What is the most accurate, unbaised English translation of the Bible?

Question

NO 'opinions' or conjecture. I want answers that are backed up by research or by recognised experts/researchers.

This question was asked on 'Jeopardy' not too long ago. The answer Alex Trebek gave when none of the contestants could answer correctly will surprise most of you.

Answer 1

Skeptic's Annotated Bible.com

Answer 2

Jason BeDuhn's book "Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament" compares nine translations(from the KJV to several 20th century translations, including the New World Translation), not with each other, but with the original Greek of the New Testament.
He has stated that The New World Translation has, overall, greater accuracy above other prominent respected scholarly translations such as The New Revised Standard Version and the New International Version.
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

Answer 3

“It Is the Best Interlinear New Testament Available”

THAT is how Dr. Jason BeDuhn describes The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures. He explains:

“I have just completed teaching a course for the Religious Studies Department of Indiana University, Bloomington, [U.S.A.] . . . This is primarily a course in the Gospels. Your help came in the form of copies of The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures which my students used as one of the textbooks for the class. These small volumes were invaluable to the course and very popular with my students.”

Why does Dr. BeDuhn use the Kingdom Interlinear translation in his college courses? He answers: “Simply put, it is the best interlinear New Testament available. I am a trained scholar of the Bible, familiar with the texts and tools in use in modern biblical studies, and, by the way, not a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. But I know a quality publication when I see one, and your ‘New World Bible Translation Committee’ has done its job well. Your interlinear English rendering is accurate and consistent to an extreme that forces the reader to come to terms with the linguistic, cultural, and conceptual gaps between the Greek-speaking world and our own. Your ‘New World Translation’ is a high quality, literal translation that avoids traditional glosses in its faithfulness to the Greek. It is, in many ways, superior to the most successful translations in use today.”

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures is published by Jehovah’s Witnesses to help lovers of God’s Word get acquainted with the original Greek text of the Bible. It contains The New Testament in the Original Greek on the left-hand side of the page (compiled by B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort). A literal word-for-word English translation is found under the lines of Greek text. In the narrow right-hand column is the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, which allows you to compare the interlinear translation with a modern English translation of the Bible.

Answer 4

I suggest you look for an interlinear version of the Greek New Testament.
I would also recommend to you An Expanded version of the New Testament by Kenneth Wuest for the most nearly word for word translation from the Greek.
I am not as knowledgeable about a best version for the Old Testament; but I think generally the NASB or Modern Language Bible (sometimes called the Berkeley translation) are good versions.
There is no "best" version. Every translation has strengths and weaknesses.

fyi -
check out this website:
http://www.biblegateway.com/

Answer 5

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures printed by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society

Answer 6

We've started using the English Standard Version. It is a "formal equivalence" version, not a "dynamic equivalence" version.

The ESV's goal is to be the most precise, AND most readable modern English translation. Here's a passage quoted from their official website, http://www.esv.org --

*******************
"The ESV is an “essentially literal” translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. As such, its emphasis is on “word-for-word” correspondence, at the same time taking into account differences of grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages. Thus it seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original.

In contrast to the ESV, some Bible versions have followed a “thought-for-thought” rather than “word-for-word” translation philosophy, emphasizing “dynamic equivalence” rather than the “essentially literal” meaning of the original..... "

Another quote --

“The ESV is, I believe, the most accurate English translation of the Bible ever completed. I rely on it myself for classroom study, for my own devotional reading, and for leading family worship. Those who choose the ESV can be sure they are reading the very Word of God.”
Daniel R. Heimbach
Professor of Christian Ethics, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

It has the precision of the NASB, but reads more smoothly in my view.

If you look on the official web page, you can see that it has been recommended by many Bible scholars and experts.

(And I got a thumbs-down for providing extensive information with references, the publisher's homepage, and recommendations?? Thanks.)

Answer 7

1st I wanted 2 ask U, "what was the answer,on Jeopardy?"
LP gave it 2 us. New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures printed by The Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society of Pennsylvania.

Here's my answer, (no opinion or conjecture):

It is a very responsible thing to translate the Holy Scriptures from their original languages of Hebrew,Aramaic & Greek into modern speech. Translating the Holy Scriptures means rendering into another language the thoughts & sayings of Jehovah God, the heavenly Author of this sacred library of 66 books that holy men of long ago were inspired to write down for our benefit today.
That is a very sobering thought. The translators of this work, who fear & love the Divine Author of the Holy Scriptures, feel toward Him a special responsibility to transmit his thoughts & declarations as accurately as possible. They also feel a responsibility toward the searching readers who depend upon a translation of the inspired Word of the Most High God for their everlasting salvation.
It was w/ such a sense of solemn responsibility that over the course of many years this committee of dedicated men have produced the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. The entire work was originally released in 6 volumes, from 1950-1960. From the start it was desire of the translators to have all these volumes brought together into 1 book, inasmuch as the Holy Scriptures are in actuality 1 book by the One Author. While the original volumes contained marginal references & footnotes, the revised 1-volume edition, released in1961, contained neither footnotes nor marginal references. A 2nd revision was released in 1970 & a 3rd revision w/ footnotes followed in 1971. in 1969 the committee released The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, which presented under the Greek text revised by Westcott & Hort (1948 Reprint) a literal word-for-word translation into English. During the past 34 years the New World Translation has been translated in part or its entirety into 10 other languages, w/ a total printing & distrubution surpassing 39 million.
This new edition is not just a refinement of the translated text beyond its already previous revisions, but it has been expanded to include a complete updating & revision of the marginal (cross) references that were initially presented in English, from 1950-1960.
This 1984 revision has been released by us to the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society of Pennsylvania for printing, translation into other languages & distribution. We thus make it available with a deep sense of gratitude to the Divine Author of the Holy Scriptures, who has prilieged us & in whose spirit we have trusted in producing this revision. We pray for his blessing upon those who use this translation for spiritual advancement.
New World Bible Translation Committee
June 1,1984,New York,N.Y.

B-T-W thx LP that was really very informative, I appreciate that.

Answer 8

I like the "essentially literal " translations

these would include "the English Standard Version", "the New King James" and "The New American Standard Bible" where the last one is a little wooden and doesnt flow as well as the two newer ones in the list

there is another issue about what manuscipts you should use to translate, although the fraction of verses afftected is pretty small and usually people arguing this like the old King James in the original...

my favorite is probably the English Standard Version, a relatively new one

Answer 9

The Jehovah Witnesses claim that five Greek Scholars in the Watchtower did this translation, but it becomes quite obvious to anyone who knows Greek or Hebrew that there are gross errors in this translation. It was obviously produced as a conscious attempt to make the Bible fit preconceived Witness theology. The new translation was just part of the problems created by Nathan H. Knorr. Knorr also prophesied
that l975 would be the end of the age and the Armageddon would occur at that time. Like his two predecessors, he was a false prophet.

I read the King James Version. By far the most accurate and it can easily be used in reference.

Answer 10

I prefer the New American Bible (Catholic). However, I believe most are not that different in meaning, only language style.
English is a mongrelized language. England being where it is in the middle of the Atlantic has been subject to many invasions and we frequently have more than one word to mean the same thing and one word can mean different things, depending on how it is used. Also words take on new meanings and different shades of meaning.
When I was growing up the word "gay" just meant happy. All the answers, including mine, that you see here are basically subjective.

Answer 11

I like the Interlinear translation, Greek and Hebrew. But the American Standard (circa 1900) is excellent.