BIBLE ARTICLE

"WHY ARE THERE DIFFERENT ENGLISH BIBLE VERSIONS?"

Answer: Base on how you differentiate a Bible version from a modified version, there are over 50 different English versions of the Bible. The question then remains: In actuality, is there any need for so several different English versions of the Bible? The answer is a firm no. This is true considering the fact that 100s of languages into which the full Bible has not yet been translated. And in the same vain there is nothing wrong with the existence multiple versions of the Bible in a language. In fact, multiple versions of the Bible can actually be an aid in deep appreciation of the message of the scripture.

Two major reasons for the diverse English Bible versions are. (1) In the process of time, the English language changes/evolves, making upgrades becomes obviously indispensable. Say, contemporary reader, reads a 1611 King James Version of the Bible, it is practically incomprehensible. The whole lot from the spelling, to sentence structure, to language rules, to phrasing and terminology is different. Linguists affirm that the English language has changed more frequently in the past 400 years than the Greek or Latin language has changed in the past 2000 years. Several times in throughout history, Christians get use and become dependent to a particular Bible version. This is so with the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, and the King James Version. Stern allegiance to a particular version of the Bible is not only specious but counterproductive. Note that the Bible was initially written in the common language of the people of that time. As the Bible is translated, it is translated into how a people/language group speaks/reads at that particular time, not how it spoke 100s of years ago.

(2) The second point is that, methods and styles for how best to provide the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into English language. Some Bible versions translate literally (word-for-word) as much as possible, known as formal equivalence. Some other versions translate much less literally, that is more of a thought-for-thought method, known as dynamic equivalence. All of the different English Bible versions are at diverse points of the formal equivalence vs. dynamic equivalence. The New American Standard Bible and the King James Version would be to the far end of the formal equivalence side, while paraphrases such as The Living Bible and The Message would be to the far end of the dynamic equivalence side.

The benefit of formal equivalence is that it minimizes the translators inserting their own interpretations into the passages. The demerit of formal equivalence is that it most often than not produces conversion so woodenly literal that it is not easily comprehensible. The benefit of dynamic equivalence is that it usually provides for a much more understandable Bible version. The drawback of dynamic equivalence is that it sometimes results in “this is what I think it means” instead of translate “this is what it says.” Neither method is right nor wrong. The best Bible version is likely produced through a balance of the two methods.

The following are some most frequently used English versions of the Bible. In deciding which Bible version(s) to use in your study, you need to do investigate and confer with fellow believers of good repute, also read them for yourself, and finally ask God for understanding a propos your choice.

King James Version (KJV)

New International Version (NIV)

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New King James Version (NKJV)

English Standard Version (ESV)

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

New Century Version (NCV)

New English Bible (NEB)

American Standard Version (ASV)

Good News Bible (GNB) / Today’s English Version (TEV)

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Today’s New International Version (TNIV)

New English Translation (NET)

Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

God’s Word Translation (GW)

New International Readers Version (NIrV)

Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Bible in Basic English (BBE)

21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

World English Bible (WEB)

Revised English Bible (REB)

Jerusalem Bible (JB)

New American Bible (NAB)

The Living Bible (TLB)

The Message (MSG)