We are fortunate in the English speaking world to have a number of Bible translations. We get to pick which is our favorite and often get to debate which is the most accurate (even if we don’t read Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic).
Recently, Thom Rainier, head of Lifeway Christian Resources, published a survey by the Christian Booksellers Association of the top selling Bible translations for 2012.
Here is the list with some of my observations.
1. New Living Translation
2. New International Version
3. King James Version
4. New King James Version
5. English Standard Version
6. Common English Bible
7. Holman Christian Standard Bible
8. New American Standard Bible
9. Reina Valera 1960
10. New International Readers Version
I have several observations.
First, eight of the translations have been completed since 1970. Only the King James Version (1611) and the Reina Valera 1960 version (a Spanish version) were translated earlier.
Second, the King James Version (along with the New King James Version) continues to be quite popular. This is amazing since the King James Version is now 500 years old.
Third, the New Living Translation has become quite popular. The NLT started out as a revision of The Living Bible (an English paraphrase of the Bible) but wound up being a new translation from the Hebrew and Greek. This translation uses “dynamic equivalence,” which is a translation of entire thoughts rather than word by word.
Fourth, the sales of Reina Valera 1960 shows the large number of Spanish readers who are in this country and are reading the Scripture.
You can read about Bible translations by clicking here and helpful ways to study the Bible by clicking here.
Finally, I hope this list stimulates your desire to read the Bible and to read it in a different translation than you normally use. Doing so will help your understanding and will whet your appetite for deeper study. That has certainly been my experience. I hope it will be yours as well.
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5 Responses
I wondered why the St. Joseph Edition did not make the list. Perhaps that is another discussion?
Your inspiration has prompted me to offer a quote by Anne Frank:
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
Wisdom from a young short life.
From an older, longer life:
Think of all the years passed by in which you said to yourself, ‘I’ll do it tomorrow,’ and how the gods have again and again granted you periods of grace of which you have not availed yourself. It is time to realize that you are a member of the Universe, that you are born of Nature itself, and to know that a limit has been set to your time. Use every moment wisely, to perceive your inner refulgence, or ‘twill be gone and nevermore within your reach.”
Marcus Aurelius – Meditations 2.4
Can you see the finger of God in Marcus pointing to the “Unknown God” on Mars Hill? Sounds like a good case to be “in” Christ as described in Romans 12:5.
William Congreve said, “Delay not till tomorrow to be wise, tomorrow’s sun to thee may never rise.”
General Omar Bradley said, “This is as true in everyday life as it is in battle: we are given one life and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind, or whether to act, and in acting, to live.”
…Crucified in Christ, nevertheless, I live… And the Life I now Live…
Yes, pick a translation, pick all the translations. As my friend Jack Parker said, “I believe any translation, any fragment of Scripture, is sufficient to be used by the Holy Spirit.”
Read God’s Word and enter into the Mind of the Creator of the Universe and His Purpose for you.
Thank you! Prayers.
Blessings.
Dr. Bailey, years ago I had the privilege of doing a word by word translation from the Greek and hebrew, two different books of the Bible for a college course I was taking in Greek and Hebrew. I translated the books of Jonah and II Peter. And amazingly I found of all the versions and translations on the market today, the Old King James was still the most accurate word by word of them all. I still prefer it over all others. My wife likes the New King James, and finds it very easily readable. I agree. Some of the versions on the market today leave out entire verses from the Bible, and re-verbiage verses of Scripture so that the meaning is different from the originals… This concerns me, and should anyone else who is a student of Scripture.
One of my most valued treasures that I purchased many years ago from the American Biblical Heritage Collection, Dr. Jewell Smith, was one page from a 1611 KJV Bible. I love it. God’s Word is precious, and is our lamp, and guide in our daily lives, therefore as a Christian who wants to be sure he is following God’s instructions, it is very important for us to be sure we are using the most Correct versions of the Bible in English. When my parents were missionaries for many years in Peru, they always used the Old Reina Valera which was used by the King James Translators as a guide for their translation into English.
I remember my first visit to FBC Covington, my KJV Bible was in hand. Few knew that it had sat in my bedside drawer seldom opened for years. The church was huge, movie screens were on the walls for crying out loud, a band-not a choir was on a stage of all things, people clapped and Waylon read from The NIV! The struggles began AGAIN. Somebody didn’t want me anywhere near God. Twelve years forward The NIV(1984), English Standard Version, NKJ & KJ Versions are used, the message through HIS Word is prayed for. Thank God for HIS All Powerful Word, praying friends, a loving church and one very precious grandson-all used to clear my focus.
Personally, I tend to stick with my KJV study bible but if I get caught up in translation then I simply look at my HCSB.
Two good translations. A study Bible is a real help for understanding and getting through rough passages.