What is your favorite translation of the Bible?

Question

I like the King James 1611, the Today's English Version, the New World Translation, and the Greer Interlinear.
What is it you like most about your favorite translation?

Answer 1

I like all those, and the NIV.
The excitement is that by comparing all side by side, and even looking up the original language words in the Strng's Concordance, really helps to get the sense of the writers inflection.

Answer 2

I try not to use a translation. My primary Bible is my PC, with Hebrew and Greek, along with over 40 translations available.

English... I would NEVER suggest that anyone use the KJV, and I VERY seriously doubt that you are REALLY using a 1611 version. There were several revisions made during the 1600's and almost all King James Bibles are actually a revision released during the 1700's rather than the 1611 version. The translators had access to very few of the ancient manuscripts which are now widely available. They compounded the problem by often NOT using the better reading they had access to, preferring instead later readings and, in a few cases, creating their own reading where no manuscript evidence existed.

The NWT is quite similar to the KJV, BOTH were translated WITH significant BIAS and LITTLE REGARD for the TRUE meaning of the text.

Greek interlinear... MOST of these are older, public domain editions and I have seen LOTS of mistakes in them, like MISSPELLING names of apostles where NO manuscript before the 6th century includes the spelling presented.

Zondervan's "NIV Bible Study Library" software has Hebrew and Greek in several of its editions. These create an on screen equivalent of your interlinear with the ability to perform Bible searches based on the original language words even for those who don't know those languages.

Answer 3

I also like the King James 1611 version.
New American Standard, American Standard 1901, Revised Standard are all some of my favorite translations of the Bible.

Answer 4

I really do not care, for it is the true Word of God. Different translations does not reallly matter to me [though it does help to understand some passages more accurately.] In essence a Bible is a Bible to me, as long as it proclaims the undiluted Word of God. Off course there will be errors in translations, but because Spirit is in direct control of this, I have not learnt of any translation with serious erros that withstood the test of time and impacted people on a large scale. Gos is bewhingd HIs Word and He has said: My Word will not return to me void, but so what I have intended for it to do.[paraphrased]

Answer 5

It depends on what I'm reading for.

Devotional reading (that is, when I'm reading meditatively), I read the KJV. But then, my background is English, so I have an excuse.

For practical, textual analysis, I read the NIV.

And when I'm thinking historically (not hysterically, although some would argue that), I have a really neat New Testament that puts all the translations side by side. And another one that takes the events in the three synoptic gospels and lays them out in a sort of timeframe.

Sometimes, I like to read Charles Templeton's "Jesus," as well. Just for the "flow."

Answer 6

I started out with NIV because it was easiest to understand but as I have gained a better understanding I have tried and liked these even better:

Amplified, its traditional but adds in parenthesis extra info to help you understand.

NLT brings some ideas to life making them more personal/powerful.

I do like the KJV but more as a comparative translation. If I feel I have a good understanding of a scripture I will compare it to the KJV for accuracy or deeper meaning.

Answer 7

I compare all translations to the King James for doctrinal issues. I like the New Living Translation for clarity. I do not like the NIV.

Answer 8

I like the Greek original text (lucky I can read greek!) because so much get's lost in the translation in English. You get a better feel for what Jesus is saying. As for in English, I prefer the NWT of the Witnesses, because it is cross referenced and it is easy to find what you are looking for, and the closest to the Greek original text as I am beginning to find.

Answer 9

I trust no other translation but the good old reliable KJ 1611.

Answer 10

I have been searching for a new Bible in a translation that I like but nothing compares with my "Catholic Children's Living Bible" with its red letter concordance, pictures, and Amplified New Testament. I guess I'll be forty years old someday and still reading from my Children's Bible... haha