WHAT IS THE BEST BIBLE TRANSLATION
I have had many people ask me what I think the best Bible translation is, and I understand why. There are so many! And it can be difficult to understand what the difference is and why it matters. The truth is, just like most things, the “best” is different for each person according to their individual needs. But, to bring a bit of clarity (and order to chaos LOL), I am going to give simple explanations of the differences, advise how to pick which is best for you, and share my personal favorite.
There are 3 different categories for Bible translations…
- Word-for-Word – This type of translation tries to to translate each Hebrew or Greek word into an English word that literally means the same (or close to the same) thing. Because our modern words do not have the exact same meaning (especially as these are ancient languages) this can make sentences sound somewhat choppy or confusing. Some do not hardly make sense at all, but it is a literal translation.
- Thought-for-Thought – This type of translation tries to translate each thought into modern English. So they may not use the exact word that the original author used, but rather they will try to get across what the author meant when they used that word or phrase. This can make the text more understandable, but the words are not necessarily exact.
- Paraphrase – This type of “translation” restates the meaning of the text in the translator’s own words to to try to get the meaning across in contemporary language that is easier to understand. I put translation in quotes because I don’t truly consider it a translation, anymore than I think during a Bible study when someone is asked to rephrase (or paraphrase) what they just read I don’t believe they are translating the Bible. It is not word-for-word, or thought-for-thought, it is a retelling of the verse/passage in their own words to mean what that particular person thinks it means.
Because I do not consider a paraphrase an actual translation I am only going to focus on word-for-word and thought-for-thought. However, I do want to say that, though I personally do not consider a paraphrase a translation, that does not mean that I do not find them to be useful. I do! But more in the category of a commentary or other type of study tool. When I am reading and studying the Bible itself I stick with word-for-word or thought-for-thought translations only, then after I have dug into the text and am ready to move onto outside resources for further study and research I sometimes grab a paraphrase (such as The Message or The Voice), though more often I turn to trusted commentaries and authors.
Next I am going to list several of the common translations and what category they fall into, but let me first say that the categories are not always clear cut. Many translations will be a mix of both word-for-word and thought-for-thought, combining them in an attempt at having the accuracy of the text yet also being easy to understand. Here are the categories…
- CSB – Combination of Word-for-Word & Thought-for-Thought. My personal opinion: Leans slightly more towards word-for word but still very readable.
- ESV – Word-for-Word. My personal opinion: Not as choppy as and more readable than many others in the same category.
- KJV – Word-for-Word. My personal opinion: I find this to be much less accurate (sometimes outright inaccurate) than more modern translations and very outdated, which makes sense as it was commissioned in 1604 and translators back then lacked the advanced understanding of ancient Hebrew and Greek grammar we have available today, causing errors in translation.
- NASB – Word-for-Word. My personal opinion: Strong accuracy but much less readable than others in this category.
- NET – Thought-for-Thought. My personal opinion: Very readable but also includes nearly 61,000 highly detailed footnotes that explain both the literal word choices and the original Greek/Hebrew text.
- NIV – Combination of Word-for-Word & Thought-for-Thought. My personal opinion: Leans more towards thought-for thought but still holds tightly to accuracy.
- NKJV – Word-for-Word. My personal opinion: Basically the KJV but with updated words (such as “thee” is changed to “you”).
- NLT – Thought-for-Thought. My personal opinion: Sounds very much like normal, everyday English but not necessarily using the literal translated words of the Hebrew and Greek.
Which is the Best Bible Translation for You
The answer to this question depends on what you are looking for. If you are wanting deep, in-depth Bible study I would recommend word-for-word. Though not always as easy to read and quickly understand the accuracy will be worth it. I grab the NASB when I want to really know what the text itself says, to dissect and pore over every word, as it is high in accuracy. Typically with this type of study I am willing to put the time in to understand it, since it is choppy and sometimes difficult to read. If the NASB is a little too difficult then try another word-for-word (such as the ESV) and see if that helps.
On the other hand, if you are looking for something that is easier to understand in today’s language, especially if you are studying larger passages and will be reading more for overall concept than in-depth verse by verse, than I would recommend thought-for-thought. You will more easily be able to understand what you are reading and move through passages without having to stop and look up as many words or try to figure out what the author is saying. As there are many different levels of accuracy and language styles in thought-for thought translations I would try several and see what is a good fit for you. The NLT flows very nicely but is not quite as literal, whereas the NET is still quite easy to read but has the many footnotes to help with the word accuracy.
And of course if both accuracy and readability are very important to you then I would try a combination translation such as the CSB or NIV which gives you the best of both worlds. Personally, I use many translations for reading, studying, and memorization and will go through those in the next section.
My Favorite Translation
I am sure by now that you already know I am going to say I love and use a lot of translations! LOL And I do, especially for my deep study time. I start with the NASB and slowly work through the literal words as I try to wrap my mind around what the author is saying, then move to the CSB and NET as I work on getting more understanding and moving what I’m learning from my mind to my heart (I also LOVE the study versions of both of these Bibles, the notes and cross-references are extremely helpful), then I end with the NIV and occasionally NLT which are easier to read and re-read through as I meditate on (or maybe even memorize) the passage and it gets deep in my soul. Particularly, I do all my Scripture memorization in the NIV as it rolls off the tongue, and when God brings it to my mind to share with someone it is easy for them to understand as well.
But my favorite translation overall, the one I continually turn to and keep in my purse, is the personal size CSB. I find it to be very accurate while still being understandable and easy to read.
So there you have it, I believe that this will help you to decide which is the best Bible translation for you. I have linked some of my favorite Bibles I use to study in each translation in the list above, as well as my favorite compact CSB Bible which is beautiful, small, and light so that I can keep it in my bag and take it with me everywhere I go. Now it’s your time, go find your favorite Bible translation and share it with others!
I truly hope this blog article was informative and helpful to you on your journey as you SEEK + OBEY God, may He bless you and keep you my sister/friend! In Christ – Jenna
I would love to hear any comments or ideas you may have, answer any questions that come up, and especially to join you in prayer. You can e-mail me directly at connect@seekandobey.org, I am the only one that sees what comes in that mailbox and all information sent to me will always be kept private and confidential.
