This month I’ve decided to focus on something very practical: how to choose a Bible translation. For 1600 years, you couldn’t read the Bible unless you knew Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and/or Latin. For about 300 years, there was only one English translation that was readily available: the King James Translation. Nowadays, with changes in language, the discovery of more ancient Biblical manuscripts, and advances in technology, I carry around at least 50 different English translations on my phone all the time. How are we supposed to choose?
There are two basic approaches to translating the Bible. First, there is the “Literal” approach—also known as “word for word.” In this approach, the translators take each work in the original text and translate it into an English word, so that they can get the most precise translation possible. This is the approach used by the King James translators, as well as the ESV, NRSV, and NASB. The benefit of this approach is that it gives you a highly accurate translation of the original text—which make them great for in-depth study. The negative side is that these translations are often the hardest to read—the vocabulary can be confusing and the sentences can be awkward.
The other approach is called “figurative,” or “thought for thought.” In this approach, the translators take an entire sentence from the text, discern the meaning of the sentence, and then translate the whole thought into English. This approach is used many newer translations like God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, and the New Living Translation. The downside is that this approach leaves more room for the biases of the translators to creep in, so it can be less accurate. The upside of these translations is that they are much easier to read than the literal translations, which make them great for people who are new to the Bible.
These two approaches are not really alternatives, because every translation uses both approaches to a certain point. They’re more like opposite ends of a scale. Some translations are very literal, and some a very figurative. The New King James Version is sometimes so literal that it doesn’t make sense in English. The Message is so figurative that it often strays from the meaning of the text into the author’s personal opinion. And there are many in between. In fact, there is a chart that shows these translations on a scale:
So which Bible is the “right” Bible? Well, that’s kind of like asking, which golf club is the “right” golf club? If you want to sit down and do a careful study of the text—if you want to be able to figure out exactly which Greek word Paul was using in one particular verse—then you need a very literal translation. If you want to read the Bible like a novel—read big chunks and enjoy the flow of the text—then I would recommend a more figurative text. No translation is perfect, but most translations are useful. The best approach is to use multiple translations, and to compare them to each other. If you have a question, or you come across something questionable, or you’re trying to learn an important subject, check a couple of translations and see how different groups understand the passage (try www.biblegateway.com). You’ll be amazed at the difference it will make, and the depth it will add to your study of the Bible!
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