Choosing
a Bible Translation
by J. Kristen
Edscorn
Fifty years ago the King James, or Authorized, Version of
the Bible was considered by many to be the only reliable translation and choosing a Bible
involved selecting the binding and color. Today, dozens of English translations are
available. So, how does one decide which is best?
First, we need to recognize that there is no one
translation that is the best. Even the writers of the New Testament books quote from
several Greek translations of the Old Testament. Today we have no perfect translation, but
there are a number which are very good. The real question is: Which is best for our
particular needs?
About the King James
So what is wrong with the good old King James Version? It probably is the most beautiful,
elegant, literary English translation that will ever be produced. In fact, it contributed
a great deal to the formation of the English language. Modern translations usually lack
the poetry of the King James because modern biblical scholars are more scientists than
artists.
Nevertheless, there are two major problems with the King
James Version. First of all, when it was translated in 1611, there were relatively few
Hebrew and Greek manuscripts available and they tended to be recent and less accurate. In
the nearly 400 years since then literally thousands more manuscripts have
been discovered, ranging from small portions to complete copies of the Old
or New Testaments. Many of these are very early and more accurate.
Secondly, the English in the King James Version is not at
all the same language spoken today. Both the vocabulary and grammar have changed
considerably. As a result, a reader often must retranslate the King James into modern
English in his or her mind. For many people, especially children, reading the King James
Version is like reading a foreign language.
So Which is for Me?
Which brings us to the numerous modern translations. Most of
these have been produced by fine scholars using the many thousands of manuscripts
available today. Different translations are better for various purposes.
If you are interested in serious study of the
Bible, including grammar and vocabulary, you will want a more literal translation, such as
the English Standard Version, New King James, or New American Standard.
However, it is always good to compare several translations, especially for
passages that are difficult to understand. If you are interested
in reading the Bible in large blocks, you probably will prefer one of the freer
translations (not necessarily less accurate), such as the New International, New Living
Translation, or Contemporary English Version.
The following is an annotated list of the most popular
modern English translations.
Contemporary English Version (CEV), is a
completely new translation published by the American Bible Society in 1995. Originally intended as a children's
translation, it uses a very simple, contemporary style. It is independent of traditional
translations and freer of "biblical" terms. This is an especially good
translation for people who speak English as a second language.
English Standard
Version (ESV) is an "essentially new literal translation" follows
the tradition of the King James, American Standard Version, and Revised
Standard Version. Published in 2001 by
Crossway, it
was developed by a translation team of more than 100 scholars, with the goal
of being very accurate (word for word), and yet very readable.
Good News Bible (Today's English Version) (TEV),
completed in 1976, was translated by Robert G. Bratcher with six other scholars. This very
free, though very accurate, translation avoids the use of traditional biblical vocabulary
and communicates especially well with youth and the unchurched. Also published by the American Bible Society.
Holman Christian
Standard Bible (HCSB) is another new word-for-word translation
that strives to be both literally accurate and readable. It is not as
literal as the ESV or NASB, but is more so than the NIV. The Holman
published by
Broadman &
Holman in 2003, is the product of nearly 100 scholars.
The Living Bible (LB), completed in 1971, is
Kenneth N. Taylor's paraphrase of the American Standard Version. Easy to read and once
immensely popular, it is often criticized for adding too much commentary to the biblical
text. Published by Tyndale House,
although apparently no longer available from them.
The Message (Msg)
- Eugene Peterson completed this paraphrase of the entire Bible in 2002.
Peterson takes great liberties with words in his attempt to effectively
communicate both the original thoughts and tone of the Scripture. The result
is a very earthy, informal language. Published by NavPress.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) -
completed in 1971, was produced by 54 conservative Protestant scholars sponsored by the
Lockman Foundation.
This version is very literal in vocabulary and word order, although the resulting English
is quite wooden. It often is preferred by those who want an English version that reflects
the grammar of the original. An Update was published in 1995 which seeks to use more
modern English while preserving the literal nature of the translation.
New International Version (NIV), completed
in 1978, was the product of 115 evangelical scholars. Within a decade it became the
best-selling English version. It combines contemporary, literary English with traditional
biblical vocabulary. The NIV is copyrighted by the International Bible Society.
New King James Version (NKJV), released in
1982, involved 119 contributors. It updates the vocabulary and grammar of the King James
Version, while preserving the classic style and beauty. Although it uses the same Hebrew
and Greek texts as the original, it indicates where other manuscripts differ. Published by
Thomas
Nelson.
New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) of 1985 revised
and updated the text and notes of the Jerusalem Bible of 1966. This version, translated by
two Catholic scholars, is an elegant, literary rendering (perhaps the most poetic since
the KJV). The notes reflect a modern, liberal perspective.
New Living Translation (NLT), published in
1996, is the product of 90 Bible scholars from around the world, from various theological
backgrounds and denominations. This is a very readable translation, while remaining more
faithful to the original texts than the Living Bible (see above). Also published by Tyndale.
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) -
published in 1989 by the National Council of Churches, revises the Revised Standard Version of
1952. While following the literal tradition of the RSV, the NRSV eliminates much of the
archaic language. One distinctive is the use of gender inclusive pronouns to replace male
pronouns when the original writers meant both men and women. The NRSV does not change
masculine pronouns referring to God, however.
Revised English Bible (REB), completed in
1989, is a thorough revision of the New English Bible. Like the original, it was
translated by a committee of British scholars, representing all the major Christian
traditions in the United Kingdom. The more archaic language was omitted and a more
conservative approach was taken toward some of the difficult passages. Many readers find
it to be an excellent translation for personal reading and study, though its British
idioms make it less popular in the U.S.
A New Testament of Note
Special mention also should be made of an important New Testament paraphrase. A paraphrase
translates the thoughts of the original text, not the words. In 1958 J. B. Phillips
completed The New Testament in Modern English. Phillips had a
special knack of rendering difficult and long sentences into very understandable English.
He even translates well some of the Greek puns and word plays that usually are lost. It
can be very helpful to have a copy of Phillips nearby, especially when studying the
epistles of Paul.
For Children
Several translations especially for children have been published in recent years, in
addition to the CEV mentioned above. The International Children's Bible
was completed in 1985 by 21 evangelical scholars. It is written on a high third-grade
level. An adult edition, known as the New Century Version, also is available. Published by
Thomas
Nelson/Word.
The International Bible Society produced the New
International Reader's Version (NIrV) as a children's version of the popular NIV.
It also is on a third-grade reading level. Both of these Children's Bibles are excellent
resources for children. The NIrV comes in several study Bible formats designed especially
for children. Published by International Bible Society.
This page was last updated on
July 26, 2005. |
