Which bible translation is the best?
Someone asked me this question a while back: which English bible translation is the best one?
I didn’t have to think twice before I answered (although I have to confess that this was an insight I got from Dr Tim Mackie): the best translation is the one you actually read.
I know that sounds like a cop-out answer, but I genuinely believe it’s true.
One of the wonderful things about living in this day and age is that we are so blessed to have access to an incredible number of translations at our fingertips FOR FREE. The Youversion bible app is available to anyone who can access apps. In there, you can find all the translations in various languages. It’s paradise for bible nerds.
But that abundance can also create confusion.
Which translation is the most accurate? Which one should I use? Which one is the right’ one?
I believe the answer depends largely on what you’re trying to do. One thing to note is that different translations have different goals.
With that being said, there are two main types of translations: word-for-word translations and thought-for-thought translations.
Word-for-word translations
Word-for-word translations attempt to stay as close as possible to the original by doing just that: finding the most suitable and accurate English word(s) for the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts. The goal is to preserve the structure and wording of the original language wherever possible.
Translations in this category aim to bring readers as close as possible to the original wording, and are excellent for:
Deep bible study
Theology
Detailed word studies
Comparing passages
Understanding the structure of the original text
Examples of word-for-word translations: KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV.
However, because languages don’t map perfectly onto one another, translators often have to make decisions about grammar, idioms, sentence structure, and word meanings. No translation can be perfectly word-for-word because languages simply don’t work that way.
So the result is a pretty good translation, but it tends (generally) to be really complex and difficult-to-understand English. Personally, if I read a word-for-word translation without concentrating, I find that I have to read a sentence about five or six times before actually understanding what I’m reading.
Side fun fact: Did you know that the KJV, littered with thees and thous, is technically written in Early Modern English? It is frequently (but incorrectly) referred to as Old English. I personally struggle with the KJV so I can only imagine what Old English would be like! 😅
Thought-for-thought translations
Thought-for-thought translations focus more on communicating the meaning of a passage in natural, contemporary language. Rather than looking for the closest English word(s) to the original text, scholars use any and all words required to clearly communicate the idea that they believe the original text is trying to portray.
These translations are often excellent for:
Everyday reading
Reading on the go/before bed
Reading large sections of Scripture at a time
People who are new to the bible
Examples of thought-for-thought translations: NLT, The Message, TPT
While these translations are great because they are often very readable and easy to understand, there’s a downside. Because the scholars have to first interpret the idea behind the original text before translating it, reading a thought-for-thought translation is essentially reading what someone else thinks the text is trying to say rather than the actual text itself.
So, because there are two types of translations, each with pros and cons, what do we do?
You read the one that fits your needs, depending on your purpose at the time.
If your intention is to do a deep dive into bible study, use a word-for-word. If you’re trying to read the bible in the transit lounge at the airport, I’d suggest you use a thought-for-thought.
No translation is perfect. Every translation involves choices. But the major Bible translations available today have undergone rigorous scrutiny before they ever reach your bookshelf. They are the result of years of work by teams of scholars, linguists, theologians, editors and reviewers rather than a solitary person sitting in a secluded room trying to decide what a verse is saying.
And this is where the most important point lands: the best translation is the one we actually read.
We can own the most academically precise translation available. We can have shelves full of bibles.
But none of them will help if they stay closed.
God’s Word only transforms our lives when we engage with it.
So, if a highly literal translation helps you read consistently, that’s great …. read that!
If a thought-for-thought translation helps you understand what you’re reading, perfect …. read that!
And if you don’t want to or find reading difficult and would rather listen to a bible, go for gold!
Who said you had to read it? 😉
One last fun fact before I sign off: the bible was originally passed down orally anyway, so you might be better off than readers if you’re an audio learner!
