It will come as little to no surprise to most that I have a robust collection of Bibles populating my bookshelves. The most beloved Bible in my collection is a navy blue, bonded leather, King James Version that was given to me by my Grandma Ruth when I was 11 years old. I wore that Bible out! The binding is held together by several layers of tape. The outer edges of the cover are cracked and broken; one whole section has been rubbed away from repeated flipping of pages. While I never read that particular Bible from cover to cover, I did read it early and often, due in large part to involvement in a church and a Christian school that encouraged it’s people, both young and old, to read the Bible regularly for themselves.
Sitting next to that beloved KJV is a New King James Version. This Bible was purchased for me by my step-father during my high school years. As hard as it may be to believe now, I was a KJV purist into my teenage years and this was my first foray into a more modern translation. This Bible is black bonded leather and as a special touch, my dad had my name embossed on the front cover in gold lettering. This translation was much easier to read and understand, which resulted in me reading it more regularly on my own.
Over the years, I procured and utilized a wide variety of translations of the Bible. As noted above, I grew up using the King James and New King James Versions of the Bible. For several years, I had strong preferences for the English Standard Version. It, along with the New Revised Standard Version, was the preferred translation in academic circles. As a youth pastor, I would read and reference the Message Bible for a more youth friendly take on the text. During my college and seminary days, I learned to read and translate the text for myself from the Greek and Hebrew, though I was terrible at the latter. I do pull the Greek Bible off the shelf from time to time, but I don’t particularly enjoy reading it. My primary Bible for many years now has been the New International Version of the Bible. It’s the most commonly used Bible, which makes it more effective for preaching purposes, and I find it easy to read and understand.
I see value all of the major modern translations of the Bible. Word for word, thought for thought, and paraphrase all have their strengths and weaknesses. But the greatest strength is the number of opportunities they provide to get people into the Word of God.
Different pastors and people prefer different types of Bible translations. Some prefer what are known as literal translations. The translators of these Bibles have attempted to use the closest English word for each Greek or Hebrew word and in as close to the same order as possible. Some examples of this form of Bible translation include the King James Version, the New King James Version, the English Standard Version, and the New Revised Standard Version. Others prefer what are known as dynamic equivalence translations. These versions of the Bible prioritize communicating the thoughts and ideas the original texts are communicating. Some examples of this type of translation are the New International Version, the New Living Translation, and the Common English Bible. Those desiring an even more readable version of the Bible prefer what is known as a paraphrase. These Bibles are meant to read like modern books. They communicate the main ideas of the text in the most current language possible in the words of the translator. Some examples of this type of translation are the Message, the Amplified Bible, and the Living Bible.
There are a lot of opinions concerning the various translations of the Bible. My dear grandmother distrusted any translation other than the KJV. I have pastor friends that have strong preferences for the ESV or NRSV, depending on which way they lean on the liberal/conservative spectrum, due to perceived accuracy or inaccuracy. Personally, I see value all of the major modern translations of the Bible. Word for word, thought for thought, and paraphrase all have their strengths and weaknesses. But the greatest strength is the number of opportunities they provide to get people into the Word of God.
The best translation of the Bible is the one you’ll actually read.
One of the first Bible verses I ever highlighted and memorized in my blue KJV Bible was 2 Timothy 2:15. It reads, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The best way to become the people God wants us to be and live a life that will please Him is to understand His Word. That will only happen when we make the effort to regularly interact with it. So, the best translation of the Bible is the one you’ll actually read. If you have a Bible on your shelf, dust it off, crack it open, and see what God’s Word has to say. And, if that translation doesn’t speak your language, find one that does.
