We live in an incredible time when not only do we have the freedom to study God’s Word, but also there are so many ways to do it! We can read it, watch it, listen to it, sit under preaching, read books about the Bible—so many ways to study.
On top of that, we can choose from so many different versions of the Bible. Whether you like an old English style of writing, one that sticks closely to the original language, or one that includes slang, there is a Bible version to appeal to your taste. So how do we know which one to choose?
The Bible Is Inspired
An important place to start is to acknowledge that the words originally penned by earthly authors were God’s words. Scripture says the words were “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). He used the writers’ personalities, culture, and writing style, but every word is His.
However, just as we find errors in manuscripts that were copied from the originals (or copies of copies), translating the words also leaves room for error. There is no perfect translation of the Bible. Where translations disagree, there is usually a plausible explanation for the choices made. So, while there are definitely bad Bible versions floating around, in general, there is no reason to get defensive or protective of your chosen version.
Bible Versions: Translation
To understand what the purpose of each version is, we need to define some terms. Let’s start with translation. A translation goes from one language to another. In other words, it will either start with the original Greek and Hebrew of the Bible, or it will originate in the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. Technically, you can call it a translation if it begins with a Bible in any other language, not necessarily the original languages. But for the most part, when a Bible version calls itself a translation, it means the translators went back to the Greek and Hebrew as their starting point.
If you’ve ever worked with another language, whether it was taking a Spanish class in High School, going on a missions trip, or spending time on DuoLingo or Rosetta Stone, you know there are words in one language that don’t translate into another. For example, in Spanish, I can think of four different words that would simply be translated “hair” in English (and one could accidentally be translated “horse”). So translators have to choose the best option in the target language for the word in the original language. This means that EVERY translation includes some interpretation and a mistake could be made.
Translation Spectrum
Bible versions that are translations range from being a “word-for-word” translation to a “thought-for-thought” translation. The word-for-word translations try to stay as close to the original language as possible. This means the sentences may be a little clunky in English because that isn’t the way we speak. It also means that illustrations, metaphors, and allegories might be lost on us because they may refer to things we don’t see in this part of the world or experience in our culture. But, again, we live in an amazing time with so many resources at our fingertips, and it isn’t too difficult to get explanations for things we don’t understand (though there may be more than one possible explanation).
A thought-for-thought translation takes a little more liberty with the interpretation. Rather than sticking so closely to each word, the translators are more concerned with getting the idea of a passage across. The translator’s goal is to make it easier for us to understand what God is conveying during our reading of the passage. Because a thought-for-thought translation presents the idea, there is room for error, though the translators do stay as true to the original as they can while still accomplishing their goal.
Bible Versions: Paraphrase
The next term we need to define is paraphrase. A paraphrase, by definition, is putting someone else’s words into your own. So a Bible version that calls itself a paraphrase, doesn’t typically go back to the original languages as its starting point, but instead uses a translation as its starting point. So it is another step removed from the original. (By the way, this is a great personal Bible study method!)
If we consider that there is a certain amount of interpretation in every translation, then a paraphrase is putting someone else’s interpretation into “easier” language or into language that resonates with its readers. A paraphrase then has the most opportunity for error, especially if it begins with a translation that has already committed an error in translation. But a paraphrase can be helpful for those especially difficult passages or ones with a lot of unfamiliar imagery.
How To Choose a Bible Version
So how do we know which Bible version to choose? My advice would be to choose at least one version from each category for your deep-dive studies. Reading multiple translations and paraphrases of the same passage can give you a more complete idea of what the passage means, and it can demonstrate the difficulties of translating that particular passage.
For an everyday reading Bible, say if you are reading through the Bible in a year, a translation closer to the thought-for-thought end of the spectrum might be helpful. You might “get more” from your reading but not miss important elements that a paraphrase might leave out.
If you want to do more than a superficial reading, or if you want to know which Bible to carry to church with you (since the preacher should be digging a little deeper than a superficial reading), my personal preference is a Bible version closer to the word-for-word end of the spectrum. I especially prefer a good study Bible that can help me clear up any questions that arise from the translation challenges.
If you have a Bible and you don’t know where it lands on the spectrum, open the front cover. Most Bibles have an explanation of the process for that Bible version at the beginning of the book. Read through it and decide if you approve of the process used or if you would rather seek out a Bible closer to your preferences. You can also do this research online by searching for the Bible version you have.
The unfortunate reality is there are some very poor Bible versions available to us, so it behooves us to do a little research to make sure we aren’t led astray by their faulty interpretations.
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