsbible.org)

It's pretty similar to the NASB 95, not the 2020, and I like it

You can also buy it here if you want a print copy of the LSB NT/Psalms/Proverbs, though the entire LSB translation is supposed to be ready in the early Fall this year.

God bless you!

--David
p.s. - another thing that's different about the LSB is the fact that it translates יְהוִה/YWHW as "Yahweh", instead of as "Lord" or "God" (in the OT).
.

Thanks. That does sound interesting! I will look at the free online version of it and wait for the whole translation to be finished before considering buying a hard copy.

 

[Baby Cottontail]

My church quietly switched to the ESV when the NIV underwent its 2011 update. It's a good translation.

I usually recommend reading whatever version one's church teaches from. Easier to follow along that way. In addition to that, a KJV is good to have on hand since classic study resources use it.

My church used the Revised Standard Version, and then switched to the New Revised Standard Version for reading during the service. The NRSV came out when I was a child, but I am not sure exactly when we switched to it. The pew Bibles are still RSV. The switch might have happened when our pastors started having the text printed in the bulletins? I am not sure. At any rate, the change to the NRSV was a non controversial one. I was given a NRSV by my church when I graduated from high school.

From my understanding, the RSV, the NRSV, and the ESV are all very similar. The RSV is harder reading than the NRSV, and the NRSV is gender inclusive. My understanding is that both the NRSV and the ESV were based on the RSV.

The Lord’s Prayer reads the traditional way in both the RSV and the ESV, which is nice.

Yes, it’s true that having a KJV would be nice to have as a personal study resource, though it sounds very foreign to me, as I did not grow up with it.

 

[Andrewn]

I have the 1984 New International Version, the 1995 New American Standard Version, and the New Revised Standard Version. I also have a Good News Bible that I received when I was in 3rd grade, but do not care for that translation. I have a Common English Bible, as my denomination has been pushing it in its literature for children, and I teach confirmation classes at my church.

You already own many bibles and seem to be an expert on Bible translations. Many adult Christians currently prefer to read functional translations like NIV, GNT, CEB, and NLT. Of these, I prefer the GNT. I occasionally refer to functional translations online but I don't care to read them with any regularity.

I would like to get a full copy of the New King James Version, as I think it is a beautiful translation, and I would just like to have one.

I own a copy of the NKJV that I used many years ago. If I were thinking of buying a new edition of NASB or NKJV, I would also consider the MEV which is perhaps a better update of the KJV then the other two.

I also am aware that many Christians like the English Standard Version and the Christian Standard Bible. If those are super popular, I may want to pick those up in the future.

I really like the CSB, it is advertised as a balance between the ESV and NIV and I think this is absolutely true. But it's quite new and for this reason not too many people use it. It's certainly 100 times better than NLT, but people seem to like the latter !!!

From my understanding, the RSV, the NRSV, and the ESV are all very similar. The RSV is harder reading than the NRSV, and the NRSV is gender inclusive. My understanding is that both the NRSV and the ESV were based on the RSV.

Yes, this is true but ESV is closer to RSV, perhaps RSV is better, and I don't think there is a reason to switch. CSB is more similar in readability to NRSV but corrects some of the objectionable passages in the OT.

I understand that your question is not "which translation is better" but "which translation is more commonly used." Unfortunately, in my Bible study group most people seem to use NLT, NIV, and KJV.

Edit: Occasionally you'd find a person who reads from NKJV, CSB, or even a paraphrase like MSG or TPT. Basically, all are welcome and no one is criticized for their choice or advised to read a different translation.

 

[pescador]

I recommend your spending time at biblegateway.com You can find just about every translation imaginable -- read them, compare them, read the accompanying commentaries, etc. Find the one that "speaks" to you most clearly, giving you the best understanding of the texts.

 

[Baby Cottontail]

You already own many bibles and seem to be an expert on Bible translations. Many adult Christians currently prefer to read functional translations like NIV, GNT, CEB, and NLT. Of these, I prefer the GNT. I occasionally refer to functional translations online but I don't care to read them with any regularity.

I own a copy of the NKJV that I used many years ago. If I were thinking of buying a new edition of NASB or NKJV, I would also consider the MEV which is perhaps a better update of the KJV then the other two.

I really like the CSB, it is advertised as a balance between the ESV and NIV and I think this is absolutely true. But it's quite new and for this reason not too many people use it. It's certainly 100 times better than NLT, but people seem to like the latter !!!

Yes, this is true but ESV is closer to RSV, perhaps RSV is better, and I don't think there is a reason to switch. CSB is more similar to NRSV but corrects some of the objections the latter faces.

I understand that your question is not "which translation is better" but "which translation is more commonly used." Unfortunately, in my Bible study group most people seem to use NLT, NIV, and KJV.

Thank you.

I am not familiar with the MEV, but it also sounds interesting. I probably would not purchase one unless a future church or Bible Study or Christian event uses it. I will, however, download a copy of it in the Bible apps I have.

Than you for answering my question about what translations people in your Bible study use.

 

[Baby Cottontail]

I recommend your spending time at biblegateway.com You can find just about every translation imaginable -- read them, compare them, read the accompanying commentaries, etc. Find the one that "speaks" to you most clearly, giving you the best understanding of the texts.

Thanks for your response, but my question wasn’t which translation should I get.

I do use Bible Gateway, and think it is great that so many translations are available to read.

My question was more like this: if I were to enter your church carrying a different Bible translation than the one your church uses, would I feel out of place? Or would I fit in? What about at your Bible Study?

The other part of the question is which translation(s) do you use at your church? What about at your Bible Study?

Which translation(s) do you recommend that a Christian has?

The reason for these questions is because I am thinking about the future, and that it might be a good idea to have a physical copy of a few more popular translations.

I have received a couple of responses that I had not looked much at yet, including the Legacy and the MEV. I am going to look up the MEV to see if I think having a copy of it would be worth it. I hadn’t heard of any church using this translation, but maybe there are churches that do.

 

[1watchman]

For my many years I have found the Authorized KJV Bible to be good and reliable, and our Christian Assembly all use it ---as in all the gatherings with this Bible-only fellowship worldwide; and some of us like the Scofield KJV Study Bible as excellent. This study Bible continues the some wording as the Authorized KJV, which we find very dependable to show the mind of God, though the Scofield KJV adds footnotes and commentaries to explain any words having a questionable meaning today.

Some of the old words have a different application in language since the 1900's. I pay no attention to modern day language usage now about Scripture, which is often missing the true meaning of what God is saying, with all our language styles. We must take "all the counsel of God" as He says, and be "rightly dividing the Word of Truth", lest we mis-apply God's thoughts and not understand God's directions for us. Too often I hear of people scrambling Scripture due to their trouble seeing what God is truly saying. Of course, some of reader's problems are reading into Scripture what they want it to be saying for them. We see that in many errors held in Christendom in this age.

One has told me I am just 'old fashion', but our God is older than any of us. Keep searching for truth, friend ---but never just as we choose to think!

 

[Baby Cottontail]

For my many years I have found the Authorized KJV Bible to be good and reliable, and our Christian Assembly all use it ---as in all the gatherings with this Bible-only fellowship worldwide; and some of us like the Scofield KJV Study Bible as excellent. This study Bible continues the some wording as the Authorized KJV, which we find very dependable to show the mind of God, though the Scofield KJV adds footnotes and commentaries to explain any words having a questionable meaning today.

Some of the old words have a different application in language since the 1900's. I pay no attention to modern day language usage now about Scripture, which is often missing the true meaning of what God is saying, with all our language styles. We must take "all the counsel of God" as He says, and be "rightly dividing the Word of Truth", lest we mis-apply God's thoughts and not understand God's directions for us. Too often I hear of people scrambling Scripture due to their trouble seeing what God is truly saying. Of course, some of reader's problems are reading into Scripture what they want it to be saying for them. We see that in many errors held in Christendom in this age.

One has told me I am just 'old fashion', but our God is older than any of us. Keep searching for truth, friend ---but never just as we choose to think!

Thanks for answering my questions

Interestingly, a member of my church who recently passed away had put his late wife’s old Scofield Bible in our church rummage sale, and I rescued it for use with the confirmation class to show the kids different Bible translations. I will have to look at it.

 

[Sketcher]

Yes, it’s true that having a KJV would be nice to have as a personal study resource, though it sounds very foreign to me, as I did not grow up with it.

Hey, if you're collecting Bibles, you might as well have one.

You could get a parallel Bible that includes the KJV.

 

[Davy]

I am not sure if this is the correct forum to ask this question (please move it to the correct place if I have put it in the wrong spot).

Anyway, I am developing a wishlist of Bibles I would like to purchase in the future. Is there a list of recommended Bible translations for Christians? It seems like there has been a recent explosion of translations in the past few years. It used to be that New Revised Standard Version and New International Version seemed to cover enough of my experiences (church services, Christian conferences/events, Bible studies, etc.). However, now there seem to be a lot more in use.

I have the 1984 New International Version, the 1995 New American Standard Version, and the New Revised Standard Version. I also have a Good News Bible that I received when I was in 3rd grade, but do not care for that translation. I have a Common English Bible, as my denomination has been pushing it in its literature for children, and I teach confirmation classes at my church. I thought it would be good to have a copy of it.

I am aware that the NIV was updated in 2011, and the NASB was updated in 2020, both to be gender inclusive. I will probably eventually want to get updates of those translations. I haven’t gone to a church that used the NIV since I was in graduate school, so have not updated yet to the 2011 edition. The NASB is for my own personal study, as I like the literalness of it.

I would like to get a full copy of the New King James Version, as I think it is a beautiful translation, and I would just like to have one. When I was in Campus Crusade for Christ in College, and went to Christmas Conference or Big Break, someone read Ephesians 3 out of there, and it was just so lovely. This definitely would not be my main translation, but I would just like to have it.

My pastor really likes the New Living Translation, and has asked that I use that in the confirmation class that I will be teaching in the fall. I would like to have a copy of that so that I can become familiar with it. I also am aware that many Christians like the English Standard Version and the Christian Standard Bible. If those are super popular, I may want to pick those up in the future.

I am also trying to future proof myself, as I don’t know if I will end up staying in my current denomination or not. It all depends on how things go, and what happens. I know some churches/Bible studies really celebrate a diversity of Bible translations, while others prefer people in a Bible study to all be reading the same translation of the Bible.

What are the translations that you use in your church, and do the Bible studies that you are apart of prefer one translation, or do they like diversity? If one is preferred, which one? What do you believe are the essential Bible translations for Christians today?

What about study Bibles? Do you use/encourage a specific one, or do you like it when people bring different ones to a Bible study?

I have several study Bibles —
Zondervan NASB (which doesn’t appear to be in print anymore. It uses the study notes from their NIV Bible)

NRSV Harper Collins Study Bible (required for the New Testament class I took)

New Oxford Annotated NRSV Third Edition

NIV 1984 Life Application Bible

NIV 1984 Student Serendipity Bible

I guess I'll be the odd-man-out here on this, but if you want the truth...

It's very important today to learn a bit about newer translations. They are not all from the same source of manuscripts. And even in the days of the early Church fathers, there was a division between the school at Alexandria (Egypt) and those at Antioch and western Churches, and even later also between the Roman Church and the British and German Churches.

In 1880s Wescott & Hort presented their translation of the New Testament from Alexandrian manuscripts they claimed were more accurate simply because they were the oldest manuscripts in existence. Later New Testament translations are from their work, the Nestle & Aland also following their translation. The NKJV also follows that modern translation. However, the original 1611 KJV New Testament is from a totally different set of Greek manuscripts (Textus Receptus). This is why the NKJV New Testament reading often does not agree with the original KJV Bible.

The Textus Receptus (or Received Texts) are what the KJV translators used for the New Testament, and also earlier translators. It exists in over 5,000 manuscripts that agree with each other. Although the oldest copies go back to around the 3rd century A.D., it was the most referred to and used texts by the early Church.

The Alexandrian (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, and three others) are older, but are fewer in number, and show little usage. Some scholars link this text to Eusebius who was a student of Origen of Alexandria who interpreted Scripture allegorically instead of literally, and link these texts with Alexandria, Egypt, where heresies like Gnosticism and Arianism came from. When reading the following New Testament translations, you are reading translation of those Alexandria type Greek texts (NIV, NKJV, NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NAB, REB, RSV, CEV, TEV, GNB, LIVING, PHILLIPS, NEW JERUSALEM, NEW CENTURY).

 

[Baby Cottontail]

I guess I'll be the odd-man-out here on this, but if you want the truth...

It's very important today to learn a bit about newer translations. They are not all from the same source of manuscripts. And even in the days of the early Church fathers, there was a division between the school at Alexandria (Egypt) and those at Antioch and western Churches, and even later also between the Roman Church and the British and German Churches.

In 1880s Wescott & Hort presented their translation of the New Testament from Alexandrian manuscripts they claimed were more accurate simply because they were the oldest manuscripts in existence. Later New Testament translations are from their work, the Nestle & Aland also following their translation. The NKJV also follows that modern translation. However, the original 1611 KJV New Testament is from a totally different set of Greek manuscripts (Textus Receptus). This is why the NKJV New Testament reading often does not agree with the original KJV Bible.

The Textus Receptus (or Received Texts) are what the KJV translators used for the New Testament, and also earlier translators. It exists in over 5,000 manuscripts that agree with each other. Although the oldest copies go back to around the 3rd century A.D., it was the most referred to and used texts by the early Church.

The Alexandrian (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, and three others) are older, but are fewer in number, and show little usage. Some scholars link this text to Eusebius who was a student of Origen of Alexandria who interpreted Scripture allegorically instead of literally, and link these texts with Alexandria, Egypt, where heresies like Gnosticism and Arianism came from. When reading the following New Testament translations, you are reading translation of those Alexandria type Greek texts (NIV, NKJV, NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NAB, REB, RSV, CEV, TEV, GNB, LIVING, PHILLIPS, NEW JERUSALEM, NEW CENTURY).

Every online source I have come across states that the NKJV uses the Textus Receptus for the NT. Let me check the NT KJV that I have to see if it says in the introduction...unfortunately my copy doesn’t have any kind of introduction from the translators. I don’t have a complete NKJV. The one I have came from the Gideon’s when they were giving NT out when I was in school.

The MEV someone earlier suggested that I read also uses the Textus Receptus, according to the online sources that I have read.

Regardless of what text is used for the NT, the basic message of the Bible is the same in all translations I have looked at (except for the New World Translation). The gospel message is the same.

As far as linking heresies to the Alexandrian texts, people can also come to heretical beliefs by reading the KJV, too. After all that’s the translation that Mormons use. The point I am making is that any person can take any Bible translation, and if they take things out of context, they can use it to support any heresy they wish.

Any translation can also be used to refute these heresies.

Where do the KJV and the NKJV differ greatly? I just checked and the NKJV has 1 John 5:7 in it, which I know is a complaint that some people have regarding newer translations. (I know why it isn’t in other translations).

 

[GodLovesCats]

I think Bible study group members should use the same version their pastors do for consistency. Reading another Bible version at home is fine, but people can get confused if they are not reading the same words and phrases in group settings.

For a long time I thought there is no reason to stop reading the NIV. Then I found Bible Hub while looking for a way to read the NIV online. When searching for specific verses, I noticed it can help top read several versions and decide which one I like best. Because I do not belong to a church, at this point I am starting to think about making a switch.

 

[GodLovesCats]

Regardless of what text is used for the NT, the basic message of the Bible is the same in all translations I have looked at (except for the New World Translation). The gospel message is the same.

The NWT was written by Jehovah's witnesses for Jehovah's witnesses. Anyone who prefers it is not a true Christian. For example, it includes "a god" in John 1:1. Not just "God."

 

[Baby Cottontail]

The NWT was written by Jehovah's witnesses for Jehovah's witnesses. Anyone who prefers it is not a true Christian. For example, it includes "a god" in John 1:1. Not just "God."

That’s exactly why I said, “except the NWT.” I was trying to state that I don’t think it is a legitimate translation.

 

[Baby Cottontail]

I think Bible study group members should use the same version their pastors do for consistency. Reading another Bible version at home is fine, but people can get confused if they are not reading the same words and phrases in group settings.

For a long time I thought there is no reason to stop reading the NIV. Then I found Bible Hub while looking for a way to read the NIV online. When searching for specific verses, I noticed it can help top read several versions and decide which one I like best. Because I do not belong to a church, at this point I am starting to think about making a switch.

Which translation(s) are you planning on switching to?

I have found that if I take my NASB 1995 thinline Bible to church, I can follow along with the NRSV being read out loud. The translations are close enough that the sentence order is almost the same. Sometimes there might be a slightly different word. I am still thinking of getting a NRSV thinline to take to church. (Due to Covid-19, all the Bible’s that were in pews have been put into storage so that they don’t have to be disinfected every week).

 

[GodLovesCats]

Which translation(s) are you planning on switching to?

I am in the minority here, but my first rule for selecting a Bible version is modern American English. That includes spelling, grammar, and vocabulary. Otherwise, the Bible is unreadable. So if I do switch versions it will be very similar to the NIV.

 

[Baby Cottontail]

I am in the minority here, but my first rule for selecting a Bible version is modern American English. That includes spelling, grammar, and vocabulary. Otherwise, the Bible is unreadable. So if I do switch versions it will be very similar to the NIV.

Awesome. I think finding a translation that you find readable is extremely important! People have different reading levels and comprehension levels. I know that some of the translations I like would be too difficult for the kids I teach at my church, for example. (And they are too difficult for some adults as well).

I have a friend who really struggles with reading. I helped her pick out two different translations so that she can compare them, and if she has trouble understanding what one says, she can look it up in the other.

I like the NIV, but I am used to the 1984 edition. I would like to get a 2011 thinline sometime, just to be up to date. The church I am in does not use the NIV, and I haven’t been in a situation where I have needed to update to 2011 yet. When I was in college, I used the NIV a lot. That’s the translation I brought to Bible Study, to Campus Crusade Christmas Conference and Big Break, and what I usually read in my own daily Bible reading. I got to really know my Bible while reading it.