Does The Bible Translation Matter ?

[Deeplays]

Hi I have the NIV version / and a NIV study bible ... I know they are many different translations KJV NKJV and so on, but does it make any difference ? I just find the wording of the NIV much clearer to understand and make sense of. Even though the KJV is certainly more poetic sounding with its usage of "Old" English

but does it make the difference ? is there for example versions to avoid ?

Your thoughts on this would be appreciated thank you

 

[Radrook]

It matters if the translators take unjustifiable liberties in order to push their particular denominational predilections. For example, the translation of the Hebrew word "sheol" as hell is questionable.

What is Hell, Hades, Sheol, and Gehenna?

 

[Fish and Bread]

The people who translated NIV signed a contract stipulating to specific theological points, which is, in my opinion, a bad starting place to come up with an accurate unbiased translation. It's also written at a low reading level, so even where bias doesn't exist per say, things can be misleading because of a lack of specificity. When one simplifies some things, shades of meaning can be lost. I remember many years ago getting really "caught out" relying on the NIV to make a point in a bible study when it turned out NIV had oversimplified to the point where it was leading me to conclusions that were not what a careful reading of the text in the original languages, and better translations, would suggest.

I prefer the NRSV, which was translated by a large group of translators from various churches and denominations and a Jewish person. It's translation principles are very similar to what mine would be, and there is input from all sorts of different Judeo-Christian traditions. The language is modern, but retains a sort of poetry to it that is unmatched in other English translations, IMO. It also incorporates a lot of modern scholarship. Plus, it's written at a more advanced reading level, which allows it to be very specific when it needs to be in order to be faithful to the original text.

Having said that, there is an old expression that the best bible is the one you will read, and there may be some wisdom in that.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Some are unquestionably much better and more accurate than others, but on the other hand, if you aren't able to easily understand it then all the accuracy in the world is of no benefit.

If I were in your position, I'd take a look at the New King James Version, and/or the NASB. If either of those is easy to understand and youre in the marke for something new, they would both be more accurate than the NIV. But the NIV will give you (I'm guessing) about 95% of what you'd get from the others.

These are all free to read online, btw, but should be easy to find as well.

I would avoid "The Message" as the worst possible translation.

Other than that, I'd say ask here and you'll probably get opinions.


Personally, for myself, my favorite easy-reading translation is translated to English by Orthodox, and is called the Eastern Orthodox Bible (not to be confused with the Orthodox Study Bible, which is also good, and essentially a New King James text). But it's not easy to find, and is only available in the New Testament. I bought an electronic copy for about $3.

 

[faroukfarouk]

The King James on the surface may seem harder to read in places, but it is a formal translation where the translators usually tried well to represent the sense of the original.

 

[Deadworm]

I was a theology professor for 12 years, and so, I know Greek and Hebrew. The 2 best translations in my view are the NIV and the NRSV, but I prefer the NIV because the NRSV sacrifices accuracy to political correctness in gender inclusive language. I am vehemently opposed tot he KJV, not because of the archaic language, but because of the much later and more corrupt manuscripts that were available for its translation. The KJV contains many textual errors, whole verses that are bogus, and even a couple of stories that were added much later to the text.

For the Bible student who doesn't know the original languages, I would recommend buying both NIV and New Living Translation. The NLT is more of a paraphrase, but often captures nuances that are missed in more literal translations like the NIV. You'll find it interesting to compare the 2 translations.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

Hi I have the NIV version / and a NIV study bible ... I know they are many different translations KJV NKJV and so on, but does it make any difference ? I just find the wording of the NIV much clearer to understand and make sense of. Even though the KJV is certainly more poetic sounding with its usage of "Old" English

but does it make the difference ? is there for example versions to avoid ?

Your thoughts on this would be appreciated thank you

It makes a difference. Some, such as the NIV have a liberal bent, which was subtle in 1984, but has become more evident with the newest revision.

I prefer the ESV to the NKJV for reading, and I would use online tools for serious study.

Liberal Bible Translations - Conservapedia

 

[Hank77]

I would avoid "The Message" as the worst possible translation.

I agree.

 

[Miser]

I read the ESV, but I have found that they replace the word "slave" with "servant" a lot, and in some verses it makes little sense. For example:

Genesis 43:18: "he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants"

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I read the ESV, but I have found that they replace the word "slave" with "servant" a lot, and in some verses it makes little sense. For example:

Genesis 43:18: "he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants"

All of that "white guilt" even ruins Bible translations, it seems. All because people don't understand types of slavery. . .

 

[St_Worm2]

I love the NIV, but my principle versions are the ones Anastasia mentioned first, the NASB and the NKJV. Both are considered true "translations", where the NIV is actually a paraphrase (albeit a GREAT one ). The ESV is considered to be the step in between the NIV and the NASB/NKJV and is EXTREMELY popular right now (it finds it base in another true translation, the RSV).

Go to Biblehub.com and you can read any verse in the Bible in multiple translations on the same page and see which one seems better to you.

It is nice to have more than one translation to look at when you are studying the Bible (the NASB is still considered to be the most accurate, and I always have the KJV around for study as well), but for reading, the NIV is perfectly acceptable in most cases.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

--David
p.s. - Study Bible-wise, my two favorites are the MacArthur Study Bible and the ESV Study Bible because of the excellent and extensive commentary found in both, but the ESV Study Bible only comes with the ESV translation, obviously

*The NIV version I use is the original, published in 1984. The more recent versions of it are more liberal/less accurate unfortunately (so if you can get your hands on a 1984 translation .. perhaps in the MacArthur Study Bible .. you would be better off).

 

[archer75]

I just want to plug the idea of learning Greek -- not that I have done it myself to any great level of mastery, but it is way more accessible than a lot of people guess.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I just want to plug the idea of learning Greek -- not that I have done it myself to any great level of mastery, but it is way more accessible than a lot of people guess.

That's a great idea for any serious student. A serious knowledge of history would go a long way, too.

 

[nChrist]

I mainly use the KJV because it's what I grew up with. However, I know there are more accurate English translations (i.e. NASB, ESV). So, I use the ESV or the NASB many times when I study.

 

[High Fidelity]

Yes, it definitely makes a difference.

It should be as closely accurate to the original texts as possible.

I'd recommend the NASB.

 

[sparow]

Hi I have the NIV version / and a NIV study bible ... I know they are many different translations KJV NKJV and so on, but does it make any difference ? I just find the wording of the NIV much clearer to understand and make sense of. Even though the KJV is certainly more poetic sounding with its usage of "Old" English

but does it make the difference ? is there for example versions to avoid ?

Your thoughts on this would be appreciated thank you

All translations are first interpretations. So who do you trust to interpret the Bible; the KJV is an attempt of a word for word translation which requires minimal interpretation; there are feminine Bibles where God is female and there are sect dependant Bibles, JHW and Dispensational to name two. The NIV is known to contain peculiar theology not commonly shared.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Hi I have the NIV version / and a NIV study bible ... I know they are many different translations KJV NKJV and so on, but does it make any difference ?

but does it make the difference ? is there for example versions to avoid ?

The best translation is the one you read. If it's hard to understand, by either being too archaic or at too high a reading level for you, it's not going to be that helpful.

I've tried the NIV, DR, Confraternity, KJV, RSV, JB, NAB, and am now settling in on an update of the Catholic edition of the RSV (RSVCE) published by Ignatius Press. It is a reasonably precise translation, reasonably literate translation with most of the archaic thee and thou language replaced. It inherited a slight theological liberalism from the RSV, and it is basically 50 years out of date in the base RSV translation. So not a perfect translation obviously. But it is reasonably good. It is complete with all 73 books.

I'm thinking the NIV is semi-adequate. The original NIV that is. The revision doesn't interest me as it went all 'inclusive' on the text. There is some real anti-Catholic bias in the original, but not a crazy amount. It only comes in a 66 book version.

 

[John Hyperspace]

Hi I have the NIV version / and a NIV study bible ... I know they are many different translations KJV NKJV and so on, but does it make any difference ? I just find the wording of the NIV much clearer to understand and make sense of. Even though the KJV is certainly more poetic sounding with its usage of "Old" English

but does it make the difference ? is there for example versions to avoid ?

Your thoughts on this would be appreciated thank you

It doesn't make a difference, really. A translation is a translation. What you're going to get in a translation is a surface reading filtered through doctrinal bias of the translator; and there is no translation free of doctrinal bais. A translation is like, a very rudimentary starting point for understanding. It won't get you very deep into understanding at all. A translation is like, the entry to the ocean, a very shallow wading pool; or, training wheels, as it were; water wings. If you're just looking to discern the basic message, any translation will do. But if you want to go deeper; Greek and Hebrew are mandatory.

 

[Deeplays]

Lots of really good and interesting points raised here ... seems I have my homework cut out !

 

[Hank77]

I just want to plug the idea of learning Greek -- not that I have done it myself to any great level of mastery, but it is way more accessible than a lot of people guess.

And Hebrew. Hebrew has many plays on words that are in the OT.