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Choosing the right Bible translation for you
From time to time, I get asked which the best Bible translation is. There is no easy answer to this, but hopefully the following notes will be of some assistance and the general principles will apply to Bibles in any language - even though I am dealing with English Bibles.
I guess if we wanted to absolutely sure of getting an unbiased reading, we would have to learn Greek and Hebrew and read the Testaments in their original tongue. On the other hand, you can do as I do and believe that if the Bible is the Word of God and He has given it to us for our guidance, He will not allow the message to be distorted or lost.
All translations are subject to the preconceptions of the translators, even if they are trying hard not to slant or colour the translation. Many mainstream translations have trinitarian and "satan" bias, because that is what mainstream Christians in Mainstream churches believe. Therefore, for instance, the word "satan" which means "adversary" is left untranslated and even given a capital letter (which it does not have in the original) to lean the translation towards the concept of a "personal devil". The New World Translation, not surprisingly is biased towards the teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses, because they publish it. For instance, they have changed references to Christ ruling ON the earth to Christ ruling OVER the earth, because it fits their doctrine.
So how do we cope with this situation? Well my first guideline is to avoid translations by one person or one church. A committee or a team are more likely to avoid extremes of bias.
My second guideline is not to limit yourself to one translation. I find useful to change translations from time to time and get a different perspective. It is also useful to visit sites such as www.biblegateway.com and www.blueletterbible.org where you can see many different translations side by side. It will help you see which translation floats your boat and is also very useful for seeing different perspectives on difficult verses. And of course, these sites are free. Some churches give out free Bibles, but it is often only the New Testament or even just a single Gospel. King James Bibles can often be seen in "The Works" bookshops for as little as 99p and charity shops are also a good bet for a cheap Bible.
Another factor to consider when choosing a Bible is "where are you on your journey?", or to put it another way, "at what level do you want to study?".
If you are new to the Bible, then it may be best to start with an easy-to-read version, such as the Good News Bible or New Living Translation. A free version available on Bible websites is "The Bible in Basic English".
As you get used to reading the Bible, you may want to start digging deeper and may benefit from footnotes and cross references or even one of the study Bibles available
Many of the bible study aids such as dictionaries, concordances etc are based on the King James Version, therefore you may find it useful to use this version, if you can cope with the older-style English Language, used in it.
Personally, I enjoy the World English Bible (WEB), although this is not available in print. But for online reading, I find it a good, balanced version and the fact that it uses Yahweh, the Name of God, rather than printing LORD, gives God's name the place it deserves as well as clearing up which "Lord" is being talked about - Yahweh or Jesus. It is also not copyrighted like many versions. For print Bibles, I use the NIV, NKJV and RSV and don't have a firm favourite - as I say, I like to ring the changes.
In conclusion, I would add that it is not often the Bibles themselves that cause distortion of the Word, but the people who mis-use the Bible to make their point. It is possible to take a verse out of context and make it mean a lot of things. so:
- Always check what you are told and read it for yourself.
- Always look at the context of a verse (read either side of it and get the general message of that section).
- God is not a God of confusion, so one section should harmonise with another. If a verse jars with the rest of the Bible, then either our understanding is wrong, or a translator has applied bias.
- Follow some kind of a Bible reading plan to ensure you read all the Bible, not just some books or chapters. Many things in the New Testament, for example, can only be truly understood if you have read the Old Testament.
If you would like a Bible reading planner or other material about the Bible, please go to the Contact page and request it there.