What is the most accurate translation of the Bible? (2023)

when you talk about itThe BibleTranslations A question that will no doubt arise is: Which translations of the Bible are the most accurate or reliable? I know that some people are faithful to one translation or another. While we all have our favorites, that alone doesn't answer the question. If you do a simple Google search you will find that there are over 400 different translations of the Bible in English alone, so this question is legitimate. As you will soon find, answering the question of accuracy is not as easy as you might think, especially when you understand what a Bible translation entails.

To help you understand this better, I want to show you the different ways of translating the Bible. Once you know this, you will appreciate some of the challenges in trying to determine which Bible translations are the most accurate.

Why is it necessary to translate the Bible?

The reason the Bible needs to be translated is because it wasn't originally written in English. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic, the New Testament in Greek. Unless you plan to learn Hebrew and Greek to read the Bible in its original language, you will need to translate it. As I was preparing to write this article, I came across this definition in the Lexham Survey of Theology, which I think helps clarify why.

“Translating means confirming the meaning of words from one language with words from another. Translating Scripture is part of the task of interpreting and communicating it.”

See Also

The 5 Most Accurate Bible Translations | Faith based on facts

In order for us to know who God is and for the gospel message to spread throughout the world, it was necessary to translate the Bible into a language the reader could understand.

How do you define "exactly"?

The real challenge in answering the question of which Bible translations are the most accurate is how to define the word exactly.ben hammondmade a big point that sheds light on the dilemma.

“If we want to determine the most accurate version of the Bible available, we must first define the term 'accurate.' We're looking for the version that best represents thatProbeOriginal, or the one that most accurately representsNewsfrom the original? All translators must answer this question when starting their work. The answer determines which translation method is used.”

I hope you see the challenge presented here. As we proceed, I will give you translations that reflect both the text and the message. Another thing to keep in mind is that translating from one language to another is not always smooth and easy. There are words in other languages ​​that don't have similarly sized words in another language. This applies to the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that we find in the Scriptures. That doesn't mean the translation can't be done effectively, it just has to be done carefully.

How is the Bible translated?

Studying Bible translation can be an intense subject, but for the purposes of this article I want to give you a broad overview. There are basically three types of translations you can have.

1. Formal equivalence- That's a fancy way of saying it word for word. The goal of the translators here is to translate the words as close as possible to the original language. This type of translation gives you the most accurate translation in relation to the original text. In the case of formal equivalence, the literal translation takes precedence over readability. While this will give you the word-for-word translation that most closely resembles the source text, you will also find that it is not always the easiest to read.

2. Dynamic Equivalence- This is a fancy way of saying thought for thought or meaning for meaning. The goal of the translators here is to take the thought or meaning of the original text and translate that thought for the reader. With these types of translations, you're likely to see more variation in word usage, since part of the goal is readability. You want it to be easy for the reader to read and understand. The challenge here is to ensure that translators stick to the meaning of the source text, otherwise this could pose a problem.

3. Free translation- This is a fancy way of saying paraphrase. This is not a real translation. Paraphrases are not always created by teams of people, as is the case with other approaches. There are some made by individuals. Of all the types, this form is perhaps the easiest to read, but you'll find that it doesn't look like the other translations. To be honest this isn't my favorite reading as a standalone translation. I would also like to add that this is probably not the best way to translate if you are new to reading the Bible.

Let's summarize the three types:

• Formal: uses the original text and the translation focuses on matching the words to the original text as closely as possible.
• Dynamic: uses the source text and the translation focuses on matching the meaning of the source text.
• Free Translation: Reads more like a summary derived from Scripture or personal commentary, but not necessarily from the original text. The “translation” can come from an already translated version.

Which Bible translation is the most accurate?

There are good, accurate translations you can find in any format, so let me share them with you.

Formal equivalence (word for word)

• KJV - King-James-Version
• NKJV - Neue King-James-Version
• AMP - Amplified
• ESV - English standard version
• NASB - New American Standard Bible

Dynamic equivalence (thought for thought)

• NIV – New international version
• NTV – New Living Translation
• CSB - Christian Standard Bible

Free translation (paraphrase)

• MSG - The message
• GNT – Good News Translation

Just a reminder, as you begin your Bible reading journey, I would recommend choosing a word-for-word or mind-by-mind translation. My personal reading favorites are the NIV and the NLT. These don't have to be your favourites, they're just mine. By the way, I also use a parallel Bible that has four different versions in one Bible. It is quite possible that you have a different opinion. You can even choose another favorite version of the Bible that you enjoy reading, and that's okay. The goal should not be to win an argument that benefits no one. The goal should be to encourage people to read the Bible, understand it, and then make sure they do what it says. Santiago reminds us of that.

“Don't just listen to the word and deceive yourself. Do what it says.” –Santiago 1:22.

I know that since you've been reading this, some of your favorite translations may not have been mentioned. Not because they aren't good translations. This is simply because they cannot all be listed here. As I said earlier, there are more than 400 translations into the English language. Now that you understand how they were translated, take the time to find one you understand and start reading it. If you are not sure about a translation or version, you can always contact me. I'm happy to help. True joy is discovering the truth of who God is and the wonder of His plan for your life. I'm sure you can find it in any version you choose.

Photo credit: ©Sparrows

Clarence L. Haynes Jr.She is a public speaker, Bible teacher and co-founder ofBible Study Club. He is the author ofthe search for meaning this will help you understand how God leads you to His will. He also just published his new book. The Pursuit of Victory: How to Meet Your Greatest Challenges and Win in Your Christian Life. Do you want to deepen your walk with the Lord, but can't seem to get past the things that stand in your way? This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so that you can lead a victorious Christian life and ultimately become the man or woman of God that you really want to be. To learn more about his ministry, visitclarencehaynes.com.

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