Which would you choose...ESV, NKJV, or HCSB?

[ElainaMor]

Considering choosing a new Bible for my primary version and considering the ESV, NKJV or HCSB. Wondering which you would choose and why, thanks.

 

[ChristianLife08]

Considering choosing a new Bible for my primary version and considering the ESV, NKJV or HCSB. Wondering which you would choose and why, thanks.

all three are good translations. I encourage you to just pick the one that reads more powerfully to you. Many in Calvary Chapel also like the NLT. a good version. But not a word for word like the other three.

 

[REPHAIAHPEDAHEL]

I use KJV, NKJV, AMP, NASB, NLT, MSG and others and so I choose the NKJV! I thank our heavenly Father for smartphones because I have 10 translations on my smartphone and now I rarely read a bible in hard copy form.

 

[WisdomTree]

For a split second, I thought HCSB was a bank, lol.

 

[ElainaMor]

I use KJV, NKJV, AMP, NASB, NLT, MSG and others and so I choose the NKJV! I thank our heavenly Father for smartphones because I have 10 translations on my smartphone and now I rarely read a bible in hard copy form.

I love technology too! I use the YouVersion app on my iPad for comparing various translations in my studies. Biblegateway is another great website because you can have several translation side-by-side for comparison.

Why do you choose the NKJV? I'm very familiar with it since its the translation my pastor uses at church but lately I just feel I unsatisfied with it.

 

[ElainaMor]

For a split second, I thought HCSB was a bank, lol.

lol, I would think that too...have to admit, the translators/publishers sure picked an odd name for their translation.

 

[ebedmelech]

I use the NASB (primary), NKJV, and NLT of the translations I have.

I think the ESV is so close to the NASB, but it falls short. At a men's bible study I attend the facilitator uses the ESV and it's close to the NASB...but not as thorough as a literal translation.

The HCSB is nice... a good spot to visit and try it out is this link:

MyStudyBible.com

In church you're seeing more and more tablets/ipads being used and I can see that having access to several translations via biblegateway.com...pretty neat...and much cheaper.

A translation I'm liking more and more is the Complete Jewish bible as a resource of the Hebrew.

Check out Hebrews 1:1-3 from the Complete Jewish Bible:
In days gone by, God spoke in many and varied ways to the Fathers through the prophets.
2 But now, in the acharit-hayamim, he has spoken to us through his Son, to whom he has given ownership of everything and through whom he created the universe.
3 This Son is the radiance of the Sh’khinah, the very expression of God’s essence, upholding all that exists by his powerful word; and after he had, through himself, made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of HaG’dulah BaM’romim.

 

[Mediaeval]

I like the NKJV because it provides variant readings in the margin without insinuating comments.

 

[ChristianLife08]

I like the NKJV because it provides variant readings in the margin without insinuating comments.

Indeed, i use this translation the most. Just my preference.

 

[ChristianLife08]

I use the NASB (primary), NKJV, and NLT of the translations I have.

I think the ESV is so close to the NASB, but it falls short. At a men's bible study I attend the facilitator uses the ESV and it's close to the NASB...but not as thorough as a literal translation.

The HCSB is nice... a good spot to visit and try it out is this link:

MyStudyBible.com

In church you're seeing more and more tablets/ipads being used and I can see that having access to several translations via biblegateway.com...pretty neat...and much cheaper.

A translation I'm liking more and more is the Complete Jewish bible as a resource of the Hebrew.

Check out Hebrews 1:1-3 from the Complete Jewish Bible:
In days gone by, God spoke in many and varied ways to the Fathers through the prophets.
2 But now, in the acharit-hayamim, he has spoken to us through his Son, to whom he has given ownership of everything and through whom he created the universe.
3 This Son is the radiance of the Sh’khinah, the very expression of God’s essence, upholding all that exists by his powerful word; and after he had, through himself, made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of HaG’dulah BaM’romim.

off topic. So nobody pay attention. lol

I see that translation getting popular. But in order to do that, in some instances you're double-translating. Greek-Hebrew-English. How do you think the accuracy filters through?

 

[SilentShadow100]

I have been using the ESV Bible for a long time, and I have had no problems with it. It is largely word-for-word, and when it is not in the main text, they put the word-for-word in the footnotes if you want it.

I would recommend against the NKJV. If you are even so considering this translation, just get a normal KJV instead. The NKJV mistranslated many words and changed some words, so it does not contain God's original word.

 

[ElainaMor]

I have been using the ESV Bible for a long time, and I have had no problems with it. It is largely word-for-word, and when it is not in the main text, they put the word-for-word in the footnotes if you want it.

I would recommend against the NKJV. If you are even so considering this translation, just get a normal KJV instead. The NKJV mistranslated many words and changed some words, so it does not contain God's original word.

I don't understand your reasoning for not recommending the NKJV. You say not to use the NKJV because it has changed wording but even the ESV has changed wording/phrases...the ESV is even "missing" versus that are contained in the NKJV but are not in the ESV. Just based on your reasoning for saying NKJV doesn't contain God's original word you would have to apply that to the ESV.

 

[Leuko Petra]

Considering choosing a new Bible for my primary version and considering the ESV, NKJV or HCSB. Wondering which you would choose and why, thanks.

Stick with the KJV, and utilize concordances and dictionaries with it, and other programs like E-Sword, where you may also see the Hebrew and Greek texts. The KJV is far better for numerous reasons.

I do not really recommend any of those other three, also for numerous reasons, though in the place where I am, all three, and other Bibles [NAB, Gideons, etc] are present. I utilize them to consider what their authors changed, altered, added and removed from the Word of God, so corrupting/destroying it, even as foretold would happen.

 

[ChristianLife08]

I don't understand your reasoning for not recommending the NKJV. You say not to use the NKJV because it has changed wording but even the ESV has changed wording/phrases...the ESV is even "missing" versus that are contained in the NKJV but are not in the ESV. Just based on your reasoning for saying NKJV doesn't contain God's original word you would have to apply that to the ESV.

It's preference sis. I use the NKJV and do word study with it as well. just like the ESV. They are both good word for word translations.

 

[ChristianLife08]

Stick with the KJV, and utilize concordances and dictionaries with it, and other programs like E-Sword, where you may also see the Hebrew and Greek texts. The KJV is far better for numerous reasons.

I do not really recommend any of those other three, also for numerous reasons, though in the place where I am, all three, and other Bibles [NAB, Gideons, etc] are present. I utilize them to consider what their authors changed, altered, added and removed from the Word of God, so corrupting/destroying it, even as foretold would happen.

Not the case. the NIV perhaps. And the last time i used e-sword, their grammar context on the greek NT was quite off. Perhaps they updated it, this was about 5 years ago.

 

[SilentShadow100]

I don't understand your reasoning for not recommending the NKJV. You say not to use the NKJV because it has changed wording but even the ESV has changed wording/phrases...the ESV is even "missing" versus that are contained in the NKJV but are not in the ESV. Just based on your reasoning for saying NKJV doesn't contain God's original word you would have to apply that to the ESV.

The ESV contains all verses of the Bible. If the NKJV contains extras, they are not inspired and are not in the original Bible.

You seem to think that I am saying the NKJV is bad because it is not like the ESV. I am not saying that. I am saying it is bad because it is not like the original Hebrew/Greek which was inspired by God.

 

[SilentShadow100]

Not the case. the NIV perhaps. And the last time i used e-sword, their grammar context on the greek NT was quite off. Perhaps they updated it, this was about 5 years ago.

Here is a Greek verse from a newer version of e-sword:

καὶ ἃ ἤκουσας παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ διὰ πολλῶν μαρτύρων, ταῦτα παράθου πιστοῖς ἀνθρώποις, οἵτινες ἱκανοὶ ἔσονται καὶ ἑτέρους διδάξαι. -2 Timothy 2:2

 

[ChristianLife08]

Here is a Greek verse from a newer version of e-sword:

καὶ ἃ ἤκουσας παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ διὰ πολλῶν μαρτύρων, ταῦτα παράθου πιστοῖς ἀνθρώποις, οἵτινες ἱκανοὶ ἔσονται καὶ ἑτέρους διδάξαι. -2 Timothy 2:2

I never said the the Greek itself. but the grammatical structures that e-sword provides to further help understanding. for example, the difference between an anarthrous/definite article in the Greek. (This is not a specific case w/ e-sword, but an example of the point i wish to make.)

 

[Eric Albert]

Hmm, read the KJV about 3x, then the NKJV many more times, recently went ESV. I will say the following:
KJV and NKJV are TR based, NKJV is fine, but I prefer ESV.

Consider 1 Jhn 3:6 in the KJV or NKJV. Are you perfect and free from sin? I am not.

Consider it in the ESV, now that is more like it

There is a lot more to it, Johoichin's age at time of reign, consistent in ESV, 8 or 18 in KJV in different verses.

ESV for me. additionally the ESV is a nonprofit, and their study Bibles use amazing graphics for 3d renderings, excellent work.

 

[CredoBiblicist]

The ESV contains all verses of the Bible. If the NKJV contains extras, they are not inspired and are not in the original Bible.

You seem to think that I am saying the NKJV is bad because it is not like the ESV. I am not saying that. I am saying it is bad because it is not like the original Hebrew/Greek which was inspired by God.

The NKJV is an excellent literal translation of the Hebrew and Greek. The reason for the ESV having missing verses or shortened verses in some cases is it's reliance on the Critical Text which is largely based on 2 Egyptian manuscripts. The NKJV is based on the TR which closely resembles the Majority Text which as the name hints, is based on the majority of manuscripts, so in effect the Critical Text the ESV is based on could be called the minority text since the readings where verses are omitted are based on a small amount of manuscripts.

I would recommend the NKJV as an excellent translation based on a reliable Greek text. The ESV is a good translation based on a less reliable Greek text which fixes the liberal bias in the RSV that it is a revision of. Despite all of the debates around both textual lines, they agree 98% of the time so the reliability of the Bible is never in question with only around 2% variants which most of the time are not significant. I would say most of all just make sure you have a literal version, a translators job is to translate what the text says, not interpret it or put what they think it means as is the case with the NLT and to a lesser extent the NIV.