Here are the major English language translations of the Bible in alphabetical order (no favoritism). You will find each of the translations on this web site. Some of the translation have sample chapers. Click on the blue "Sample Chapter" to see the Sample Chapter.
AB – Amplified Bible
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. There are shades of meaning found in these original Bible texts that can't be captured in a straight word-for-word translation into English. Dr. Frances Siewert had the vision for a translation that would use additional English words to convey the full meaning of Scripture to those who don't have the knowledge of the original languages. Using the word-for-word American Standard Version as a reference text, she chose additional words to communicate the nuances of meaning from the original texts. These "amplification" words are offset from the text by brackets or parentheses. The Amplified New Testament, which was first published in 1958, took over 20,000 hours of research. Dr. Siewart's work was reviewed by a committee of translation experts for accuracy. The full Amplified Bible, first published in 1965, has become the favorite second Bible for millions of Christians. By comparing it to their favorite translation, they discover a wealth of additional insights into the Scripture. Sample Verses
CEV – Contemporary English Version
This is a version produced in 1995 by the American Bible Society. It is written at a 5th grade reading level and is intended to serve as a “first Bible” for people who want to get into the Bible without having to battle over the language. It is much more of a “here’s what they meant” style of translation than a word for word translation. The American Bible Society also publishes the very popular GNT -- Good News Translation which was first published in the mid-1970s and is similar to the CEV in reading level and translation style. The CEV appears to be an update of the GNT by taking into account certain issues important to contemporary readers, such as race and gender. Sample Verse
DKJB – Defined King James Bible
As its title suggests, the Defined King James Bible attempts to define archaic, obsolete, or uncommon English words that occur in the text of the King James Bible. Since these definitions appear in the footnotes at the bottom of each page, the text of the King James Bible (KJB) remains unchanged. Bold-faced type [like this] is used to highlight every word (or phrase) that is defined in the footnotes. If a dictionary classified a word definition as archaic (Arc) or obsolete (Obs) or rare (Rare), I listed the appropriate abbreviation before that definition. As you will soon notice, most of the uncommon words defined do not have definitions labeled archaic, obsolete, or rare. Sample Pages
ISV – International Standard Version
This version, which will include both Covenants in the year 2000, was translated by a committee of academics. It is a literal-idiomatic translation, which avoids the dangers of being over-literal and over-interpretative. The goal has been to achieve both accuracy and excellence in communication.
A number of specific principles of translation have been followed. The twenty-seventh edition of the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece and the fourth corrected edition of the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament are the base texts. Inclusive language is used wherever possible without compromising scholarly integrity or good English style.
The ISV logo is a tryglyth of three historic symbols. The upper symbol is the Menorah. The centre symbol is the Star of David. The lower symbol is the Ichthus, or fish. Sample Verse
KJV – King James Version
The King James Version, also called the Authorized Version, was first published in 1611 under the patronage of King James in England. It was at about this time that the Bible first became available in English, or in just about any language other than Latin or Greek. Along with the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible, the KJV was among the first authorized English translations of the Bible. This is the version people often think of when they think of Biblical language with its “thees and thous.” Due to its complex sentence structure and Elizabethan vocabulary it clocks in at a 12th grade reading level and tends to be more of a word-for-word translation. It is highly revered and well distributed thanks to the Gideons who place one in almost every hotel room drawer. Some Christian denominations will allow no other translations. It is hard to surpass the King James translation in terms of beauty and influence. Many, if not all, of the famous phrases that have entered the English language from the Bible have come from the King James Version. It works especially well if you hear it read by a professional speaker or actor who knows how to deliver Elizabethan English. Sample Chapter
NKJV – New King James Version
The NKJV is 1982 update of the King James Version. It maintains much of the poetry and beloved phrasing of the original King James Version, but corrects some of its errors in terms of scholarship and translation and updates the archaisms. It registers at an 8th grade reading level. Sample Chapter
NAB – New American Bible
The New American Bible is the standard Catholic translation, completed in 1970 and updated in the 1980s and 1990s. It is written at about a 7th grade reading level and strives to maintain the word-for-word equivalence wherever possible. As a Catholic Bible it also contains seven books not found as standard equipment on Protestant Bibles. Sample Verses
NASB – New American Standard Bible
The NASB is another updating of the King James Version done specifically for the United States. It is written at an 11th grade reading level and strives for a word-for-word translation and stays very close to the KJV wherever possible. Sample Verses
NCV – New Century Version
This translation of God's Word was made from the original Hebrew and Greek languages. The translation team was composed of the World Bible Translation Center and fifty additional, highly qualified and experienced Bible scholars and translators. Some had translation experience on the New International, the New American Standard, and the New King James Versions. The third edition of the United Bible Societies' Greek text, the latest edition of Biblia Hebraica and the Septuagint were among texts used.
Several guidelines were used to make the language clear for any reader. The Living Word Vocabulary, the standard used by World Book Encyclopedia, was the basis for vocabulary. Concepts were put into natural terms -- modern measurements and geographical locations. Ancient customs were clarified in the text or footnotes. Rhetorical questions were stated according to the implied answers. Figures of speech and idiomatic expressions were translated according to their meanings. Obscure terms were clarified. An attempt was made to choose gender language that would convey the intent of the writers. The Tetragrammaton was indicated by putting LORD and GOD in capital letters. Hebrew parallelism in poetry and word plays were retained. Images of ancient languages were translated into equivalent English images, where possible. Sample Verses
NIV – New International Version
Probably the most popular Protestant Bible that is not associated with the King James translation, the NIV strikes a balance between the word-for-word and “what they meant” style of translation. Written at about an 8th grade reading level, it was first published in 1978 and revised in 1984. There are many derivatives of the NIV, such as the NIrV for children, the NVI for Spanish speakers and the TNIV – Today’s New International Version, which takes into account some of the concerns of modern readers, such as gender and race issues. Sample Chapter
NLT – New Living Translation
The Living Bible falls under the category of a paraphrase, or free translation. In this case, The Living Bible was simply a paraphrase in English from the King James Version – also written in English. Originally written without any reference to the original Hebrew and Greek texts, it cannot technically be referred to as a translation. The Living Bible appeared in 1971 and presented the first real alternative to the King James Version for Protestants. It caught on tremendously and continues to be a favorite among those who want to read the Bible without wrestling with the language. The NLT – New Living Translation, published in 1996 and updated in 2004, provides a more contemporary alternative to The Living Bible. Biblical purists and scholars may warn against using a paraphrase, such as TLB, or a free translation such as "The Message" for study, but they are well loved as points of entry for gaining initial access to the text of the Bible. First Chapter
NRSV – New Revised Standard Version
The NRSV is well respected by scholars both for its faithfulness to the original text as well as for its sensibilities to modern political issues such as gender and race. Readers who prefer the poetry and theology of more traditional translations have not embraced it as readily as the scholarly community. Written at a high school-aged reading level, it enjoys inter-denominational support, but is mostly used in mainline Protestant confessions. The version of which the NRSV is an update, the Revised Standard Version has made a comeback among some conservative Christian groups, including Catholics, mainly for its faithfulness to the original language and its lack of what some style a “political correctness” which is the hallmark of the NRSV. Sample Chapter
TGNB – The Good News Bible
The Good News Bible is a new translation which seeks to state clearly and accurately the meaning of the original texts in words and forms that are widely accepted by people who use English as a language. It attempts to set forth the Biblical content and message in a standard, everyday, natural form of English.
The basic text used for the Old Testament was the Masoretic Text in the third edition of Biblica Hebraica. Other ancient versions (Greek, Syraic, Latin) were also used at times. The basic text used for the New Testament was The Greek New Testament, although other Greek manuscripts were also used.
The first task was to understand correctly the meaning of the original. The next task was to express that meaning in a manner and a form easily understood by readers. Certain features as hours of the day and measures are given in modern equivalents.
The Tetragrammaton is translated as LORD, in capitals. Where "Adonai" is followed by "Yahweh", the rendering is Sovereign Lord. Sample Verses
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