Topic 1 of 33 - Your Place in the Learning Journey
Which Bible Translation Should I Use?
Every Bible is a translation, and every translation involves translation choices made in the text. That's because language translation is not like a math equation - having a clearly recognizable solution. The original biblical texts were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. These languages, as do all, have grammatical structures, idioms, and vocabularies that do not map cleanly onto English or other languages. Translators must decide, thousands of times across a single translation project, how to carry the meaning of the original into a different language for a different audience. Those decisions are not purely technical. They reflect theological commitments, views about the nature of the text, and judgments about what the intended reader needs.
Translations generally fall along a spectrum. At one end are what's called formal equivalence translations. These are translations that try to stay as close as possible to the structure of the original language - word for word where possible, phrase for phrase where necessary. The King James Version, The English Standard Version, and the New American Standard are this type. For these, the translators intentions were word-for-word or phrase-for-phrase translation. The disadvantage is, however, that word-for-word and phrase-for-phrase translation does not necessarily capture the thought that underlies the text.
At the other end are dynamic equivalence translations, which prioritize natural English expression of the original meaning over literal correspondence to the original words. The New International Version and the New Living Translation are the most widely used examples. They are easier to read and often clearer for general audiences, but they make more interpretive decisions on the reader's behalf - which means some of what you are reading is the translator's judgment about what the text means, not just what it says.
For devotional/Christian faith study, it will be just fine to start with whatever modern version you have (not the KJV unless you must). But, if you have no modern version, then I highly recommend the NRSV UE. Do not confuse with the RSV UE. They are very different. Among other things, the NRSV UE will be easier reading.