The goal of every translation of the Bible is the same. To help the reader hear the Voice of God in the text. . But with a myriad of translations to choose from, it can be hard to know which one to pick so you CAN hear the voice of God in the text.
Oftentimes, it just comes down to grabbing whichever one you can find on the shelf or at the store. It is a well-intentioned strategy, until you get home and wonder wherefore art thou in this King James Bible and what shall ye then do when you don’t quite understand what you’re reading? You give up. And giving up is a guarantee that you won’t hear the voice of God in the text.
Maybe you’ve been looking for the right translation and wondering “is this the right one?” Should I spend all this money on a Bible I’ll never read?” The answer is an astounding, no! You shouldn’t spend any money on a Bible you’ll never read…
Today, you’re in luck! I’m going to share a system for picking the RIGHT translation that will help you hear the voice of God in the text! I want you to pick the RIGHT translation for YOU!
It’s difficult, but you do need a little background in the art and science of translation. There are two basic approaches, one is called the “Dynamic Equivalence” and the other is called the “Formal Equivalence.”
“Formal Equivalence” the “Word for Word” Approach.
The “Formal Equivalence” is driven by a method that aims to keep the translated text as close to the original text as possible, hence the phrase “Word for Word.” The translator essentially puts the “responsibility” on the reader to discover meanings of words and how they impact the chapter and verse.
Consider for example Psalm 47:2. The King James Version reads, “The Lord most high is terrible. He is a great King above all the earth.” Ummm….Terrible? Well, yeah. Sort of. Let me explain.
When the King James was translated way back in 1611, the word terrible meant “powerful, formidable and awe-inspriing.” (See Ivan the Terrible, as an example.). Today, it means “awful, “no good” and “the worst.” In 1611 it was fitting to call God “terrible”, he is after all powerful, formidable and awe-inspriing.” But He’s certainly not “awful.” The original Hebrew word means “to be feared” or “the fear of God.” A “word for word” approach lands nearer to the original “word for word” meaning.
Dynamic Equivalence”Thought for Thought” Approach
The “Dynamic Equivalence” takes a more “thought for thought” approach. The goal with these translations is to keep the translated text as close to the original meaning of the text as possible. See the difference? The formal gives you the original word. The dynamic gives you the meaning of the word.
Consider our Psalm 47:2 example. The New Living Translation reads, “For the Lord most high is awesome. He is the great king of all the earth.” The formal equivalence sticks to the original word. The dynamic equivalence moves more towards the meaning.
There are also “paraphrases.” These aren’t translations, but instead they are someone else’s thoughts on the translation. These are fun to read occasionally, but don’t live in them, and always check them against translations. The most common paraphrase is The Message. Here is how The Message translates Psalm 47:2: “God most high is stunning, astride land and ocean.”
How Does This Help Me Know Which Bible is Best?
The goal of every translation is to help you hear the voice of God in the text. But ask the next question: Why do you want to hear the voice of God in the text? So you can DO what the Bible says!
And to do what the Bible says…you have to UNDERSTAND what the Bible says.
So, here is the process that you can use that will help you know which translation is best for you, with a few nuanced observations thrown in for your consideration.
Step 1: Gauge your spiritual maturity.
This is crucial. If you are young in the faith, it might be that the translation your church most frequently uses is the one for you. This will be helpful for you as you hear the Bible taught and explained and then read the Bible at home.
The exception to this rule would be If you leave church having understood the pastor, but you didn’t understand the Bible. If this happens, use the same translation your pastor preaches from on Sunday, but find one you can understand for the rest of the week. See question 2 to discern which one.
Step 2: Visit Bible Gateway and look at the following 5 translations:
The Bible Gateway website will allow you compare multiple translations at the same time. When you click here, you’ll be able to compare Psalm 47 in the KJV, ESV, CSB, NIV and NLT. If the KJV is too difficult for you to understand, consider using the NASB on the first translation. Look up multiple passages, including Exodus 20, Psalm 119, John 3, 1 Corinthians 5. The translations are ordered from left to right moving from “Word for Word/Formal” to “Thought for Thought/Dynamic.”
Your goal is to find the translation that is nearest to the “Word for Word/Formal” side of the chart that you can most easily understand. Don’t be prideful about it, be practical about it. The goal ISN’T to get as close to “Word for Word/Formal” for the sake of being close to it, the goal is to get as close as you can to “Word for Word/Formal” and understand what you’re reading.
Step 3: Don’t “marry” a translation.
When I was first saved, I primarily used the NIV, 1984. That was in 2001. In 2006 I switched from using the NIV primarily to the NASB. In 2009 I went back to the NIV. In 2012 I switched to the ESV. In 2015 I used two translations: The ESV to teach more mature believers and the NLT to teach those who were young in their faith. In 2021 I made the full switch the CSB, which is what I primarily use now. Each “switch” had a stated reason and purpose. The NIV is what my first pastor used. The NASB was what my professors used at Bible College. The 2012 switch to the ESV was because the NIV updated their translation and I wasn’t much of a fan. In 2015 I made communicating the Word my objective, so I picked the two translations that best accomplished this goal based on who I was communicating with. And my switch to the CSB was pragmatic: I needed one translation to own instead of two to rent. The CSB gave me the perfect balance between the ESV and NLT. The point is: You aren’t married to a translation. You can and likely will switch based upon where you are as a believer and what your purpose for the translation is.
Remember the Goal(s)
Remember the stated goals:
First, the goal of the translator: To help you hear the voice of God in the text. .
Next, the goal of the reader (YOU!): When you hear the voice of God in the text your goal is to respond to the voice of God with obedience.
Obedience IS THE GOAL of Bible reading. You don’t read the Bible simply to KNOW THE BIBLE. You read the Bible so you can OBEY THE VOICE of the one who wrote the Bible.
Start Hearing the Voice of God Today
Start Hearing the Voice of God TODAY!
I hope this guide on picking the best translation has been helpful. If you take anything away from this guide, remember that the best translation is the one you will read and understand so you can obey it.
Hear-> Understand->Obey. Give it a shot with this free 30 day Bible Reading Plan through the book of John.
Happy reading, friends.
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