Christians, how many different translations of the Bible do you read? Which ones?

Question

I like the NIV (New International Version) and the CEV (Contemporary English Version). I also enjoy the New King James Version. And I speak another language, so I read two different translations in that language too. And my dream is to learn Greek. Oh and Hebrew, but that is an extremely difficult language! Just imagine! Can you read Greek or Hebrew? Tell me about your favorite translations and why.. Thank you!

Answer 1

I read some Classical Greek & use my Greek New Testament for study. I tend to like the more literal translations. My current favorite is the New American Standard Bible (NASB), but I hope to get an English Standard Version (ESV) for Christmas because I'm really impressed with the verses I've read out of there. I also read the King James Version (KJV) and I have an NIV, LIV and Catholic Bible. Comparing the various versions is very interesting and often gives one a fuller picture of what is being said.

EDIT: I just have to ask those advocating the New World Translation (NWT): do you realize that none of those "translating" the NWT were well-educated in Greek/Hebrew? Only one of the persons on the panel "translating" it had any formal education and his degree program (not sure that he ever even graduated) had nothing having to do with any sort of language. In fact, at his trial he was given a simple Greek sentence to translate and he couldn't do it! This is public record and easily verifiable information. In fact, they were so unlearned as to insist that YHWH is "translated" Jehovah. This is an attempt at transliteration (not translation), but no one knows what the vowels were which is why many also use Yahweh instead. It's wierd that a whole basis for a religion would be on a word that no one even knows what it really is even in the original language.

Answer 2

KJ, NKJ, RS, NRS, NLT, NIV, AS, NAS but not NWT (Jehovah Witness) not the Mormon Translation, not RC translation because they do not adhere to the strict schoarly requirements the others do. I don't read the TEV because its just way too out there in the stratosphere of loose translation. I have a parallel bible with the New International Version, the New American Standard, the King James Version, and the New Living Translation. Quite interestingly, they all deliver God's message in a unified way, even though the words used in each differ a great deal from the others. I make it a point to know a little about the languages the Holy Bible is written in, and I often refer to the experts when trying to understand a diffcult saying or passage. But I also use prayer for discernment and these tactics have served me well in my quest for scriptural understanding. I find that the versions I reject don't do this, they cause confusion more than anything else. King James, in my opinion, is the gold standard by which all other translations should be judged. Hebrew, old greek, aramaic and latin are all dead languages; they are no longer actively spoken and they have not grown although the languages of the people have.. It is God's will that His Living Word be translated into all living languages of His people...to bring the good news to all, not just the scholars who make it their livelyhood by understanding archaic languages.

Answer 3

I've read The King James, and The American Standard, The New International Version, but I have found the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures to be the most accurate translations from the Original Greek and Hebrew Scriptures. I found it particularly interesting that John Chapter 8 began with verse 12. In the Original Greek Scriptures the first 12 verses could not be made out, because they were not legible, and so to fill the gap, other translations have ADDED the first 11 verses. Which is false. In the NWT, it shows in the foot note what has been added, and instead of doing the same (because you are neither to add nor take away from the bible) NWT starts with verse 12, from what was legible in the Original Greek Scriptures. That really impressed me. Not to meantion, but it's easy to understand, and it uses God's name. Where in some other bibles, they have replaced the 4 Hebrew letters YHWH called tetragramitan, with capitalized LORD. So the NWT, used the english translation and pronounciation of YHWH, (Jehovah) where it was in the Original Scriptures and found over 6,000 times. I really respect that, and in my opinion, if I'm going to base my life on the bible, and live by it, then I'd rather do it with the best accurate translation of the Original as possible.

Answer 4

As I started with the King James, I still use the New King James most often. Also use the NIV because the occasional differences in the wording of the translation make me think. Since my Pastor uses the New American Standard most of the time at church, I have one I keep in the car for Sundays and Wednesdays. When I really want to study, I get out my Interlinear Greek Bible. While I could get through it with the Greek only, it is helpful to have the Greek with English underneath.

Answer 5

I originally read the King James NT. Then I read the complete Bible in seven different translations. I enjoyed each one because they shed light on the scriptures. My favorite is the Living because it is the easiest translation. The King James is a beautiful translation and really hits home on some of my favorite memorized scriptures. I plan on reading many more translations and paraphrased Bibles, except the New World Translation because it is used by the Jehovah Witness Occult. I enjoy learning the word study for the Herbraic words because I get so much more out of scriptures because of the meanings of the numeric and the name translations make the scriptures more alive.

Answer 6

I can't read Greek or Hebrew (although I wish I could) but I really like the ESV (English Standard Version), and the NIV for studying. The Message is really good just to read.

Answer 7

With our eternal life at stake, Wouldn't you want the most accurate translation?

I have several translations including the NIV, KJV, NKJV, Amplified, Good News, NASB, NWT and others.

I prefer the NWT because it's non bias.

Please read:


Why did the recently published “New International Version” (NIV) of the Bible fail to use the name of God where it appears about 7,000 times in ancient Bible manuscripts? In response to a person who inquired about this, Edwin H. Palmer, Th.D., Executive Secretary for the NIV’s committee wrote:

“Here is why we did not: You are right that Jehovah is a distinctive name for God and ideally we should have used it. But we put 2 1/4 million dollars into this translation and a sure way of throwing that down the drain is to translate, for example, Psalm 23 as, ‘Yahweh is my shepherd.’ Immediately, we would have translated for nothing. Nobody would have used it. Oh, maybe you and a handful [of] others. But a Christian has to be also wise and practical.

We are the victims of 350 years of the King James tradition. . . .follow the King James, than to have two thousand buy it and have the correct translation of Yahweh. . . . It was a hard decision, and many of our translators agree with you.”

or these quotes:

Old Testament:
In fact, the New World Translation is a scholarly work. In 1989, Professor Benjamin Kedar of Israel said:
"In my linguistic research in connection with the Hebrew Bible and translation, I often refer to the English edition as what is known as the New World Translation. In doing so, I find my feeling repeatedly confirmed that this kind of work reflects an honest endeavor to achieve an understanding of the text that is as accurate as possible. Giving evidence of a broad command of the original language, it renders the original words into a second language understandably without deviating unnecessarily from the specific structure of the Hebrew....Every statement of language allows for a certain latitude in interpreting or translating. So the linguistic solution in any given case may be open to debate. But I have never discovered in the New World Translation any biased intent to read something into the text that it does not contain."

New Testament:

While critical of some of its translation choices, BeDuhn called the New World Translation a “remarkably good” translation, “better by far” and “consistently better” than some of the others considered. Overall, concluded BeDuhn, the New World Translation “is one of the most accurate English translations of the New Testament currently available” and “the most accurate of the translations compared.”—Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament.

“Here at last is a comprehensive comparison of nine major translations of the Bible:

King James Version,
New American Standard Bible,
New International Version,
New Revised Standard Version,
New American Bible,
Amplified Bible,
Today's English Version (Good News Bible),
Living Bible,
and the New World Translation.

The book provides a general introduction to the history and methods of Bible translation, and gives background on each of these versions. Then it compares them on key passages of the New Testament to determine their accuracy and identify their bias. Passages looked at include:

John 1:1; John 8:58; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1

Jason BeDuhn
Associate Professor of Religious Studies, and Chair
Department of Humanities, Arts, and Religion
Northern Arizona University

With our eternal life at stake, Wouldn't you want the most accurate translation?

Answer 8

I read New King James, NIV, and The Message. I love the Message, it's awesome. I really like the Daily Application Bible, NLB translation for study..

Answer 9

I read NLT and NIV. I learned Greek in school and have a Greek New Testament, but I'm not fluent. I think the NKJV is good, but I do not have a copy.

Answer 10

I read 3. My devotional Bible is NAS (New American Standard). For shared reading like in church it's the NIV... And because it's fun to read the Cotton Patch edition is delightful.... Jim

Example Romans 6:1 NAS
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

Roman 6:1-2 Cotton Patch
So what are we advocating? "Let’s wallow in sin, so more grace may pour forth"? Hell, no! How can we who died in sin still live in it?

:)