Comparing Bible Translations
The research you do in choosing a version of the Bible can be as simple as knowing its basic orientation and looking up three or four verses, or as extensive as a massive computer analysis. What I've done here is provide a few sample verses for a large number of questions you might want answered before you decide what Bible version is best for you.
I cannot pretend to be unbiased in this area. I grew up with the King James Version, used the NIV in college, and carry the Updated NASB for most of my English Bible reading today. In studying the languages at seminary, I've come to some fairly firm conclusions about what a translator should and should not do. But while I'll offer my own opinion on most of these questions, I hope to provide enough information that you, the reader, can make an informed decision yourself.
Following the classification of Robert L. Thomas, I've divided the questions into five basic categories. To allow you as much independence as you desire in checking out a translation, I'm listing only the questions and sample verses on this page. For those who want more, I've linked to my analysis for each question and a summary of my conclusions for each of 40-plus Bible versions. There's also a practice page that allows you to compare several versions of the same passage on your own.
Questions to Ask in Assessing a Bible Version
Issue #1: Historical Background
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When was the translation produced?
Who produced the translation?
Is the translation translated directly from the original languages (Hebrew and Aramaic for OT, Greek for NT)?
Does the version derive from previous translations?
Has the translation itself been revised?
Has the translation gained wide acceptance among Christians?
Has the translation gained widespread criticism or been the subject of controversy?
Issue #2: Textual Basis
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Toward which manuscript tradition does the translation lean?
Presence or absence of a divine name: Matt. 19:17; 21:12; Rom. 1:16; Eph. 3:9, 14
Differences in length of a divine name: Matt. 16:20; John 6:69; Acts 16:31; 2 Cor. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:22
Other pious expansions: Matt. 6:13; John 3:13; 9:35; 1 Cor. 7:5; 10:28
Theological clarification: Mark 10:24; Luke 2:43; Acts 4:25; 16:7; 1 Pet. 4:1
Possible marginal glosses: Mark 9:49; Luke 9:54; John 5:3-4; 1 Pet. 4:14
Story embellishments: Matt. 20:7; 28:9; Mark 7:8; John 8:59; Acts 28:16
Stylistic changes: Mark 1:31; Eph. 6:10; James 5:16; 1 John 2:7; Rev. 8:13
General deliberate changes: Rom. 11:6; 14:6; 1 Cor. 7:39; 1 John 4:19
Similarity to other passages: Matt. 5:44; Mark 11:10; Luke 11:2; 23:38; 1 Cor. 11:24
Old Testament citations: Matt. 15:8; Luke 4:4; Rom. 9:28; 10:15; Heb. 7:21
Probable copyist's errors: Luke 2:14; 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 3:1
How does the translation handle debatable variant readings?
Difficult Old Testament texts: Judg. 18:30; 1 Sam. 13:1, 5; 1 Kgs. 4:26; Isa. 3:24
Difficult texts in the Gospels: Matt. 8:28; 12:47; 18:15; 23:26; Mark 1:1; 3:32; 7:9; 10:2; 14:68; Luke 10:1
The "Western non-interpolations": Luke 24:3, 6, 12, 36, 40, 51-52
Other New Testament texts: 1 Thes. 2:7; Jam. 5:20; 2 Pet. 3:10; 1 John 3:21; Jude 5, 22-23
How does the translation handle the larger traditional but unlikely readings?
Mark 16:9-20; Luke 23:34; John 7:53-8:11; Acts 8:37; 1 John 5:7-8; Rev. 22:19
Issue #3: Translation Philosophy
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How literal or free is the translation?
Does the translator seek to fill a perceived void among English translations by presenting an improved translation philosophy?
Are sentences broken up, condensed, or restructured for easier reading?
Gen. 2:4; Deut. 21:15; 1 Sam. 18:4; Psa. 19:7-9; Ezek. 29:11; Rom. 1:16; Eph. 1:3-14; 2:1-10; 1 Pet. 1:3-9
How far does the translator go in interpreting certain texts?
Luke 16:9; John 3:18; 1 Corinthians 7:1, 36
To what extent is the sense of the verb communicated?
Attention to verb tense: Matt. 16:19; 26:40; Mark 9:31; 11:24, 27; John 4:30; 5:2, 16; Rom. 5:1; 1 Cor. 15:4; Heb. 2:18; 1 John 5:1; Rev. 10:7
First-class conditions: 1 Thes. 4:14; 1 Pet. 1:17; 1 John 4:11
Other verb issues: Acts 22:16; 1 Cor. 7:36; Eph. 4:26; 1 Pet. 3:14; Rev. 5:5
Does the translator tend to overtranslate or undertranslate nuances and connotations?
1 Sam. 20:30; Isa. 10:30; Mic. 5:1; Matt. 9:37; John 10:28; Rom. 4:8; Rom. 10:15; Titus 2:1, 6, 9; Heb. 13:5; 1 John 3:1
How does the translator handle idioms and hyperbole?
Deut. 21:15; Josh. 8:17; 1 Kgs. 1:40; Matt. 5:29; 28:9; Luke 9:44; Gal. 5:12
Are technical or specialized terms translated with proper distinctions?
Does the translation perpetuate mistranslations that have appeared in other versions?
Exod. 20:13; Isa. 14:12; Zech. 1:8; Luke 23:33; Acts 12:4; 17:22; 1 Cor. 15:4; 2 Cor. 10:2; Heb. 4:8
What of cases where punctuation is debated?
John 1:3-4; 3:13-21; 3:30-36; 1 Cor. 6:12; 7:1; Eph. 1:4-5
Does the translation distinguish between the singular and plural forms of second person pronouns?
Issue #4: Theological Orientation
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For what stated theological purpose was the translation or revision made, if any?
With what denominations are the primary translators affiliated?
What theological statements appear in the translation's introduction?
Are nuances of gender and/or number frequently muted or altered in the text?
Hebrew 'ish and Greek aner :
Acts 17:22; 20:30; 1 Cor. 13:11; Jam. 1:12
Words for mankind:
Gen. 1:27; 5:2; Psa. 90:3; Luke 4:4; 9:44; John 1:4; 2:25-3:1
Words for fathers, sons, and brothers:
Gen. 48:21; Exod. 19:6; Mark 11:10; Luke 17:3; Rom. 9:5; Gal. 4:7; Heb. 2:17; 12:7
"Generic he ":
Matt. 16:24; John 14:23; Gal. 6:7; Jam. 5:14; Rev. 3:20; 22:19
Texts with Messianic import:
Psa. 8:4; 34:20; Dan. 7:13; 1 Cor. 15:21; 1 Tim. 2:5
Are passages rewritten to support a particular ideology or doctrine?
How does the translator treat texts relevant to the identity of Christ?
Jesus as God: Psa. 45:6; John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Acts 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Phil. 2:6; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8; 2 Pet. 1:1
Messianic prophecy: Psa. 2:2, 12; 110:1
worship of Jesus: Matt. 28:9; John 9:38
How does the translator treat texts relevant to the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament?
Psa. 51:11; Isa. 61:1; 63:10
How does the translator treat texts relevant to the truthfulness of the Bible?
How does the translator treat texts relevant to salvation?
Matt. 25:46; John 3:36; Acts 13:48; Rom. 3:25; 9:22; Gal. 3:23-24; Eph. 1:11-12; 2:8-9; Heb. 2:17; 1 Pet. 2:8; 1 John 4:10
How does the translator treat other frequently debated texts?
Gen. 6:2; Exod. 21:22; Mal. 2:16; Mark 3:21; Acts 16:34; 19:2; Rom. 16:1, 7; 1 Cor. 14:2; Gal. 6:16; Eph. 3:5; 1 Tim. 3:11; Rev. 20:4
Issue #5: English Style
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Is the language contemporary, older, or a combination?
1 Sam. 17:6; 18:4; Amos 9:10; Matt. 19:14; John 17:2; Acts 17:5; 2 Thes. 2:7; Heb. 12:3; Jam. 1:21; 1 Pet. 2:12
Does the translation contain regionalisms, slang, or considerable informalities?
Gen. 36:6; 1 Sam. 20:30; Matt. 13:57; 23:24; Luke 4:22; 6:35; 7:34; 1 Cor. 16:8; 1 Pet. 2:12
What is the reading level and range of vocabulary for the translation?
Is the translation pleasant to read?
Does the translator capitalize pronouns referring to deity?
What does the translator do with the name of God?
Does the translator show an effort to translate the same word consistently where appropriate?
righteous: Luke 5:32; 14:14, with 12:57
abide: John 1:32-33; 38-39; 3:36; 6:27; 14:10, 16
love: 1 Cor. 4:21; 13:1; 1 Thes. 3:6
Has the King James Verison influenced word order and word choice in familiar passages?
Matt. 6:9; Luke 2:12-13; 1 Cor. 13:1
Are words supplied by the translator differentiated from the text itself?
Is prose text presented in paragraph format, or does each verse begin on a new line?
Are prose, poetry, and other forms rendered as such in the format of the text?
Gen. 4:23; Dan. 7:9-14; Matt. 27:37; 1 Pet. 2:21-25; Rev. 7:5-8
Does the translation provide footnotes for explanations and alternate readings or renderings?
Does the translation mark Old Testament citations in the New Testament?
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