A Comprehensive Comparison of Different Versions of the Bible Explained (with Table) (2023)

In order to choose the right Bible, Christians need to have the different versions of the Bible explained to them. Our editors created this list to save you time.

If you are looking for a new Bible, you will find that there are many translations of God's Word. Let's face it – it can be downright overwhelming! You may be wondering what all these different translations are, and is one better than the other?

Every Christian needs the explanation of the different versions of the Bible. Because? Because it is important to be able to make an informed decision about which Bible to use on our spiritual journey. We will examine all the different major Bible translations so that you can have confidence in the Bible of your choice.

Different Versions of the Bible Explained

Broad categories

Before we dive into the details of each translation, we'll take a look at the three broad categories that each translation fits into. This will help you see the broader ideologies that inform different approaches to Bible translation.

word by word

Word-for-word translations are most closely based on the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts that Bible translators work with. In a word-for-word translation, word accuracy is paramount. Please note that the grammar difference between these ancient languages ​​and ours is significant, so a 100% word-for-word translation is not entirely possible. But these versions of the Bible are working to produce a translation that is as close to that standard as possible. For this reason, our editors are happy to suggest word-for-word translations of the Bible as the primary version of the Bible.

meaning to meaning

Meaning-to-meaning translations focus on retaining the general idea or message behind the passage while achieving greater readability. These versions of the Bible are very popular because they flow a little more naturally for the modern reader. But care must be taken when reading a Bible from sense to sense, because when it is translated this way, the personal teaching of the translator more easily seeps through.

paraphrased

Paraphrased Bibles take the ideology of the meaning-to-meaning method to a new extreme. These Bibles offer the reader maximum accessibility and are easy for almost anyone to understand. In this way, they are profoundly important as they have the ability to reach so many. However, one must be even more careful with these translations, since the translator is allowed maximum poetic freedom in his work. These types of Bibles can be very helpful when trying to understand complex and intricate passages of the Bible.

Below is a table showing the different major Bible translations and which category each one fits into:

Specific differences

Now we will look at the specific differences between each translation. This deeper understanding will help you to be as informed as possible about what makes each Bible translation what it is. Then you can come to a conclusion about which version of the Bible you should select for your personal use.

word-for-word translations

Die King-James-Version

HeKing James versionhas stood the test of time and has established itself as the best-selling English Bible translation of all time. This is because it has incredible accuracy from the manuscripts from which it was translated and rich, vibrant language. The Complete King James Bible was originally published in 1611 after being commissioned by King James VI.

The historical significance of this Bible translation is so striking that it is credited with shaping much of the culture of the English-speaking world. Today, the King James Version still proves to be an effective and reliable translation, with the only caveat that the language in which it is written is not friendly to the average reader.

The New King James Version (NKJV)

First published in 1982, theNeue King–James versionof the Bible is an update of the King James version produced by Thomas Nelson. This Bible translation was created to bring the accuracy and reliability of the original King James to a broader, more modern audience.

The New King James Version is an attractive Bible translation for those who appreciate the story, flow, and accuracy of the King James Version, but want to read a Bible in a more contemporary language. Critics of this Bible say that it is not as faithful to the original King James as it claims.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

HeNew American Standard BibleIt is an interesting Bible because it is the most widely used literal and accurate Bible translation known in the 20th century.^heCentury. First published in its entirety in 1971, the NASB aims to be faithful to the original languages ​​of the Bible while also being understandable. This Bible translation arose out of the need for a contemporary word-for-word Bible translation that existed at the time.

The greatest characteristic of the NASB is its fidelity to the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek from which it arose. It's impressive how you can combine that level of accuracy with readability accessible to most modern readers. Modern criticism cites that while it is easy to read and, more importantly, conforms to the best available manuscripts, it lacks the literary excellence and passion of the King James Version.

American Standard Version (ASV)

work on itamerican standard versionBiblia began in 1870 with the goal of revising the 1611 King James Bible. The translation team that worked on this version of the Bible came from Baptist, Dutch Reformed, Methodist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Unitarian backgrounds. The ASV intentionally withheld Elizabethan English from the King James Bible. Outside of prominent seminary usage, the ASV never achieved mainstream popularity, being seen as too literal. The King James Bible turned out to be the Bible of choice for the average Christian.

The Revised Standard Version (RSV)

First published in 1952 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States, theRevised Standard VersionThe Bible was created to be a readable but literal modern English translation. Interestingly, the Revised Standard Version was the first Bible to use the Isaiah Dead Sea Scroll. In 1989 there was a revision of the Revised Standard Version, called the New Revised Standard Version or NRSV. Modern criticism of this Bible notes that liberal ideologies and theology figure prominently in the text.

meaning-to-meaning translations

The New International Version (NIV)

HeNew international versionIt was created to meet the need for a modern English Bible using the highest quality, earliest available manuscripts. The translators also wanted to create a reading of God's Word that would be linguistically accessible to a wide audience. The NIV Bible was translated by a team of 15 Bible scholars representing many different evangelical denominations.

The New International Version was first published in its entirety in 1978 by Biblica, formerly known as the International Bible Society. Subsequent revisions were made in 1984 and 2011 in light of new manuscript discoveries. It has become one of the best-selling modern translations on the market today. Modern critics include those who find that the NIV significantly altered or simply omitted important passages present in the King James Version and other older literal translations.

English Standard Version (ESV)

Of the more modern sense-for-sense translated Bibles are theEnglish standard versionmost likely the line between literal, word-for-word translation and trying to convey the meaning above all else. The first complete ESV Bible was published by Crossway in 2001 as a revision of the Revised Standard Version. The team of more than 100 evangelical scholars and pastors had a unique philosophy in translating this Bible: "It emphasizes word-for-word accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning."

The ESV continues to be a popular option among evangelical churches. That's because of its unique ability to walk the line between honoring the literal translations that came before it (such as the RSV) while simultaneously conveying meaning and modern language in an accessible way. However, not everyone shares this view, as some believe that the translators made some serious theological mistakes in pursuing this goal.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

HeContemporary English versionis a Sense by Sense Bible prepared by the American Bible Society as "The Bible for Today's Families." The translators focused on three principles when creating this Bible:

• The translation must be understood by people without stumbling in the language
• The translation should be understood by those who have little or no understanding of "biblical" language.
• The translation should be easy for everyone to understand.

The first complete CEV Bible was published in 1995. It has always been one of the easiest Bibles to read. With this reputation comes the belief that it is a "dumb" version of the Bible that misses much of the effect of more traditional translations.

Good News Bible (BNT)

Hegood news bibleit is also known as Good News Translation (GNT). The reason for this name is that the American Bible Society wanted to correct the misconception that the Good News Bible was a paraphrase. This Bible is published by HaperCollins and is used by many different Protestant denominations.

The Good News Bible was first published in its entirety in 1976 and is intended to be a suitable Bible for children and learners of English. The name of the translation reflects the translators' desire that the Good News Bible make the Good News of Jesus available to everyone.

Our editors recommend this premium version of thegood news bible.

The New American Bible (NAB)

Henew american bibleit was first published in 1970. It is the only translation authorized for use at Masses in the Latin Rite Catholic Diocese of the United States and the Philippines. The New American Bible is also widely used by the Episcopal Church in the United States. The NAB Bible was translated by members of the Catholic Biblical Association of America (CBA). In this context, he is Catholic-minded in his translation, which earned him much criticism in Protestant circles.

The New Living Translation (NLT)

HeBible New Living Translationwas created by Tyndale House Publishers in an effort to create a genuine translation of the Bible, not a personal paraphrase, that honors the legacy of The Living Bible. The New Living Bible was first published in its entirety in 1996 and was translated by leading scholars using the oldest and best manuscript evidence available at the time. With this in mind, it has proven to be one of the most trusted and popular meaning translations out there. However, because it is not a literal translation, this Bible is more suited to devotional use than serious Bible study.

paraphrased bibles

The Message (MSG)

The messageit was translated from the original languages ​​by Pastor Eugene H. Peterson between 1992 and 2002. This paraphrase of the Bible is one of the most extreme examples of the attempt to convey a modern and radically accessible reading of the biblical text to a contemporary audience.

While that goal is admirable, and much of the translation work is done impressively by one person, the reader must recognize the limitations of such a Bible. With a paraphrase it is impossible to completely eliminate the translator's own personal theology. While Eugene Peterson's use and knowledge of Biblical languages ​​is profound and inspiring in many passages in The Message, this is a Bible to be used with caution and in conjunction with a more literal translation.

The Expanded Bible (AMP)

the expanded biblewas produced as a collaborative effort by Zondervan (the English-language publisher of the NIV Bible) and The Lockman Foundation (a non-denominational, non-profit Christian ministry dedicated to the translation, publication, and distribution of the NASB and the Amplified Bible). The first edition of the Amplified Bible was published in 1965, primarily as a revision of the 1901 ASV Bible.

The goal of this paraphrase is to "strengthen" the text of the Bible by using additional words along with a punctuation system and other typographical features that give the Bible a clearer meaning. Where Greek and Hebrew words have multiple words that are translated into English, they all exist. The Amplified Bible also emphasizes words with different meanings. These qualities make it a unique Bible choice. There was a later revision in 2015.

the living bible

the living bibleis a paraphrase of Kenneth N. Taylor. It was first published in 1971 and used the 1901 ASV as its base text. Taylor expressed that the roots of the translation actually come from his family's dedication period. He quickly noticed that his children found it difficult to understand and apply the Bible passages and stories they read together. He knew his family couldn't be the only one facing the same challenges. So he started working on The Living Bible.

The Living Bible has enjoyed great popularity among evangelical Protestant Christians since its publication. Despite this, it is not held in very high regard in academic circles, being simply a personal paraphrase made by a single person based on another translation and not on early manuscripts.

Diploma

With all the different Bible translations available today, we need the different versions of the Bible explained to us. Our editors pray that this is a resource that gives you a deeper look at all of these different Bible translations and why they exist. We also hope this knowledge will help you make an informed decision about which Bible (or Bibles!) will best serve you on your spiritual journey.

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