- HE. “So lemme ask: Which version of the bible do you use? Which one’s the best?”
- ME. “None of ’em. Learn Hebrew and Greek.”
As soon as someone finds out I know the bible’s original languages, that’s nearly always the question they ask me. Sometimes because they earnestly wanna know, and figure I’m more an expert than they are. Sometimes because they already have a favorite, and want some affirmation. Sometimes because they already think their favorite is best, so they’re testing me.
Well, this question has a long answer. It’s the rest of this article! But I found when you being with the long answer, their eyes roll back in their heads; they don’t wanna deal with the complexities of bible translations. They only wanted a quick ’n dirty answer. Tell ’em the best bible version, so they can go get that version and use it forevermore. Or judge you. Whatever.
So I start with my joke answer: “None. Learn original languages.”
Sometimes, but rarely, they realize I’m kidding. The rest of the time, a look of horror and despair comes upon their faces: “What, learn ancient languages? That’ll take years!”
Yes it will. It took me years. But that’s the scary alternative. Now for my much nicer—though admittedly long—response.
As for which version of the bible I use, it depends on why I need it.
- BIBLE STUDY. I go with the original languages. Always. I have Accordance on all my devices, ’cause it’s inconvenient to carry around a print copy of the original-language bibles. I got the
Biblia Hebraica for the Old Testament, the 28th edition of theNestle-Aland Greek New Testament (and theUnited Bible Societies’ GNT, theTyndale House GNT, theTextus Receptus, and theCodex Sinaiticus for comparison). - TEACHING. When I work with new believers and kids, New Living Translation; it’s easy to understand. When adults—as y’might notice from reading this blog—my own translation, frequently with
the King James Version for comparison, although if they have a favorite translation, I don’t mind switching over for their convenience. Having a bible app makes this easy. - AUDIO BIBLES. I have several. Including original-language audio bibles. (Yes
they exist. ) On my iPhone is my fave,The Bible Experience in the now-defunct Today’sNIV . - CASUAL READING. English is my first language after all, and Accordance comes with English translations, like the
ESV andKJV . Either I read one of them, or another translation from Bible Gateway, or I havean ESV pocket-sized bible which I bought about 20 years ago at a now-defunct Christian bookstore. (The cover’s thrashed, so I re-covered it in black duct tape. Hey, it works.)
And of course my bookshelf has lots of other “analog bibles” (y’know, books which don’t require charging). Some are
But lemme go back to the
- They’re trying too hard to follow the original text
“literally” and word-by-word. - Or it’s not even about translation; they were commissioned to update another popular translation, like when the
NIV comes out with another edition. They’re expected to fix it, but not change it too much. - Or (as with many a bible paraphrase) they’re trying too hard to be clever, and make it sound different from all the other versions… and there’s nothing wrong with the way the other versions translated it.
Basically if your interpretation needs an interpretation, you suck as an interpreter.
Now, which one’s the best translation? Um… whichever one gets you to read your bible.