Choosing A Bible

Why So Many Versions?

The Bible has been in print for almost 550 years. In 1454, Johannes Gutenberg invented the “type mold” for his printing press, and chose the Bible as the first book ever to be printed.

Since then, the Bible has been translated into 2018 languages and counting – no other book even comes close to that, leaving the Bible alone as the best selling book of all time. The first translation of the complete Bible into English was completed b John Wycliff in 1382, and there are more different “versions” available in English than in any other language.

This can present quite a challenge for some in choosing the right Bible to purchase for themselves – or for someone else. We are therefore presenting some background on the most commonly used English translations, to better help you choose the version which best suits your needs. To best serve your needs, each overview includes the chart pictured above, with the translation being discussed highlighted so you can easily see where it is on the scale.

A literal translation or formal equivalent seeks to represent the original Greek and Hebrew in a more word for word manner. Many prefer this method because, they are assured that each English word is represented by a Greek or Hebrew word, not some expansion or interpretation by the translator. Some literal translations include the KJV (King James Version), the RSV (Revised Standard Version), the NAS (New American Standard), the NAS ‘95 (the 1995 edition), and the NKJV (New King James Version).

A paraphrase or free translation is one which is not as concerned with original word order or sentence structure as it is the idea of the passage. This type of translation seeks to render the ideas in the original text as accurately as possible in the target language (like English). Some examples in this category are: The Phillips translation (The New Testament In Modern English), the LB (The Living Bible), and the Message (by Eugene Peterson).

A dynamic equivalent is a translation that seeks t strike a balance between the two mentioned above. The goal of this type of translation is to render the idea conveyed by the original language into that of the target language (like English). Some examples in this category would be the NIV (New International Version), NRSV (New Revised Standard Version), and the NAB (New American Bible).

Steps to Choosing a Bible

The most important factor in pinpointing the right Bible for you is to learn what you want and need. To accomplish this, ask the following “qualifying” questions. They’re designed to uncover what you are looking for, even when you may not know yourself. The three basic questions are WHO, HOW, and WHAT.

Question #1

Who is the Bible for? (a child, teen, or adult male or female)

Question #2

How will the Bible be used? If you’re buying the Bible as a gift, try to imagine how the person receiving the Bible will use it.

¨ For Bible study?

¨ For personal use or daily devotions?

¨ To carry to school, to church, or when travelling?

¨ To use on the computer?

¨ To compare different translations?

Question #3

What is your translation preference? Knowing this will help you narrow down your choices quite a bit, especially after you have answered the first two questions.

The Amplified Bible

Reading Level: NA

Readability: Expanded and ÒamplifiedÓ by means of a system of brackets and parentheses, which sometimes make for abrupt reading

Reference Support Material: Low

Number of Translators: Frances E. Siewert, plus 12 others

Translation Philosophy/Format: Priority to word translation plus additional amplification of word meaning Verse for verse

Notes: A popular translation used to understand the hidden meaning of Greek and Hebrew words. Published in 1964 (updated in 1987).

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. There are shades of meaning found in these original Bible texts that can’t be captured in a straight word-for-word translation into English. Dr. Frances Siewart had the vision for a translation that would use additional English words to convey the full meaning of Scripture to those who don’t have the knowledge of the original languages.

Using the word-for-word American Standard Version as a reference text, she chose additional words to communicate the nuances of meaning from the original texts. These “amplification” words are offset from the text by brackets or parentheses.

The Amplified New Testament, which was first published in 1958, took over 20,000 hours of research. A committee of translation experts reviewed Dr. Siewart’s work for accuracy. The full Amplified Bible, first published in 1965, has become the favorite second Bible for millions of Christians. By comparing it to their favorite translation, they discover a wealth of additional insights into the Scripture.

The King James Version

Also Known As: The Authorized Version

Reading Level: 12.00

Readability: Difficult to read due to 17th-century English vocabulary and word order

Reference Support Material: High

Number of Translators: 54

Translation Philosophy/Format: Priority to word translation rather than meaning Verse for Verse

Notes: Traditionally loved and accepted by all Christians. Purpose in translation was "to deliver God's book unto God's people in a tongue which they can understand." Published in 1611.

In 1603 James I, already king of Scotland, ascended to the throne of England. He was presented with a petition containing grievances of the Puritan party. A conference was called at Hampton Court in 1604 to hear the complaints. At this conference Dr. John Reynolds, an Oxford scholar and Puritan leader, raised the subject of the imperfections of available Bibles. King James himself became interested in the idea of a new translation, to be done by university scholars, reviewed by bishops, and ratified by himself. James was displeased with the Geneva Bible, which he felt undermined the theory of divine right of kings and contained marginal notes that made it unacceptable to church leaders.

King James appointed six panels of translators (about fifty men) to revise and translate assigned portions of the Old Testament, Apocrypha (which was at the time included in all Bibles), and the New Testament. The completed work was reviewed by a group of twelve, consisting of two men from each panel, after which the work was sent to bishops and leading churchmen for approval. Among the translators were some of the finest scholars of the day. The revisers/translators, while not paid for their efforts, were granted free room and board.

The Bishop’s Bible was used as the basis for this revision/translation, but it was also examined in the light of Hebrew and Greek documents, as well as compared with all other contemporary translations in various European languages. The work began in 1607, and in 1611 the new Bible was published. The Authorized Version – commonly referred to in America as the King James Version (KJV) – was dedicated to King James.

The AV was printed three times during the year of initial publication. The early editions contained a significant number of misprints and variations in wording and spelling. During the course of time the spelling in the earlier editions was modified, the chapter summaries were reduced, and the marginal references expanded. Revisions were made in 1613, 1629, and 1638, but it was the revisions made at Cambridge in 1762 and at Oxford in 1769 that modernized its spelling so that it may be read with relative ease in our day.

Two things made the KJV (AV) trustworthy: a committee of scholars developed it, and it represented a majority point of view. The scholars were able to build on the labors of many generations of Bible translators, and the revisers were able to draw from the recent growth in literary standards in the English language. The result was a work of excellent English prose.

But far greater than the literary significance has been the religious significance of this translation. The KJV has been the standard translation for millions for several hundred years. Despite its merits, however, the KJV would not remain unchallenged forever. Not only did the English language continue to develop, but early manuscripts of the Bible were discovered that have led to great improvement of the Biblical texts, especially in the Greek New Testament.

The New International Version

Reading Level: 7.80

Readability: A highly accurate and smooth-reading version in modern English

Reference Support Material: High

Number of Translators: 115

Translation Philosophy/Format: Balance between word-for-word and thought-for-thought Paragraphs with poetry

Notes: The best-selling translation, widely accepted by evangelical Christians. Purpose in translation was to "produce an accurate translation, suitable for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing, and liturgical use." Published in 1978.

The New International Version (NIV) is a translation made by more than one hundred scholars working from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts. It was conceived in 1965 when, after several years of study by committees from the Christian Reformed Church and the National Association of Evangelicals, a trans-denominational and international group of scholars met at Palos Heights, Illinois, and agreed on the need for a new translation in contemporary English. Their conclusion was endorsed by a large number of church leaders who met in Chicago in 1966. Responsibility for the version was delegated to a self-governing body of fifteen Biblical scholars, the Committee on Bible Translation; and in 1967, the New York Bible Society (now International Bible Society) generously undertook the financial sponsorship of the project.

The translation of each book was assigned to a team of scholars, and the work was thoroughly reviewd and revised at various stages by three separate committees. The Committee submitted the developing version to stylistic consultants who made invaluable suggestions. Samples of the translation were tested for clarity and ease of reading by various groups of people. In short, perhaps no other translation has been made by a more thorough process of review and revision.

The Committee held to certain goals for the NIV: that it be an accurate, beautiful, clear and dignified translation suitable for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing, and liturgical use. The translators were united in their commitment to the authority and infallibility of the Bible as God’s Word in written form. They agreed that faithful communication of the meaning of the original writers demands frequent modifications in sentence structure (resulting in a “thought-for-thought” translation) and constant regard for the contextual meanings of words.

In 1973 the New Testament was published. The Committee carefully reviewed suggestions for revisions and adopted a number of them, which they incorporated into the first printing of the entire Bible in 1978. Additional changes were made in 1983.

The New American Standard Bible

Reading Level: 11.00

Readability: Formal style, but more readable than the King James Version.

Reference Support Material: Medium

Number of Translators: 54

Translation Philosophy/Format: Priority to word translation rather than meaning Verse for Verse with poetry

Notes: A highly respected formal translation of the Bible. Purpose of the work was to update the American Standard Version into more current English. Published in 1971. Updated in 1995.

In the 1800s the King James Version became the basis for the English Revised Version. The American counterpart was published in 1901 as the American Standard Version. A product of both British and American scholarship, the ASV has been highly regarded for its scholarship and accuracy.

By the middle of the twentieth century, the Lockman Foundation, a non-profit Christian corporation of La Habra, California, felt an urgency to preserve these and other lasting values of the ASV by incorporating recent discoveries of Hebrew and Greek textual sources and by rendering them into more current English.

The Lockman Foundation published the Gospel of John in 1960, all four gospels as a unit in 1962, the New Testament in 1963, and the entire Bible in 1971. Sixteen translators worked on each Testament. More than 50 scholars in various capacities devoted more than 25,000 hours of research to the New Testament alone.

The NASB represented a conservative, literal approach to translation. While this translation followed the principles used in the ASV, the NASB should be viewed as a new translation rather than merely an update of the ASV.

The Lockman Foundation completed an update of the NASB in 1995. More than 20 translators (conservative Bible scholars representing a variety of denominational backgrounds) spent nearly three years completing the project. The team carefully adhered to the principles of literal translation and made no attempt to interpret Scripture through translation. This method of translation stands in contrast to the thought-for-thought method known as dynamic equivalence. The result was a word-for-word translation that is both accurate and readable.

The 1995 update makes several important refinements with regard to the original NASB:

1. It no longer uses “Thee” and “Thou” in reference to Deity.

2. Phrases have been smoothed out.

3. Words that have changed meaning have been updated.

4. Verbs that have a wide range of meaning have been updated to better account for their use in the context.

5. Punctuation and paragraphing have been formatted to fit today’s standards.

6. Notes about the ancient manuscripts have been revised to include more new and interesting facts.

The New Revised Standard Version

Reading Level: 10.40

Readability: Contemporary, dignified with generic language in reference to humans

Reference Support Material: Medium

Number of Translators: 30

Translation Philosophy/Format: Balance between word translation and meaning Paragraphs with poetry

Notes: A widely accepted translation in the tradition of the King James Version. Purpose was to "make a good one better." Published in 1990.

The Authorized Standard Version (ASV) was a revision of the Authorized Version (King James Version) done by American Scholars in 1901. In 1937 the International Council of Religious Education, who held the copyright, recommended a revision. It was to embody the best of modern scholarship as to the meaning of the Scriptures and express this meaning in English designed for both public and private use, while still attempting to preserve the language of the KJV.

Thirty-two scholars, under the chairmanship of Dean Luther Weigle of Yale, were appointed to the committee. James Moffat served as secretary. In addition, there was an advisory board of fifty representatives of cooperating denominations. Specific books of the Old and New Testaments were assigned to scholars, who were to work privately. Then, for two weeks in the summer and ten days at Christmas, the two sections gathered and reviewed the work of these individuals.

The Revised Standard Version (RSV) New Testament was published in 1946 and the complete Bible in 1952. A smaller committee was appointed to revise the Apocrypha, the revision was made of the Apocrypha published in the AV (KJV) of 1611.

One of the main purposes of the revision was the modernization of English. Direct speech was placed in quotation marks, and the printing of poetical parts of the Bible as poetry was carried further than had been done previously.

The response of readers to this major revision of the English Bible varied. Some praised it highly, while others offered constructive criticism, some of which the revisers incorporated into the 1962 edition. The translation sold an unprecedented twelve million copies during its first ten years of publication, and although it is a Protestant version was officially approved by the Catholic church (made possible by the revision of the Apocrypha in 1957).

In 1989 a multi-denominational, interfaith team of 32 United States scholars completed yet another revision, resulting in the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). The resulting version is scholarly, contemporary, and dignified, with simplified language and concern for inclusive rendering of pronouns for human beings.

The New International Reader’s Version

Reading Level: 2.90

Readability: Very easy to read and understand; uses simple, short words and sentences

Reference Support Material: Low, but NIV materials can be used

Number of Translators: 40 (includes stylists and simplifiers)

Translation Philosophy/Format: Balance between word translation and meaning, with an emphasis on meaning where necessary for simplification Paragraphs with poetry

Notes: A thorough, scholarly simplification of the NIV, the NIrV was specifically designed to help young children and new readers understand the Bible for themselves and create an easy stepping-stone from a children's Bible to an adult Bible. First Published: 1993 (NT) 1996 (Complete)

The NIrV is a simplification of the New International Version (NIV), today's most popular translation. The easy words and short sentences of the NIrV make it ideal for the beginning readers. Written at a thrid-grade reading level, the NIrV is a natural stepping-stone to the NIV.

In August 1991, Zondervan Publishing House wrote guidelines for developing a simplified version of the Bible to be based on the New International Version (NIV). The new version would be at a reading level of third or fourth grade and would be intended as a stepping-stone to the New International Version. The board of the International Bible Society voted to begin the project early in 1992.

In March 1992, a committee met in Colorado Springs to set up the working guidelines. Once the "simplifiers" had been recruited, training sessions were held and the process began. The forty translators and simplifiers of this Bible represented fourteen denominations. Many of the translators had also worked on the NIV. All work went through a final review by an Old Testament scholar, a New Testament scholar, and an educator.

While constant reference was made to original manuscripts, the translators used the words of the NIV wherever possible. When questions arose, Greek and Hebrew scholars were consulted to help formulate what the earlier texts said and meant. The team used synonyms for some words and explained words that might not be easily understood. They also worked hard to use shorter and simpler sentences.

The initial simplification of all of the books of the Bible was completed in early 1994. In March of that year the New Testament was completed, and the painstaking review and proofing process began. The name New International Reader’s Version® (NIrV) was announced by the International Bible Society in August, 1994. The Old Testament was completed by the end of 1995, and the complete Bible was published in the fall of 1996. A revised edition was published in the fall of 1998, incorporating more traditional use of gender language and thus more closely matching the NIV.

Readability studies have verified that the NIrV was translated at a third grade reading level, making it the ideal choice for children and adults who are learning to read, adults who are unacquainted with the Bible, and readers for whom English is a second language.

The Holman Christian Standard Bible

Approximate Reading Level: Grades 9-10

First Published: 2000 (NT only – OT in progress)

Most folks have struggled at one time or another with having to choose between accuracy and readability in a Bible translation.

Holman Bible Publishers undertook this project to provide an accurate translation styled for today's reader, without bowing to recent trends, ideology or the politics of today's world. Their prestigious translation team of more than eighty scholars from twenty different denominations began with a word-for-word translation process, then styled the language to communicate clearly with modern American English readers.

The end result is an accurate and wonderfully readable translation - the accuracy you want for your personal Bible study, the readability you need for evangelism, or to give to new Believers!

NKJV New King James Version

Reading Level: 9.0

Readability: Easier word usage, but somewhat choppy because it maintains 17th century sentence structure

Reference Support Material: Low, but some KJV materials can be used

Number of Translators: 119

Translation Philosophy/Format: Priority to word translation rather than meaning Verse for Verse

Notes: A modern language update of the original KJV. Purpose was to update and modernize the original KJV but preserve the KJV as much as possible. Published in 1982.

Living Living Bible

Reading Level: 8.33

Readability: A popular, readable paraphrase, at times quite interpretive

Reference Support Material: Low

Number of Translators: Kenneth N. Taylor

Translation Philosophy/Format: Meaning all-important Paragraphs

Notes: A very popular paraphrase of the Bible. The purpose of the work was to explain the Bible in simple, everyday English. Originally intended for personal devotional use only. Published in 1971.

NLT New Living Translation

Reading Level: 6.30

Readability: A readable translation, uses vocabulary and language structures commonly used by the average person

Reference Support Material: Low

Number of Translators: 90

Translation Philosophy/Format: Priority to meaning rather than word translation Paragraphs with poetry

Notes: The New Living Translation is a dynamic equivalence translation based on the work of 90 Bible scholars and a smaller team of English stylists. These scholars and stylists went back to the original languages and sought to produce the closest natural equivalent of the message in natural, contemporary English.

NAB New American Bible

Reading Level: 6.60

Readability: A clear and straightforward translation that reads smoothly. Written in basic American English.

Reference Support Material: Low

Number of Translators: 55

Translation Philosophy/Format: Priority to word translation rather than meaning Paragraphs with poetry

Notes: Published under the direction of Pope Pius XII, this Catholic version of the Bible represents more than 25 years of effort by the Catholic Biblical Association of America. All editions include the deuterocanonical books. Published in 1970.

TEV Today's English Version

Reading Level: 7.29

Readability: Very simple, readable version. Uses a limited vocabulary.

Reference Support Material: Low

Number of Translators: R. Bratcher (NT) Bratcher plus six others (OT)

Translation Philosophy/Format: Meaning all-important Paragraphing with poetry and other special indentations

Notes: "A translation intended for people everywhere for whom English is either their mother tongue or an acquired language." Published in 1976.

The Message
(New Testament and OT Wisdom Books)

Reading Level: 4.8

Readability: An easy-to-read, modern-language paraphrase

Reference Support Material: Low

Number of Translators: Eugene H. Peterson

Translation Philosophy/Format: Converts the original languages into the tone and the rhythms of modern-day American speech while retaining the idioms and meaning of the original languages. Paragraphs with poetry

Notes: This paraphrase was translated using the rhythms and tone of contemporary English to communicate to the modern reader.

· Old Testament not yet available.

CEV Contemporary English Version

Reading Level: 5.40

Readability: Clear, simple English that a child can understand, but with a mature style that adults can appreciate

Reference Support Material: Low

Number of Translators: Over 100 (including reviewers)

Translation Philosophy/Format: Meaning all-important. Paragraphs with poetry

Notes: Written at an elementary-school reading level, the CEV is readable and understandable for the modern reader. Published in 1995.

God's Word

Reading Level: 5.80

Readability: A readable, accurate translation; employs natural English expressions to convey the meaning of the original languages

Reference Support Material: Low

Number of Translators: 75

Translation Philosophy/Format: Priority to meaning rather than word translation
Paragraphs with poetry

Notes: Using a linguistically based translation method, the work on God’s Word was done by a denominationally diverse, 75-member team of translators, linguists, English experts, and independent biblical-language scholars. Published in 1995.