Did you know that there are about 900 English translations of the Bible? Granted, some of these translations are simply revisions of older ones and some translations are only one book or a group of books.[1] But that’s still a lot of translations of God’s Word! When we see all of these different translations that exist, we may begin to wonder why there are so many versions of the Scriptures and whether or not all of these versions can even be trusted.
To help answer these and other frequently asked questions, I have written this brief guide to Bible translations so that you will be equipped to not only understand but also to appreciate the number of English translations we have today.
Why are there so many Bible translations?
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. During the Middle Ages, the Bible began to be translated into English by men like John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, and Miles Coverdale. Over the years, scholars have continued to translate and revise the English Bible, which has resulted in hundreds of different translations.
One reason why there have been so many translations of the English Bible is because the English language has changed a lot. Read some of Shakespeare’s work and compare it to modern novels. They are quite different because the way we speak and write English has evolved over the centuries. We are constantly coming up with new words and infusing old words with new meanings, so translation committees have revised and updated versions of the Bible so that English speakers can better understand it.
Another reason there are so many English translations today is because biblical scholars have different translation philosophies, which result in different wording and structure across the Bible versions. These philosophies will be covered in more detail in the next section.
What are the different types of translations?
There are three main types of Bible translations: formal equivalence, dynamic equivalence, and paraphrase.
Formal equivalence translations are word for word translations where the committees look at each word in the original text to choose the best English equivalent and stay as close to the literal meaning of the original text as possible. Some examples of formal equivalence translations are the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the English Standard Version (ESV), and the New King James Version (NKJV).
Dynamic equivalence translations are thought for thought translations where the committees look at the context of the original text to determine what thought or idea is being presented and communicate that thought or idea in an understandable way for English speakers. Some examples of dynamic equivalence translations are the New International Version (NIV) and the New Living Translation (NLT).
Some versions of the Bible, like the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) and the Christian Standard Bible (CSB), are considered optimal equivalence translations, meaning that they balance word for word and thought for thought translation techniques.
A paraphrase version of the Bible is not really a translation. Paraphrases intentionally re-word what the original text says in an effort to make the Bible accessible and readable. The Message (MSG) and The Living Bible (TLB) are example of Bible paraphrases.
Examples of Translations
How different are these translations from each other? Let’s compare the first verse of Psalm 1 in each type of translation.
Formal Equivalence:
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;” Psalm 1:1, ESV
Optimal Equivalence:
“How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers!” Psalm 1:1, CSB
Dynamic Equivalence:
“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.” Psalm 1:1, NLT
Paraphrase:
“How well God must like you – you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon, you don’t slink along Dead-End Road, you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.” Psalm 1:1, MSG
As you can see, each translation communicates the same idea, even though they differ from each other. The first two translations are closer to the original text, whereas the last two translations are written in a more readable way.
Is one translation better than another?
One Bible translation is not better than another. Every version of the Bible has pros and cons. Formal equivalence translations are closest to the original text, but they can include very formal language that is difficult to understand. Dynamic equivalence translations are more understandable, yet they are not literal translations of the original Scriptures. Paraphrases are as easy to read as novels; however, they are essentially man’s words describing Scripture rather than a translation of God’s Word.
I tend to recommend word for word translations because I believe it is essential to stay as close to the original text as possible (ESV is my favorite translation!). But if you have a hard time understanding these translations, there is no shame is using a thought for thought translation! I would not recommend using a paraphrase as your main Bible; however, I think some people can really benefit from using a paraphrase as a supplemental tool in their study of the Bible.
Should I read more than one Bible translation?
If you have the ability to read more than one Bible translation in your Bible study time, you definitely should do so! Reading a Bible passage in two or more different translations can help you better understand the passage’s original meaning and clarify any confusing concepts. If you don’t feel like you have the time to use more than one translation, don’t worry—this doesn’t make you a lesser Bible student. But if you’ve ever found yourself wondering what exactly a Bible verse is trying to communicate, consult another translation and see how those scholars chose to interpret the original text. Your confusion should hopefully clear up quickly!
Should I only be reading from the King James Version?
There are certain sects and denominations of Christianity that believe the King James Version (KJV) is the only Bible translation English-speaking Christians should read. They claim that every other English translation is heretical and not the Word of God. While the King James Version is a fine translation to use when reading the Bible, it is certainly not the only one Christians can read. There is nothing special about it, and it was the not even the first English translation to exist. While it is a word for word translation, it is not the most literal version (translations like the NASB and ESV are closer to the original text). Also, the wording of the King James Version is archaic and outdated, rendering it nearly impossible for the modern reader to truly understand.
Can Christians read the King James Version? Absolutely! But it is not the only translation they can read.
Do certain translations add or remove Bible verses?
Look up John 5:4 in your Bible. Then, look up Acts 8:37. Can’t find them? These verses have not been forgotten or removed. Verses like these do not appear in the main biblical text because most biblical manuscripts do not include them. But some do, so you can probably find the verse in the footnotes of your Bible.
Now, look up Mark 16:9-20. This passage is not missing, but you may notice that there’s a note in the biblical text that says that some of the earliest biblical manuscripts do not include this passage. Passages like Mark 16:9-20 are included in many biblical manuscripts, but not in some of the earliest ones we have, and there is always a note that acknowledges this.
Biblical manuscripts were hand-copied, which means there’s bound to be differences between them. However, we shouldn’t take this to mean that they are wrong or untrustworthy. Scribes copied manuscripts meticulously and took great care to copy them accurately. But they were human and made spelling and grammar mistakes just like every other human being.
Some scribes added context or commentary that eventually made its way into the text of some manuscripts but not others. If your Bible translation appears to be missing or adding material, this is not some nefarious plot of translation committee members trying to change God’s Word. After all, none of these verses or passages impact any key biblical doctrines. Bible translators do their best to remain faithful to the original text, and they are transparent when certain sections of Scripture do not appear in every manuscript we have.
Can all of these translations be trusted?
Now, we’re back to the question from the beginning. There are 900 different translations of the English Bible—can they really all be trusted? While there are a lot of versions of the Bible out there, every version is translated by scholars and experts in biblical languages. Most versions are put together by a whole team of people, who take their time to translate the original texts and determine the best English words or phrases to use. All of these translations can be trusted.
And all of these translations should cause us to give thanks! We live in a time and place where we have hundreds of Bibles at our fingertips. There have been times when Christians didn’t have access to the entire Bible. There have been places where it is illegal for believers to own a Bible. And there are people groups who don’t even have any part of the Bible written in their language or dialect. But we can pull out our smartphones and have access to hundreds of Bible translations in seconds. Let us praise God for allowing us to have all kinds of different, yet trustworthy versions of His Word!
“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:97, ESV
[1] “Number of English Translations of the Bible,” American Bible Society News, December 2, 2009, https://news.americanbible.org/article/number-of-english-translations-of-the-bible.
