All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV)
Do you read one Bible translation or several? My primary translation for much of the last 20 years has been the New International Version (NIV) or New Living Translation (NLT), but, lately, I’ve spent some time in The Passion Translation (TPT). I find that different versions of the Bible can speak to me in different ways and for different purposes.
Scholars estimate that there are over 450 English versions and variants of the Bible. Some stick closely to the original languages, while others allow more interpretive freedom. For example, the King James Version (KJV), English Standard Version (ESV), and New American Standard Bible (NASB) aim for a “word-for-word” translation from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek. The NIV and NLT follow a “thought-for-thought” approach, prioritizing readability and clarity. Versions like the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and New English Translation (NET) are more academic in scope. Paraphrases such as The Living Bible (TLB), The Message (MSG), The Amplified Bible (AMP), and The Passion Translation (TPT) take greater liberties with the wording but can be valuable for devotional reading or gaining fresh perspectives on familiar passages.
Since most of us, including myself, do not have a deep understanding of ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, or Koine Greek, I am grateful for scholars and pastors who do. Their knowledge helps bring the truth of God’s Word across centuries into our modern context. As we have learned more about these ancient languages and their cultures, our understanding of Scripture has developed and grown.
For instance, consider Genesis 1:1:
- Wycliffe (1382): “In the beginning God made of nothing heaven and earth.”
- KJV (1611): “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
- NRSV (1989): “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth…”
The changes in wording may seem subtle, but they reflect evolving scholarship and the development of the English language over time.
While I want to be sure that what I read aligns with God’s original intentions, I also find that reading multiple translations can shed new light on what God wants to communicate.
For example, I was recently drawn to Psalm 136, a call-and-response psalm recounting God’s works in the lives of the ancient Hebrew people. Each line is followed by a refrain reminding us that God’s love endures forever. I was fascinated by how this refrain is expressed differently across various Bible translations. For instance, here is Psalm 136:1 in several versions:
His lovingkindness (graciousness, mercy, compassion) endures forever. (AMP)
His steadfast love endures forever. (ESV)
His love is eternal. (GNT)
His mercy endureth for ever. (KJV)
His loving-kindness continues forever. (TLB)
His love never quits. (MSG)
His faithfulness is everlasting. (NASB)
His love endures forever. (NIV)
His faithful love endures forever. (NLT)
His loyal love endures. (NET)
His steadfast love endures forever. (NRSV)
His tender love for us continues on forever! (TPT)
For me, I often read a variety of translations of a verse to get different perspectives on that verse. The above verse is obviously about the love of God being eternal. But, as we read the different translations we get a fuller understanding of that concept. If we put all these together we might get something like this:
God’s steadfast, tender, loyal, faithful, merciful, gracious lovingkindness and compassion – his LOVE – never quits, but is everlasting and endures and continues on forever.
If you’re wondering where I’m going with all this discussion about Bible translations, I encourage you to look again at the list of Psalm 136 refrains above and reflect: which one speaks to you today? Which version meets you in a moment of pain, celebration, or questioning? Which one draws your attention to a quality of God’s character that you need to focus on right now?
Word of God,
Thank you for the ways in which you have equipped us to understand your Word. Thank you for scholars, pastors, translators, and others who have made the Bible accessible through the generations. Guide us into all Truth as we read your Word, and show us what we need to know through the beauty of the Bible. We ask this in Jesus’s name, AMEN.