Confusing Bible versions
Image via WikipediaIt’s daunting to walk into a bookstore and figure out which Bible is best from among the multitudes available.
It’s especially confusing for new believers – so many translations, formats, study features, and even colors!
However, it’s worth spending extra time to consider this issue because the Bible is the God-breathed and inspired Word for us to grow in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and an active source of power to the living God (Hebrews 4:12). Psalm 119 is a triumphant devotional to the beauty, power, and majesty of reading, meditating upon, and memorizing God’s word.
There are a number of excellent Bibles to choose from. Personally, I consult several Bible versions in my writing, speaking, devotions, and Bible study. This is especially helpful to get the meaning of a passage when an isolated text in another version may not be clear.
Logically, it’s best to first choose a Bible translation that is sound and that you are comfortable reading. A sound Bible translation is one that goes back to the best Greek & Hebrew manuscripts and is translated by scholars who affirm that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Next, consider getting a study Bible in the version you like.
A study Bible provides commentary notes at the bottom or side of the page. While these notes are not inspired, they can provide clarity at places where the text can be confusing to the reader.
Bible translations are on a spectrum from what essentially are “word for word” translations to “thought for thought” translations. “One must understand the two schools of thought regarding translation,” said Dr. James White, critical consultant to the New American Standard Bible (NASB) update.
“The first says that the goal of interpretation is to retain as much of the form of the original language as possible. This results in a more literal, word-for-word translation (e.g., King James Version (KJV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), American Standard Version (ASV)).
“The second says that the goal is to retain the meaning of the original text but not the form. This results in a ‘freer’ rendering (e.g., New International Version (NIV), New Living Translation (NLT), Contemporary English Version (CEV)).
The numerous English versions currently available lie along a spectrum between these two kinds of translation, although every version contains elements of both kinds. The student of Scripture can gain insight into the biblical text by comparing versions from across the spectrum.”
All of the Bible versions mentioned above are fine for using in our devotions and growing in Christ. For many more insights, see “Bible Versions: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” [PDF] from the Christian Research Journal. For specific examples of form versus function, see Table 1 of this article. Another helpful online chart illustrating differences in translation philosophy compared to other Bibles may be found online as well.
What about a paraphrase? While there may be times when a paraphrase may offer an insight, consistent Bible reading by Christians should be grounded in a sound translation, White said.
“A paraphrase of the Bible, such as The Living Bible or The Message, is a loose, free-flowing rendering that reflects the individual author’s personal idea of what the original text is saying. As such, it is not a translation and at times may not have any meaningful connection to the original text outside of a loose, conceptual one.
A paraphrase functions somewhat like an extended running commentary. One thing that is beyond dispute, however, is that a paraphrase should never be taken as a ground for a theological teaching or doctrine. A paraphrase should be read with a formal (or at least functional) version firmly in hand, and if that version does not support some ‘insight’ that is offered in the paraphrase, one should be very slow to adopt that insight. A paraphrase does not fall into the ‘bad’ category for the simple reason that is it not a Bible translation at all, and should never be treated as one.”
Bible translation resources that go into even more depth include The Complete Guide to Bible Versions by Philip W. Comfort and Bible Translation Differences: Criteria for Excellence in Reading and Choosing a Bible Translation by Leland Ryken, which can be read online[PDF].
A handy tool for comparing Bible translations is www.Biblegateway.com. They have recently launched their updated and improved version of the site; it’s worth stopping by and seeing the Bible study resources you might want to use.
Of course, I’ve got my own biases. I’m the general editor of The Case for Christ Study Bible, which includes the NIV translation of the Old and New Testaments plus hundreds of sidebars, articles, and notes that we developed to help to help readers understand why we believe what we believe as Christians.
