Questions Often Asked Concerning
Different Bible Translations
1. The last question, "How do I choose a Bible translation?" is essential and the reason for asking and answering the other three. (Page 1)
2. What is the most exact English translation available in the world? The New American Standard Bible is flaunted as the most accurate, and though it is very academic in tone, it was updated in 1995.
3. What is the most popular Bible version? (Am. Std. Bible)
4. What are the different versions of Bibles? (See following comments)
5. "How do I choose a Bible translation?" See the following, particularly Pages 10-12)
Different Bible Translations (Versions)
What are the different versions of Bibles?
The King James Version (KJV)
• It was named after King James I of England, who authorized the work in 1604.
• It was completed by 1611, just 85 years after the very first English translation had come out (Tyndale, 1526).
• Over 50 scholars worked on this translation, using the Byzantine family of Manuscripts – the Textus Receptus.
• It was a revision of previous translations by Tyndale, Coverdale, the Great Bible, and the Geneva Bible.
• It has undergone three revisions, incorporating more than 100,000 changes! Furthermore, over 300 words in the King James no longer mean what they meant in 1611.
• In addition, many words in the KJV are now obscure; others cannot be traced back to the most reliable manuscripts.
• The Authorized Version has become the standard for English-speaking Protestants.
• The KJV has been called "the noblest monument of English prose" (RSV preface). Above all its rivals, the King James Version has had the most significant impact shaping the English language. It is a literary masterpiece.
• The KJV translators had access to only a few ancient manuscripts. Since their day, many older manuscripts have been discovered, resulting in more reliable Greek and Hebrew texts.
• It is suitable for study as long as one is familiar with the language. It is widely known and available and very inexpensive.
• The copyright is still valid in the United Kingdom, but it is in the public domain in the United States and elsewhere.
• For many people, the KJV is the only acceptable translation.
The New King James Version (NKJV)
• Thomas Nelson Publishers commissioned a revision of the KJV in 1975.
• Over 130 scholars, church leaders, and lay Christians worked until 1982 to complete this revision.
• It has been updated to modern English with several translation corrections, but it retains the original phraseology.
• They intended to create a new, modern translation of Scripture, but one that would retain the elegant literary style of the KJV.
• It is also based on the manuscripts from the Byzantine family (Textus Receptus).
• Although the New King James Bible, like all other translations, has a few flaws, it is a more accurate rendering of the Greek than the King James Version and is less likely to puzzle the reader.
• This is an excellent translation for people with a Wesleyan or Eastern Orthodox background.
The Revised Standard Version (RSV)
• Based on the American Standard Version, this translation was authorized in 1937.
• The New Testament was published in 1946, and the entire Bible with the Old Testament followed in 1952.
• It was advertised as a revision that sought to preserve all that is best in the English Bible as known and used throughout the years.
• Initially, the RSV Old Testament was not well received by conservative scholars because it was translated without considering later interpretations of those passages within the New Testament.
• Protestant Churches, however, embraced it, and soon the RSV became their "standard" text.
• The RSV attempted to be a word-for-word translation wherever possible.
• When the NRSV replaced it in 1990, the RSV ranked among the least popular Bibles, accounting for only 5 percent of the market share in the US.
The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
• Thirty men and women among the top scholars from the National Council of Churches worked on this new translation in 1990. Scholars from Protestant Churches, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and at least one Jewish scholar.
• Though it continues in the tradition of the KJV, it sets a new standard for the 21st Century.
• It tries to be as literal as possible and as free only as is necessary.
• It includes all the newfound manuscripts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls and archeological finds from the Ancient Near East.
• It also incorporates new information about Greek and Hebrew words.
• Unlike the RSV, the NRSV has received wide commendation from academics and church leaders.
• It is the most ecumenical among all Bible translations, using the standard Protestant canon and books used by Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
• The Bible comes in three editions: the Apocrypha, a Roman Catholic, and an Orthodox edition.
• It has received the endorsement of 33 Protestant churches, plus Catholic bishops and the leader of the Greek Orthodox Church.
• It has gender-inclusive language (i.e., "human" instead of "man"), among other factors, which distinguishes it from the Revised Standard Version.
• The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible is an authorized revision of the Revised Standard Version.
• There were three reasons given for issuing a revision of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible: (a) the discovery of older biblical manuscripts, (b) further investigation of linguistic features of the text, and (c) changes in preferred English usage, especially relating to gender issues.
• All in all, the NRSV is more accurate than the RSV.
The Jewish Publication Society (Tanakh)
• This is an excellent translation of the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament).
• It is based on the *Masoretic texts and uses the three-part division.
*The Hebrew text of the Old Testament is called the Masoretic Text because, in its present form, it is based upon the Masora—the Hebrew textual tradition of the Jewish scholars known as the Masoretes (or Masorites). The Masoretes were rabbis who made it their remarkable work to correct the faults that had crept into the text of the Old Testament during the Babylonian captivity and to prevent, for the future, it from being corrupted by any alteration. They first separated the apocryphal from the canonical books and divided the latter into twenty-two books, being the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Then they divided each book into sections and verses.
• Though non-Jews commonly use the word "Bible," the appropriate term for the Hebrew scriptures is Tanakh.
• TANAKH is an Acronym based on the letters T (for "Torah," the Law), N (for "Neviim," the Prophets), and K (for "Ketuvim," the Sacred Writings).
• It is the compilation of the teachings of God to human beings in document form.
• The Tanakh consists of 24 books. The Torah has 5; the Neviim has 8, and Ketuvim has 11.
• These are the same books found in the Protestant Old Testament, but they differ in order. Books like Kings and Chronicles are counted as one.
• Some scholars prefer to use the "Hebrew Bible" instead of the "Old Testament" to avoid any denominational bias.
• English translations of the Old Testament were uncommon until the 1980s, in part because Jews generally studied the texts in their original language.
• The first JPS translation was completed in 1917. It was based on the most accurate scholarship available at that time, including the KJV.
• By 1950, it was outdated, so numerous Jewish scholars began to update it. Work was begun on the New JPS Version in 1955; it took seven years to complete.
• Those who translated it were experts in Biblical scholarship; they always tried to present the original meaning of the texts.
• The New JPS is the official Torah commentary of Reformed Judaism; Conservative Judaism also uses it.
The New International Version (NIV)
• Over 100 translators completed this work in 1978, composed of Kittle's, Nestle's, and United Bible Society's texts.
• Committees from the Christian Reformed Church and the National Association of Evangelicals decided in 1965 that a new translation was needed.
• The translators of the New International Version sought to make a version that was midway between a literal rendering (as in the New American Standard Bible) and a free paraphrase (as in The Living Bible). Their goal was to convey in English the thought of the original writers.
• It is a good, easy-to-read translation that focuses on the meaning of phrases instead of a word-by-word translation.
• Since 1987, the NIV has outsold the King James Version, the best-seller for centuries. This is an excellent indication of the NIV's popularity and acceptance in the Christian community.
• The New International Version, sponsored by the [International] Bible Society, has become a standard version used for private and pulpit reading in many English-speaking countries.
• The NIV is the product of evangelical scholars from various church backgrounds.
The Good News Bible/Today's English Version (GNB or TEV)
• This is a phrase-by-phrase (instead of word-by-word) translation done in a common language.
• Robert Bratcher completed this work in 1976 after a grueling nine years in production.
• It was completed in conjunction with a committee and by the American Bible Society.
• It was intended for an unchurched audience and did not use traditional religious vocabulary.
• Those familiar with the Bible might think it inaccurate because it is a paraphrase.
• It was a version deemed suitable for children.
• It reads like a novel; storytelling is one of its most vital points.
• Evangelicals did not well receive it.
• The official name today is Today's English Version.
• In 2001 Zondervan began publishing the translation and changed its name: The Good News Translation.
The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
• This is an excellent translation by 30 Catholic scholars done in 1985.
• It is a revision of the Jerusalem Bible (1966), motivated by scholars to improve accuracy.
• The Jerusalem Bible was based on the French Bible de Jerusalem (1961), which the Dominican Biblical School in Jerusalem had prepared.
• This latter Bible had been revised in 1973, and it was only a matter of time before the Jerusalem Bible would be revised as well.
• The NJB is the product of the best Bible scholars in the Roman Catholic Church.
• The book has a distinct Roman Catholic flavor that presents the position of the Church on various passages, especially regarding the Old Testament.
• This Bible includes the Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical books, and many studies helps—such as introductions to each book of the Bible, extensive notes on various passages, and maps.
• The translators believe that laypeople need interpretive helps in order to understand the scriptures.
• It is a more accessible translation because the translators wanted to capture the meaning of the original texts in a vigorous contemporary style.
• Though the translators attempted to make it more literal, they balanced this with inclusive language.
• The NJB is the most widely used outside the US among Roman Catholics.
The New American Bible (NAB)
• This is a 1970 English Bible translation produced by Roman Catholic Bible scholars.
• It was updated in 1991 to include more inclusive language, especially in the New Testament and the Psalms. (Because of this, the Vatican has not accepted it as the basis for its lectionary.)
• It was again revised in 2000 in connection with the Vatican and continues to be the Bible of choice for the Roman Catholics in the US.
• There is a short introduction to each book, complete with marginal notes.
• This was the first American Catholic Bible to be translated from the original languages.
• It is a very readable, clear, simple, and straightforward translation.
• It is not as good as the Jerusalem Bible of severe students but is the preferred Bible for American Catholics.
The New American Standard Bible (NASB)
• This version was translated in 1971 by 58 scholars of the Lockman Foundation, from Kittle's, Biblia Hebraica, and Nestle's Greek New Testament 23rd ed
• Although it is very academic in tone, it is the most exact English translation available and was updated in 1995. The New American Standard Bible (NASB)
• On the whole, the New American Standard Bible is respected as a good study Bible that accurately reflects the wording of the original languages.
• The translators came from a wide variety of evangelical backgrounds.
• The NASB is something of an evangelical counterpart to the RSV. It, too, was intended to be something of a revision of the King James.
• There are three significant differences between the RSV and the NASB: first, the NASB is less archaic in its wording. Second, its translators were more conservative theologically than the RSV translators. Third, because of the translators' desire to adhere as closely to the original's wording, this translation is often stilted and wooden.
• The NASB is probably the best word-for-word translation available today, based on what the manuscripts say instead of what translators want them to say.
The Message
• The New Testament part of The Message was published in 1993 by NavPress. The Old Testament was completed in 2002.
• The Message is a free, highly colloquial, and interpretive translation/paraphrase of the New Testament by Eugene H. Peterson.
• This version of the Bible is written in contemporary language with contemporary idioms.
• The goal was not to render a word-for-word conversion of Greek into English but rather to convert the tone, the rhythm, the events, the ideas into the way we think and speak.
• Eugene Peterson, the paraphraser, worked from the original languages.
• Eugene Peterson has taught biblical languages on the post-graduate level and is a respected theologian with pastoral experience. He is of a J. B. Phillips's caliber and is well qualified to undertake a paraphrase.
• The Message is not suited for severe Bible study since the paraphrase, by its nature, obscures terminology and some implications of the text.
• On the other hand, the Message is as accurate as a paraphrase can be, and it is easy to read and understand.
The Living Bible (TLB)
• This is another paraphrased rendition of the King James Version done by Kenneth Taylor, who began paraphrasing scripture in 1954. He is an author, not a Bible scholar.
• The Bible was completed by 1971. It was the most popular Bible in America within a year or two. By 1997, over 40 million copies had been sold.
• This is not a genuine translation but a phrase-by-phrase commentary that was originally intended to help the author's children better understand the scriptures.
• It is helpful for inspiration and commentary, but for serious Bible study, it should only be used in conjunction with a legitimate translation.
• Taylor's paraphrase has been criticized for being too interpretive. However, that is the nature of paraphrases— (see comments above on The Message.)
• Despite initial criticism by conservative scholars, the Living Bible has been very popular among English readers worldwide.
• It has been revised many times and appears in many different versions. It was largely replaced by the New Living Translation in 1996.
• Some people believe that the Living Bible clarifies the already present meaning. Others believe it imputes meaning into a text that is not originally there.
• It does an excellent job on Bible stories.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV)
• The Contemporary English Version was started in 1984. The New Testament was published in 1991; the entire Bible was available in 1995.
• The American Bible Society published it.
• It is similar to the Good News Bible but designed for children or lower reading levels.
• The translation team was comprised of over 100 members. It was an international, inter-denominational group. Among this group were translators, English language experts, as well as Biblical authorities
• The mission statement for the ABS translation team was to produce a biblically accurate, reader-friendly, and understandable translation -- even for first-time Bible readers.
• Among particular concerns were ease of reading without sounding 'childish,' comprehensibility when read aloud, modern formatting, quality of style, and literary value.
• This requires more interpretive language, which leads to some inaccuracies.
• It is heavily influenced by the Septuagint, which combines both Hebrew and Greek.
The English Standard Version (ESV)
• This translation was published by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers, which has no affiliation with any particular denomination.
• It grew out of the Tyndale/King James Versions of the Bible and the Revised Standard Version most recently.
• Archaic language has been updated, though every word and phrase has been checked with the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
• It was translated by a group of scholars who are mostly conservative on social and political issues.
• They attempted to be as literal as possible while still producing a clear English text.
• They have not changed Greek gender-specific words to generic or plural English ones.
The New English Bible
• The Old Testament was published first in 1960. It took almost 25 years to complete. This translation was completed in 1971.
• The initiative for this translation arose in the Church of Scotland in 1946, but they were soon joined by the Church of England and Roman Catholics.
• This is not a revision but a brand new translation.
• It is not word for word but rather a phrase for phrase translation. The phrase that best describes this is "dynamic equivalence."
• It follows in translators like James Moffatt (Good News, Message, et al.)
• Its English is excellent, but sometimes the translators' biases come into play, and it is less than faithful to Greek or Hebrew.
• By 1974, scholars were already looking to revise parts of it. The Revised English Bible is somewhat more literal than its original, but indeed not of the quality of the RSV.
J B Phillips (New Testament only)
• J. B.Phillips was an Anglican clergyman who first began paraphrasing the epistles of the New Testament into modern English for his Church's youth group, which met in bomb shelters during air raids in World War II.
• He eventually completed the entire New Testament and later revised it into an accurate translation.
• Many editions of the J. B. Phillips New Testament lack verse numbers.
• The wording is significantly different from other translations.
• Earlier editions are too British for Americans.
• The J. B. Phillips New Testament gives unique and accurate insights into the New Testament.
Many of these translations are derived from what went before…
• William Tyndale's New Testament of 1526.
• The King James Version of 1611 (KJV).
• The English Revised Version of 1885 (RV).
• The American Standard Version of 1901 (ASV).
• Moreover, the Revised Standard Version of 1952 and 1971 (RSV).
In General….
• Roman Catholic churches use the New American or New Jerusalem Bible in worship and instruction.
• Protestant congregations belonging to mainstream denominations or whose pastors have attended mainstream seminaries generally use the New Revised Standard Version.
• Protestant churches that belong to smaller denominations or have more conservative theological, social, or political views generally use the New International Version.
• The New King James Version is popular in Methodist, Wesleyan, and Orthodox churches.
• The New American Standard Bible is popular in independent churches, heavily into Bible study during worship.
• Today's English Version is occasionally used in churches, generally with moderate to liberal theological, social, or political views.
• The Authorized Version (the King James Version in the United States) is still the preferred Bible in some congregations. Generally, they are independent, or they belong to loosely organized denominations.
How do I choose a Bible translation?
