Which is the best Bible translation?
One of the most asked questions about the Bible is ‘what is the best translation?’
Bible version guide
There are so many English Bible translations. What’s the difference between them, and how should we choose which is the right one for us to read?
Accuracy or meaning?
When translating a text there are a number of decisions to make. One of these is how close to make your translation to the original text.
Some translators make it very close indeed. They translate word by word and keep the sentence structure as close to the original as they can (this is called formal equivalence or word for word). Other translators try to capture the meaning of the original text and don’t worry so much about keeping the sentence in the same structure as it was originally (this is called dynamic equivalence or thought for thought). An extreme version of dynamic equivalence is a paraphrase which begins not with the original language but with another English translation and then attempts to make it more understandable.
Formal equivalence
A formal equivalence, word for word, translation gives priority to what the original language says and how it says it. It aims to be a literal translation.
- Pros: it stays close to what the original Hebrew or Greek says; where the original is complex or deep they keep this; they try to avoid interpreting what the original writer meant and leave that to the reader
- Cons: sometimes they can be hard to understand and make little sense to a modern reader; sentence structure can be hard to follow; often relies on the assumption that the reader will understand technical language
Dynamic equivalence
A dynamic equivalence, thought for thought, translation gives priority to what the text means. It aims to make the text as readable for a modern audience as possible.
- Pros: is often easy to read and understand; it communicates what the passage means in an easy style; avoids technical language
- Cons: the translator decides for you what the passage means (which means that you have to follow what they think); sometimes the sentences are very different from what was originally said (or what you find in other translations); often the poetry of the original is lost.
There are very few purely formal or purely dynamic equivalence translations, most are a mix of the two but with an emphasis in one direction or another.
Discover more about different translations
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I'm new to the Bible
You might like to start with a translation that avoids too much technical language. Look for one described as ‘dynamic equivalent’**
I'll be reading the Bible aloud
A translation that focuses more on dynamic equivalence**.
I'll be reading with other people
Decide whether it would help you to have the same version as everyone else, or a different one so that you can see how different translators have translated the passage you are reading.
I want to study a passage in depth
A translation that focuses on formal equivalence* will be most helpful.
I'll be reading big sections at a time (e.g. following a Bible reading plan or lectionary)
A translation that focuses more on dynamic equivalence**.
I want this for use with children
You will need a translation with a lower level of English or a specific Children’s Bible.
I want to get a sense of the complexities of the passage and what translators have wrestled with to create their translations
Read a range of translations, choosing at least two formal equivalence* translations.
* A formal equivalence, word-for-word translation gives priority to what the original language says and how it says it. It aims to be a literal translation.
** A dynamic equivalence, thought-for-thought translation gives priority to what the text means. It aims to make the text as readable for a modern audience as possible.
How do I choose my Bible translation?
It all depends on who you are, what level of English you have, and what you will be using it for. It can help to know a few basic facts about translations ...
Many people find that they need more than one Bible version, and use different ones for different occasions. Due to the large number of translations available online for free, it is very easy to access a wide range of different versions.
What reading age is the translation?
This may seem to be an odd question but it is important to ask it. It is particularly important if you are choosing a translation for a child or young adult but is important in other contexts too. It may also be worth thinking about if you are choosing a Bible for yourself.
Some translations are rated as being for people with a reading age of over 16-17. In other words the sentence structure and the words used are complex and sometimes technical. This can make them hard to read for all sorts of people for reasons that are not just to do with how good you are at reading. You may find technical words off putting; long sentences hard (or dull) to plough through or poetic language difficult to understand.
Did you know, by the way, that the average reading age in the UK is 9 years old? So there is no judgement made in stating reading ages, the key really is to find one you enjoy reading. A good simple rule is to ask which newspapers you would be most likely to read. Tabloid newspapers (like the Sun, the Mirror or the Daily Mail) have an average reading age of 8; whereas broadsheets (like the Telegraph or the Guardian have an average reading age of 14).
Many Bible translations have a reading age of 16-17+. It is worth avoiding these if you or anyone in your group might find this hard to understand.
It is worth finding a Bible that you feel comfortable reading and the language it uses may well affect the choice you make.
Does the translation use gender neutral language?
The question of gender neutral (otherwise known as gender inclusive) language (for example whether the Bible says brothers and sisters or just brothers) is a controversial one.
- Some say that we should have gender neutral translations because in today’s English we don’t often use ‘man’ to refer to men and women or ‘brother’ to refer to ‘brothers and sisters’ and so on. So to be clear for modern readers we should have a version that makes it clear that the text refers to women and as well as men.
- Others say that we should stay close to the original text and if the original does not explicitly say women, our English text should reflect this.
Some translations attempt to be very gender neutral (like the NRSV) others like the NIV (2011) mildly so. The choice is yours. People feel strongly in both directions so you need to decide what you think about this and look for a Bible that you feel comfortable with.
Decide whether you are someone who cares about this issue (in either direction) if you do look out for a translation that is either inclusive or non-inclusive language on the chart.
Consider having access to more than one translation
Some people find it helpful to consult more than one translation of the Bible, especially if they are studying a particular passage in depth. In this case look for one that tries to be very close to the original text; one that emphases meaning over a literal translation and then one you don’t know well at all (to get a different perspective on what you are reading).
If you decide to do this it is very important to read with your mind alert to the difference between the translations, and with the question always being raised as to why they have translated it differently.
Is the translation supported/allowed by my denomination?
This will be a more important for some denominations than for others.
- The Catholic church has a list of translations which have been approved for use by Catholics in different circumstances, these include: Revised Standard Version; Jerusalem Bible; New Jerusalem Bible; New Revised Standard Version; Good News Bible (may be used for Masses with Children)
- The Church of England does not forbid any translation but does recommend: The King James Bible; the Revised Standard Version; the New International Version; the New Jerusalem Bible; The New Revised Standard Version; the Revised English Bible and the English Standard Version.
Most other denominations neither recommend nor forbid any translations but leave it up to personal preference.
Chosen your translation? Check out these resources...
The Journey through the Bible in 3½ Minutes series
It's a big book – and as well as being a library, it's also its own story. We've broken that big tale down into three parts, all 3½ minutes...