How to Choose Your Bible Translation
What are the differences between Bible translations? And which Bible translation is the best? If you’ve asked one of these questions before, you’re in the right place. The truth is, there’s no single Bible translation that’s universally better than the rest. Each has strengths which serve different purposes as you study God’s Word. Instead, the better question to ask is: “which Bible translation is best for me?” Let’s dive in.
Before we can answer that question, we need to understand a little bit more about how the Bible is translated. The original text of the Bible was written in ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic—languages many of us cannot understand apart from years of study. So Bible translations make God’s Word available to us in our primary language.
There are two main translation philosophies when it comes to translating the Bible:
Word-for-Word Translation
“essentially literal” or “formal equivalence”
Goal: To retain as much of the original sentence structure and idioms as possible
Pros: Highly accurate to the original text, great for deep study
Cons: More formal, sometimes a little harder to understand
Thought-for-Thought Translation
“functional equivalence,” “dynamic equivalence,” or “meaning-based”
Goal: To render the original meaning of the text in clear, modern English
Pros: Easy to understand, great for reading out loud
Cons: Sometimes a little less accurate for deep study
The key to choosing your Bible translation is deciding where on the spectrum you want your text to fall. Take a look at the chart above and click the button below to read our in-depth article to dive into the details. We hope you’re beginning to get a sense of where you want to land with your chosen translation.
Hosanna Revival bibles by Translation
a mini guide
Word for Word
ESV: The English Standard Version
For the one who: Is looking for an accurate translation that is perfect for deep study
Romans 8:6 in ESV: “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
Find it here: The ESV Study Bible, Large Print, and Journaling Bibles
Word for Word
KJV: The King James Version
For the one who: Grew up reading this version and is looking for a beautiful cover to pair with the beautiful words within
Romans 8:6 in KJV: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Find it here: Large Print
In the middle
CSB: The Christian Standard Bible
For the one who: Can’t quite choose and wants something in between word for word and thought for thought
Romans 8:6 in CSB: “Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace.”
Find it here: Notetaking Bibles
Thought for Thought
NLT: The New Living Translation
For the one who: Is new to the Bible or is looking for an easy-to-understand translation
Romans 8:6 in NLT: “So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”
Find it here: Notetaking Bibles
Learn More
About Bible Translations
Would you love to learn more about Bible translations? Begin with this article on our WHEN blog: When You're Choosing Your Bible Translation.
