How to select a Bible Translation

We have so many different translations of the Bible because languages have a limited number of words to express the limitless number of feelings and ideas. This shortage of words is why translators can’t make a literal translation – one that uses the same English word to translate the same Greek word.

The Greek language has six tenses for each verb and English has three. Literal translation is impossible.

Example of a word with many meanings

To solve the problem of a limited number of words to express a limitless number of feelings many words must have a range of meanings. Consider the English word “Key”.

Bible examples of words with a range of meanings

Some Bible examples of words with multiple meanings include:

Bless

Blessed

Glory

Crown

Love

Grace

Two translation philosophies

The  people that study the original language of the New Testament become engrossed in its power to express ideas and they feel a certain amount of frustration in their attempts to convey the range of Greek meanings into English.  

The translators attempt to convey the original ideas into English fall into two broad areas, Formal Equivalence and Functional Equivalence.

The formal equivalence translators try to preserve the Greek language FORM – i.e. the word order and structure. They translate the 1st Century idioms into 21st Century English and let the reader decipher the meanings.

The functional equivalence translators take a different approach, they try to translate the meaning without emphasizing the grammatical forms and idioms, translators strive to give the modern reader the same experience the original readers experienced.

Two examples will illustrate the different philosophies:

2 Samuel 18:25

Formal   (MKJV) And the watchman cried and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. And he came apace and drew near. 

 Functional  (NET) So the watchman called out and informed the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he brings good news.“The runner came ever closer.

Acts 10:34 Formal

 (MKJV) Then Peter opened his mouth and said

(YLT) And Peter having opened his mouth, said,

Acts 10:34 Functional

(NET.) Then Peter started speaking:

(NLT) Then Peter replied,

This brief explanation illustrates why there are so many different translations. One translation cannot convey both the form of the original language and the English equivalence of the original meaning.  

Popular translations by translator philosophy

The following table classifies the most popular English translations into Formal Equivalence, Functional Equivalence, and Mediating (somewhere in between).

10 Criteria for a ‘best’ translation

Here are ten ideas for selecting a ‘best’ translation

1 --If English is your second language and you have a limited English vocabulary then I suggest the EasyEnglish Bible Translation. The Wycliffe Associates (UK) have translated the Bible using a 1,200-word vocabulary. More information here:
http://www.easyenglish.info/english-learners-bible/index.htm
http://www.easyenglish.info/about-us/articles/communicator.htm

2 -- If you have small children and you want to read to or with them, the Easy to Read Bible (ERV) is a good choice. It was first developed for the limited vocabulary of the deaf and it explains the theological terms in the body of the text. It had a major revision released in 2004.

3 -- If you want to ‘see’ how the best manuscripts are translated, and you would like to look over the shoulders of the translators and see the various readings of hard to understand passages, then the New English Translation (NET) is the best choice. This version has 60,000 notes that explain their selected translations. It is an original translation from the best manuscripts. It was made for ministry and it’s free on line and can be legally quoted as often as you like. Regardless of what other translations you chose, the NET is a valuable translation to have and use for reference and detail.

4 -- If you come from a KJV background (and want to stay there) and if you like the theological terms and original idioms in modern English, then I suggest the English Standard Version (ESV) 2001. This is an ‘essentially literal’ modern translation and a revision of the New Revised Standard Version of 1989.

5 -- If you do word studies and need the Strong’s Numbers to identify the Greek words, then I suggest the New American Standard (NASB) 1971 or the New American Standard Updated (NASU) 1995.

6 -- If you like archeology, seeing pictures and the places explained, then I suggest the NIV Archaeological Study Bible • It has bottom-of-page study notes exploring passages that speak on archaeological and cultural facts, 520 articles  covering five main categories: Archaeological Sites, Cultural and Historical Notes, Ancient Peoples and Lands, the Reliability of the Bible, and Ancient Texts and Artifacts. It also has approximately 500 4-color photographs interspersed throughout. Add to that the detailed book introductions that provide basic, at-a-glance information and the detailed charts on pertinent topics. It also has in-text color maps that assist you in placing the action. This is a thick Bible and perhaps not the Bible to carry to church (but I see people carrying one).

7 -- If you like a study Bible to both read and mark (which I recommend) there are many to choose from. I use the Life Application Study Bible, but there are many good choices. This website has a comparison chart of 18 study Bibles and there are many others not listed.
http://www.christianarmoryfl.com/biblecomp.htm

8 -- If you want the same version as your pastor uses, then your choice is narrowed down to Bible cover, font size, study notes (or not), maps (or not), and so on. The Bible publisher’s alternatives are easily found on line.

9 -- If you want an easy to read and mark Bible without study notes you have several choices. The NIV is a popular Bible and accounts for about 25% of Bible sales. The New Living Translation, New International Readers Version, Holman Christian Standard Bible, The Message, and the Common English Bible are also popular Bibles. The following three websites provide a great way to read each version to find the reading style you prefer.

http://www.biblegateway.com/ - 40+ versions
http://bible.cc/ - 20+ versions and several Bible commentaries
http://www.biblestudytools.com/ - 30+ versions

10 -- If you have a smart phone or tablet there are excellent Bible apps that allow you to read most of the popular translations on your device.

The You Version provides over 30 English translations and it allows you to have the same app on your phone, tablet, and PC, if you mark a verse on one device is displays on all devices. As you make notes, you can read them on all devices.

Biblegateway has an excellent app available for Apple, Android, and the Kindle.

NIV Study Bible is another excellent app for both Apple and Android.

Your app store has many other apps to choose from.

In the final analysis, the question is not which is the "best" translation, but which translations (plural) are you using. Something is lost in every translation so more than one translation is required for the best understanding.

 A complete presentation of selecting a Bible translation is on this web site:

http://lettersfromray.com/?p=3512

References

Blake, Donald L., A Visual History of the King James Bible, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2011

English Dictionary

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language

Fee, Gordon D., Strause, Mark L., How to Choose a Translation for All its Worth, , Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007

Piper, John, “God is the Gospel”, Wheaton ,IL: Crossway, 2005

King James Dictionary

http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/king-james-dictionary/

"Why I do not think King James Bible Best Translation Available Today" 

http://bible.org/article/why-i-do-not-think-king-james-bible-best-translation-available-today

Voddie Baucham "Why I Choose to Believe the Bible"

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZNXMJGYNG8