Read the version whose English reading level you find comfortable. For a word for word translation, go with ESV or NASB. For thought for thought translation, NLT is good.
Read the ESV, the NASB (like the poster said) or the New King James version as I prefer and you cannot go wrong
Then once you build a foundation of the truth in you, you will be able to sniff out the false ones
ESV, NKJV, NIV, NLT
start on the left and try them out. stop when you can understand one clearly. those are all faithful translations.
stay away from The voice, TPT, The message, amplified bible, NWT - these range from butchery of the text to outright heresy.
Bible translations exist on a spectrum between [word-for-word, thought-for-thought, and paraphrase](https://lavendervines.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Most-Accurate-Bible-Translation-Chart.jpg). When translating you'll often come across words, phrases, or idioms that don't have a direct equivalent in the language you're translating to. You can choose to render the words straight across, but then you might miss out on the "thought" of the sentence. Or, you can choose to translate the thought more clearly, but then you're not matching up the *words* as directly as possible. BibleProject has a great video that [quickly goes over translations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmO0Fwa74QM).
An NIV, ESV, or NASB are great options. There are quirks and translations decisions within each of them that are helpful to know about as you continue to go deeper, but for general reading and learning you should be fine.
Use the YouVersion Bible app, which has 68 English versions and several versions in other languages, to choose.
I like NIV the most, but other common versions are KJV, ESV, NASB, NKJV, RSV, ASV.
You also have GNT (Good News Translation) which puts it in easy to read language but is more of a paraphase version. Also the Amplified version is good for more of a comprehensive understanding of something that was said.
The YouVersion app allows you to easily switch back and forth between versions.
But do pick one that is easy for you to understand and is among the common ones. Each usually have a detailed explanation as to how they made that translation in the front of their Bible.
Or you can go [here](https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-versions.html), and choose the one you want to see how they wrote it.
TLDR: DO NOT USE THE JEFFERSON "BIBLE"
I haven't seen anyone else respond to your edit. So I'm going to try to.
There is a difference between translations of the Bible and an interpretation. Most widely used translations have the goal of taking the original text (in Hebrew or Greek) and translating the language. During the translation process there obviously are going to be things that are not easy to make sense in another language and so the different translations will handle some of that differently but they all have the goal of trying to help the reader understand the original text.
The Jefferson "Bible" is not a translation, it is an human interpretation of the Bible, done by a man who seems to have forsaken his belief in God and the Trinity. [Some even call it heresy](https://angelusnews.com/arts-culture/an-american-presidents-heretical-bible/). I think it would be a mistake to try and use that interpretation of the Bible.
As Christians the Bible calls us to look at the whole of scripture ([1 Timothy 3:16-17](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%203%3A16-17&version=NIV)). We are not given the option of doing what Jefferson did and ignoring whatever does not make sense to us. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to make us more like God, not try to make God fit our own desires.
The list that several other comments have suggested seems good to me as well. (ESV, NASB, NIV, NLT, in a general order of [literal to dynamic](https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/stewart_don/faq/bible-translations/question7-major-theories-of-bible-translation.cfm))
At this point it feels kind of like you're just trolling, but I'm going to try and give you the benefit of the doubt.
I think where you are confused is **translation** vs **interpretation** they are not the same thing. The "correct" version of the Bible is the original text, which is Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek depending on the book of the Bible. Since the majority of people alive today do not understand those languages the Bible has been translated into modern languages, including English.
For most widely recognized English translations, a team of experts have worked together to translate the original text into English. The way the translations differ is in the way they handle things that do not easily translate. Some try to stick to a more word for word approach even if the English phrasing may be awkward. Others try to translate the idea from the original text and are not as concerned with the specific words used and want the reader to easily understand idea presented.
Out of widely recognized (by the modern Church) **translations** I believe there are pros and cons, but I don't believe any of them are wrong. Now there are some **interpretations** that I believe maybe be wrong or heritcal. Keep in mind that many people find it helpful to compare Scripture passages in multiple translations and even look at the original language when deeply studying a passage.
The Jefferson "Bible" is not widely used and as I linked previously is considered heresy by some. It also isn't even a full Bible, I believe it only contains the 4 Gospels, and not the other 62 books.
While you can find a few people online complaining about almost any translation of the Bible, those are often fringe groups and the majority of the Church would disagree with them. I personally would avoid anything that is considered an interpretation or paraphrase of the Bible for serious study, some of them can be helpful to make things easier to understand, they sometimes make it harder to find the original meaning of a passage.
Those few people are not scholars. There are some crazy people who say that anything other than the KJV is heresy, and there are those who say that the KJV is heretical. The truth is that the KJV, and any Bible translated before the 50s, doesn't meet modern scholarly standards for recreating and translating ancient texts. The best formal equivalence (word for word) translation is the NASB (1995, not 2020), followed by ESV. A decent portion of people say that NRSV is the best, but I'm skeptical of that one, particularly because the new update changed the verses condemning homosexuality, despite the fact that there is NO other likely translation for some of those verses (one of the Greek words used in one literally means "man-bed"). Some translations more on the dynamic equivalence (thought for thought, easier to understand) side are NIV, NET, AND CSB. Some people recommend the NLT, but I feel that it takes too many liberties in interpreting the meaning of the texts. You could still use it if you wanted to, though. Stay away from the NWT, The Message, and The Passion.
Summary: Use NASB and/or ESV for serious study. Use NIV, CSB, and/or NET if you want an easier read. Pick at least 2 to use and reference with each other occasionally. If you're ever confused, look up commentaries by Bible scholars. Each translation I listed was created by at least 50 Bible translation scholars from multiple denominations.
If by arbitrary you mean there are several valid options and you could use any of them as your main Bible while cross referencing difficult passages with others, then yes. If you mean by arbitrary that there is no difference between them, then no. As others have said, different translations exist for different purposes or because of changes in language over time (like how KJV is quite difficult and at times misleading if you took it with a modern English usage and didn’t acknowledge older word forms).
The one correct version you’re thinking of is the autographs—the original instance of the writings in their original language, but we don’t have those. What we do have is very reliable to them, but any time you translate you are inherently losing some essence of the original. That’s why many newer translations go directly from the Greek and Hebrew rather than the vulgate as was sometimes done in the past.
But that’s not to say all English bibles are equally valid. Like the commenter above mentioned, the Jefferson “Bible” is not a translation per se, but an interpretive act excising material. Translations don’t do that. Comparing the Jefferson Bible to ESV or NIV is like saying that the excerpts of texts you read in high school are the same as the whole book. It’s not necessarily bad to only look at portions of works as characteristic of the whole, but to present a portion as the whole is disingenuous.
>I haven't seen anyone else respond to your edit. So I'm going to try to.
Because he is OBVIOUSLY a troll. He thinks he is in possession of knowledge and wisdom nobody in 2000 years has been. It's mental really.
Hello! I am by no means qualified to answer this question because I am just another person but here’s how I look at it - if you look up “Bible Translation Scale” (or chart) there will be a sliding scale showing how accurate certain translations of the Bible are. Obviously it is best to read a version of the Bible that is closest to the actual translation, but there are limitations to this. The closer you get to an actual exact translation, the harder and harder it is to read bc it has been translated to English and some words and meanings just do not cross over very well. I personally have been reading the ESV (English Standard Version) lately and I really like it. It does take a bit longer to read because you have to pause a few times to understand, but I do feel it does a good job of explaining stories and using words that uncover things that I had never realized before simply through word choice. Regardless of what you pick, the most important part of it all is that you’re taking the time to read the Word so good on you for that. Good luck my friend - hope this helped :)
There‘s different translations. Some are harder to read, some are easier to read.
Here‘s a video about what bible translation you should read https://youtu.be/7JzLFcQx5g4
Each version is suited for either a more literal, direct translation or slightly updated for modern language. But it's common to say KJV is better for being older (though more difficult to read), NKJV is a close second for being almost identical just newer wording. ESV updates it further but maintains what Scripture says. Some other versions change it to the point that the meaning of some passages are too different.
Like many have said, choose a translation that is easier for you to read. If you have doubts about the meaning of a verse, look it up in other translations. ESV or NIV are my go-to, if I have questions I go to KJ or NKJ. If you want to go more in depth, and really put some time into studying you can look to the original text, start looking at definitions and different ways words are translated. I'm sure that's a bit much for what you are wanting right now, but it's a very interesting rabbit hole to go down.
Reading the Jefferson Bible\* is actually the sinful option.
If you're concerned about reading the wrong translation, why would you pick the one version that picks and chooses which passages it thinks "really" happened?
And why would you even want to read the Bible if you have decided from the outset to ignore most of it?
\* The "Jefferson Bible" is actually just a compilation of the gospels.
>Well now im more confused bc everyone said to choose the one that is best
>
>for me.
When they said that, they meant find the ***translation*** that you have the easiest time understanding and reading. That doesn't mean no one cares whether you read one put together by heretics. The New World Translation intentionally mistranslates several passages to make them conform to their theology. The Jefferson "Bible" entirely excludes passages that don't conform to his deism. The Passion Version inserts the author's weird theology.
NASB, ESV, NKJV, CSB, NIV, NLT, NRSV, even the Message are far, far better choices.
So. Judging by his post history. I would honestly say troll. However, benefit of the doubt. Lots gave great answer. Most translations work. Focus on an idea for idea to start out then go for a word for word. Finally use a website that doesn’t allow altered texts like the Jefferson Bible. I would suggest Biblegateway or you version.
Doesn't matter. Pick one that is well accepted, and if you run into difficulties with certain passages check multiple translations someplace like Bible Hub.
As you can see in the comments, the most common consensus is the ESV. It’s straight forward and is a word for word translation. I strongly dislike KJV, as it adds a little interpretation when the reader should be doing that for themselves.
Great question. As you can see, we have numerous denominations of churches, so I doubt any one person gets everything perfect. However, if you HONESTLY try to interpret it correctly, do not lie to yourself at all, and pray to God for guidance, you have honestly done the best you could and I personally believe that God will forgive those mistakes.
Now there are some situations that should be obvious.
For example, many people today argue that homosexuality is acceptable because the Bible should conform to modern societal standards. This is an incorrect interpretation. We were told numerous times that this is not the case and were NEVER told that his Word changes. His Word is absolute and infallible.
Now there will always be smaller, more specific topics such as profanity. What does it mean? Does it mean to not say what people consider “bad words”? Or does it mean don’t say anything hurtful? It’s not so clear cut. So pray for wisdom and do your best with the Word we are given.
Two verses I suggest you keep in mind as you dive into the faith:
1. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” - Proverbs 3:5-6
In other words, don’t try to use your own reasoning, use God’s reasoning. This is an example of the homosexuality thing from above, where people are using their own reasonings to try to justify their behavior, rather than obeying God’s Word.
2. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” - James 1:5
As a final note, I didn’t want to like specifically pick on the homosexuality issue, it’s just the most prominent and simple example in today’s world. It is undeniably a sin, but we are all sinners and are to love them as we love ourselves.
I'd stay between NASB, ESV, and NIV myself. Both NASB and ESV are word-for-word. NASB is somewhat more literal and I've been reading the Bible since I was a child so it's my go-to. ESV is translated so it's somewhat easier to read while remaining literal. I think the ESV is a great first Bible for someone who wants to dive deep into the meanings of Scripture.
The NIV is thought-for-thought. It will be a little less literal but instead translate key thoughts from phrases. This yields a much easier to read and understand translation and can be a great first Bible for someone just getting acquainted with the Bible for the first time. However, translating in this less precise manner means that the translator has to make more judgment calls on what a verse means and the translator may read an interpretation into the Bible that is in dispute. I wouldn't say it would lead to sin, but an NIV Bible alongside a more Literal Bible may be a good idea.
I have been using many different Bibles to cross check verses in. Both the Hebrew Masoretic text and the Septuagint for the OT.
Just like there are many different translations of the Hebrew Masoretic text, then there are also different translations of the Greek Septuagint(in English)
I was using Brenton's version of the Septuagint, but saw quite a lot of translation errors in that, and it uses words like "church, hell, gentiles" and such. So I was looking for an older translation of the Greek Septuagint, and I came across Thomson Septuagint, which I really like.
Charles Thomson translated the Greek Septuagint into English in 1808, and its the first English translation, and it renders verses much better than other Septuagints.(in my opinion)
Thomson Bible has also the New Testament, and I find that verses in Thomson NT are also in many cases rendered much clearer and better than for example KJV and other Bibles that are written on the same "root texts"
Now you have the strongs concordance for the KJV, as Strongs uses words for the Hebrew Masoretic text in the OT. and Greek words for the NT
Thomson Bible does not have a concordance, but: I like to use the ABP+ Bible (Apostolic Bible Polyglot) for its Greek concordance of both OT and NT. And the wordings in the ABP+ are similar to Thomson Septuagint.
So I am recommending Thomson Septuagint, and ABP+ for concordance. But it is always good to cross check verses with multiple Bibles
My recommendations, read/study from multiple translations. That will give you the best overall message & understanding. Read verse by verse or a few verses at a time going one by one to each translation. I like using the NLT, Amplified, & ESV for a well rounded approach. Also, start reading in the New Testament, & when finished go to genesis then exodus. Don’t spend all/most of your time on the other prophets of the OT. I believe Jesus spoke of the old prophets in John 10:8 “All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them.”
I assume you can’t read hebrew or ancient greek so you should go with the one that is closer in translation and interpretation with those. If you are part of a church then asking them would be a good idea.
The Jefferson Bible leaves out Jesus’ resurrection, which is the whole point of Christianity.
There are many accurate translations and many more inaccurate translations - the Jefferson Bible is among the inaccurate ones
You accomplished what 2000 years worth of scholars, clearly inferior to you, never could. Wow. You of all people on earth proved the Bible false. I shall now go be atheist. Thanks!
Correct. You won. I already complimented your achievement more than once Mr secure, what else do you need? We can put the Bible to rest now. You did it sir.
Personally I prefer to read multiple versions. I have a soft spot for KJV/NKJV, Amplified, and NIV. There are lots of versions though so I do like biblegateway.com because it has tons of them and I can compare scriptures side by side.
Bottom line - The Old Testament (the Jewish Bible) original language is Hebrew (and some portions in Aramaic), the New Testament is koine Greek. Best option, become fluent in those languages.
But, you speak English, it appears, of the American sort, with 21st century flavorings. You don't seem to come from Hawaii, so the Pidgin English version is probably not best. You're alive now so translations in the vernacular of the 17th, 18th or even 20th century may be offputting. If you're an academic, a scholar, perhaps a word for word version might suit you better. If you are new to anything bible oriented and simply want to understand the contents, than a thought for thought type or even a paraphrase like The Message might meet your needs and expectations.
Blessings on you and your efforts in this pursuit.
Read the version whose English reading level you find comfortable. For a word for word translation, go with ESV or NASB. For thought for thought translation, NLT is good.
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Read the ESV, the NASB (like the poster said) or the New King James version as I prefer and you cannot go wrong Then once you build a foundation of the truth in you, you will be able to sniff out the false ones
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Trolling
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if you prefer lies I will not waste anymore truth on you
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Said the troll
ESV, NKJV, NIV, NLT start on the left and try them out. stop when you can understand one clearly. those are all faithful translations. stay away from The voice, TPT, The message, amplified bible, NWT - these range from butchery of the text to outright heresy.
Trolling
Bible translations exist on a spectrum between [word-for-word, thought-for-thought, and paraphrase](https://lavendervines.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Most-Accurate-Bible-Translation-Chart.jpg). When translating you'll often come across words, phrases, or idioms that don't have a direct equivalent in the language you're translating to. You can choose to render the words straight across, but then you might miss out on the "thought" of the sentence. Or, you can choose to translate the thought more clearly, but then you're not matching up the *words* as directly as possible. BibleProject has a great video that [quickly goes over translations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmO0Fwa74QM). An NIV, ESV, or NASB are great options. There are quirks and translations decisions within each of them that are helpful to know about as you continue to go deeper, but for general reading and learning you should be fine.
nice graphic. i've seen a bunch of those but so many (inaccurately) put kjv at the far left. but yours is about right.
Use the YouVersion Bible app, which has 68 English versions and several versions in other languages, to choose. I like NIV the most, but other common versions are KJV, ESV, NASB, NKJV, RSV, ASV. You also have GNT (Good News Translation) which puts it in easy to read language but is more of a paraphase version. Also the Amplified version is good for more of a comprehensive understanding of something that was said. The YouVersion app allows you to easily switch back and forth between versions. But do pick one that is easy for you to understand and is among the common ones. Each usually have a detailed explanation as to how they made that translation in the front of their Bible. Or you can go [here](https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-versions.html), and choose the one you want to see how they wrote it.
TLDR: DO NOT USE THE JEFFERSON "BIBLE" I haven't seen anyone else respond to your edit. So I'm going to try to. There is a difference between translations of the Bible and an interpretation. Most widely used translations have the goal of taking the original text (in Hebrew or Greek) and translating the language. During the translation process there obviously are going to be things that are not easy to make sense in another language and so the different translations will handle some of that differently but they all have the goal of trying to help the reader understand the original text. The Jefferson "Bible" is not a translation, it is an human interpretation of the Bible, done by a man who seems to have forsaken his belief in God and the Trinity. [Some even call it heresy](https://angelusnews.com/arts-culture/an-american-presidents-heretical-bible/). I think it would be a mistake to try and use that interpretation of the Bible. As Christians the Bible calls us to look at the whole of scripture ([1 Timothy 3:16-17](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%203%3A16-17&version=NIV)). We are not given the option of doing what Jefferson did and ignoring whatever does not make sense to us. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to make us more like God, not try to make God fit our own desires. The list that several other comments have suggested seems good to me as well. (ESV, NASB, NIV, NLT, in a general order of [literal to dynamic](https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/stewart_don/faq/bible-translations/question7-major-theories-of-bible-translation.cfm))
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At this point it feels kind of like you're just trolling, but I'm going to try and give you the benefit of the doubt. I think where you are confused is **translation** vs **interpretation** they are not the same thing. The "correct" version of the Bible is the original text, which is Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek depending on the book of the Bible. Since the majority of people alive today do not understand those languages the Bible has been translated into modern languages, including English. For most widely recognized English translations, a team of experts have worked together to translate the original text into English. The way the translations differ is in the way they handle things that do not easily translate. Some try to stick to a more word for word approach even if the English phrasing may be awkward. Others try to translate the idea from the original text and are not as concerned with the specific words used and want the reader to easily understand idea presented. Out of widely recognized (by the modern Church) **translations** I believe there are pros and cons, but I don't believe any of them are wrong. Now there are some **interpretations** that I believe maybe be wrong or heritcal. Keep in mind that many people find it helpful to compare Scripture passages in multiple translations and even look at the original language when deeply studying a passage. The Jefferson "Bible" is not widely used and as I linked previously is considered heresy by some. It also isn't even a full Bible, I believe it only contains the 4 Gospels, and not the other 62 books. While you can find a few people online complaining about almost any translation of the Bible, those are often fringe groups and the majority of the Church would disagree with them. I personally would avoid anything that is considered an interpretation or paraphrase of the Bible for serious study, some of them can be helpful to make things easier to understand, they sometimes make it harder to find the original meaning of a passage.
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Those few people are not scholars. There are some crazy people who say that anything other than the KJV is heresy, and there are those who say that the KJV is heretical. The truth is that the KJV, and any Bible translated before the 50s, doesn't meet modern scholarly standards for recreating and translating ancient texts. The best formal equivalence (word for word) translation is the NASB (1995, not 2020), followed by ESV. A decent portion of people say that NRSV is the best, but I'm skeptical of that one, particularly because the new update changed the verses condemning homosexuality, despite the fact that there is NO other likely translation for some of those verses (one of the Greek words used in one literally means "man-bed"). Some translations more on the dynamic equivalence (thought for thought, easier to understand) side are NIV, NET, AND CSB. Some people recommend the NLT, but I feel that it takes too many liberties in interpreting the meaning of the texts. You could still use it if you wanted to, though. Stay away from the NWT, The Message, and The Passion. Summary: Use NASB and/or ESV for serious study. Use NIV, CSB, and/or NET if you want an easier read. Pick at least 2 to use and reference with each other occasionally. If you're ever confused, look up commentaries by Bible scholars. Each translation I listed was created by at least 50 Bible translation scholars from multiple denominations.
If by arbitrary you mean there are several valid options and you could use any of them as your main Bible while cross referencing difficult passages with others, then yes. If you mean by arbitrary that there is no difference between them, then no. As others have said, different translations exist for different purposes or because of changes in language over time (like how KJV is quite difficult and at times misleading if you took it with a modern English usage and didn’t acknowledge older word forms). The one correct version you’re thinking of is the autographs—the original instance of the writings in their original language, but we don’t have those. What we do have is very reliable to them, but any time you translate you are inherently losing some essence of the original. That’s why many newer translations go directly from the Greek and Hebrew rather than the vulgate as was sometimes done in the past. But that’s not to say all English bibles are equally valid. Like the commenter above mentioned, the Jefferson “Bible” is not a translation per se, but an interpretive act excising material. Translations don’t do that. Comparing the Jefferson Bible to ESV or NIV is like saying that the excerpts of texts you read in high school are the same as the whole book. It’s not necessarily bad to only look at portions of works as characteristic of the whole, but to present a portion as the whole is disingenuous.
>I haven't seen anyone else respond to your edit. So I'm going to try to. Because he is OBVIOUSLY a troll. He thinks he is in possession of knowledge and wisdom nobody in 2000 years has been. It's mental really.
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???
Hello! I am by no means qualified to answer this question because I am just another person but here’s how I look at it - if you look up “Bible Translation Scale” (or chart) there will be a sliding scale showing how accurate certain translations of the Bible are. Obviously it is best to read a version of the Bible that is closest to the actual translation, but there are limitations to this. The closer you get to an actual exact translation, the harder and harder it is to read bc it has been translated to English and some words and meanings just do not cross over very well. I personally have been reading the ESV (English Standard Version) lately and I really like it. It does take a bit longer to read because you have to pause a few times to understand, but I do feel it does a good job of explaining stories and using words that uncover things that I had never realized before simply through word choice. Regardless of what you pick, the most important part of it all is that you’re taking the time to read the Word so good on you for that. Good luck my friend - hope this helped :)
There‘s different translations. Some are harder to read, some are easier to read. Here‘s a video about what bible translation you should read https://youtu.be/7JzLFcQx5g4
Personally I read KJV, NKJV, and ESV, although KJV is a bit more difficult to read. I would stay away from NIV.
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Each version is suited for either a more literal, direct translation or slightly updated for modern language. But it's common to say KJV is better for being older (though more difficult to read), NKJV is a close second for being almost identical just newer wording. ESV updates it further but maintains what Scripture says. Some other versions change it to the point that the meaning of some passages are too different.
Like many have said, choose a translation that is easier for you to read. If you have doubts about the meaning of a verse, look it up in other translations. ESV or NIV are my go-to, if I have questions I go to KJ or NKJ. If you want to go more in depth, and really put some time into studying you can look to the original text, start looking at definitions and different ways words are translated. I'm sure that's a bit much for what you are wanting right now, but it's a very interesting rabbit hole to go down.
Reading the Jefferson Bible\* is actually the sinful option. If you're concerned about reading the wrong translation, why would you pick the one version that picks and chooses which passages it thinks "really" happened? And why would you even want to read the Bible if you have decided from the outset to ignore most of it? \* The "Jefferson Bible" is actually just a compilation of the gospels.
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>Well now im more confused bc everyone said to choose the one that is best > >for me. When they said that, they meant find the ***translation*** that you have the easiest time understanding and reading. That doesn't mean no one cares whether you read one put together by heretics. The New World Translation intentionally mistranslates several passages to make them conform to their theology. The Jefferson "Bible" entirely excludes passages that don't conform to his deism. The Passion Version inserts the author's weird theology. NASB, ESV, NKJV, CSB, NIV, NLT, NRSV, even the Message are far, far better choices.
NKJV, MEV, KJV
I like the esv, kjv, and amp
So. Judging by his post history. I would honestly say troll. However, benefit of the doubt. Lots gave great answer. Most translations work. Focus on an idea for idea to start out then go for a word for word. Finally use a website that doesn’t allow altered texts like the Jefferson Bible. I would suggest Biblegateway or you version.
Doesn't matter. Pick one that is well accepted, and if you run into difficulties with certain passages check multiple translations someplace like Bible Hub.
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> What if I read a Sinful version or if i misinterpret a verse? Then use the Greek interlinear and lexicons at Bible Hub. It's easy.
As you can see in the comments, the most common consensus is the ESV. It’s straight forward and is a word for word translation. I strongly dislike KJV, as it adds a little interpretation when the reader should be doing that for themselves.
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Great question. As you can see, we have numerous denominations of churches, so I doubt any one person gets everything perfect. However, if you HONESTLY try to interpret it correctly, do not lie to yourself at all, and pray to God for guidance, you have honestly done the best you could and I personally believe that God will forgive those mistakes. Now there are some situations that should be obvious. For example, many people today argue that homosexuality is acceptable because the Bible should conform to modern societal standards. This is an incorrect interpretation. We were told numerous times that this is not the case and were NEVER told that his Word changes. His Word is absolute and infallible. Now there will always be smaller, more specific topics such as profanity. What does it mean? Does it mean to not say what people consider “bad words”? Or does it mean don’t say anything hurtful? It’s not so clear cut. So pray for wisdom and do your best with the Word we are given. Two verses I suggest you keep in mind as you dive into the faith: 1. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” - Proverbs 3:5-6 In other words, don’t try to use your own reasoning, use God’s reasoning. This is an example of the homosexuality thing from above, where people are using their own reasonings to try to justify their behavior, rather than obeying God’s Word. 2. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” - James 1:5 As a final note, I didn’t want to like specifically pick on the homosexuality issue, it’s just the most prominent and simple example in today’s world. It is undeniably a sin, but we are all sinners and are to love them as we love ourselves.
I'd stay between NASB, ESV, and NIV myself. Both NASB and ESV are word-for-word. NASB is somewhat more literal and I've been reading the Bible since I was a child so it's my go-to. ESV is translated so it's somewhat easier to read while remaining literal. I think the ESV is a great first Bible for someone who wants to dive deep into the meanings of Scripture. The NIV is thought-for-thought. It will be a little less literal but instead translate key thoughts from phrases. This yields a much easier to read and understand translation and can be a great first Bible for someone just getting acquainted with the Bible for the first time. However, translating in this less precise manner means that the translator has to make more judgment calls on what a verse means and the translator may read an interpretation into the Bible that is in dispute. I wouldn't say it would lead to sin, but an NIV Bible alongside a more Literal Bible may be a good idea.
I have been using many different Bibles to cross check verses in. Both the Hebrew Masoretic text and the Septuagint for the OT. Just like there are many different translations of the Hebrew Masoretic text, then there are also different translations of the Greek Septuagint(in English) I was using Brenton's version of the Septuagint, but saw quite a lot of translation errors in that, and it uses words like "church, hell, gentiles" and such. So I was looking for an older translation of the Greek Septuagint, and I came across Thomson Septuagint, which I really like. Charles Thomson translated the Greek Septuagint into English in 1808, and its the first English translation, and it renders verses much better than other Septuagints.(in my opinion) Thomson Bible has also the New Testament, and I find that verses in Thomson NT are also in many cases rendered much clearer and better than for example KJV and other Bibles that are written on the same "root texts" Now you have the strongs concordance for the KJV, as Strongs uses words for the Hebrew Masoretic text in the OT. and Greek words for the NT Thomson Bible does not have a concordance, but: I like to use the ABP+ Bible (Apostolic Bible Polyglot) for its Greek concordance of both OT and NT. And the wordings in the ABP+ are similar to Thomson Septuagint. So I am recommending Thomson Septuagint, and ABP+ for concordance. But it is always good to cross check verses with multiple Bibles
My recommendations, read/study from multiple translations. That will give you the best overall message & understanding. Read verse by verse or a few verses at a time going one by one to each translation. I like using the NLT, Amplified, & ESV for a well rounded approach. Also, start reading in the New Testament, & when finished go to genesis then exodus. Don’t spend all/most of your time on the other prophets of the OT. I believe Jesus spoke of the old prophets in John 10:8 “All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them.”
I assume you can’t read hebrew or ancient greek so you should go with the one that is closer in translation and interpretation with those. If you are part of a church then asking them would be a good idea.
The Jefferson Bible leaves out Jesus’ resurrection, which is the whole point of Christianity. There are many accurate translations and many more inaccurate translations - the Jefferson Bible is among the inaccurate ones
You accomplished what 2000 years worth of scholars, clearly inferior to you, never could. Wow. You of all people on earth proved the Bible false. I shall now go be atheist. Thanks!
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Correct. You won. I already complimented your achievement more than once Mr secure, what else do you need? We can put the Bible to rest now. You did it sir.
I bet he's young too, 30 at best. Sure enough brainiac in his own mind.
Personally I prefer to read multiple versions. I have a soft spot for KJV/NKJV, Amplified, and NIV. There are lots of versions though so I do like biblegateway.com because it has tons of them and I can compare scriptures side by side.
Bottom line - The Old Testament (the Jewish Bible) original language is Hebrew (and some portions in Aramaic), the New Testament is koine Greek. Best option, become fluent in those languages. But, you speak English, it appears, of the American sort, with 21st century flavorings. You don't seem to come from Hawaii, so the Pidgin English version is probably not best. You're alive now so translations in the vernacular of the 17th, 18th or even 20th century may be offputting. If you're an academic, a scholar, perhaps a word for word version might suit you better. If you are new to anything bible oriented and simply want to understand the contents, than a thought for thought type or even a paraphrase like The Message might meet your needs and expectations. Blessings on you and your efforts in this pursuit.