What is the best version of the Bible and why?

Question

I'm a 19 year old female in college and my current Bible is an NIV Teen Study Bible, which I believe it's safe to say I've out grown. I'm looking for a new Bible and am wondering what version I should look for or what some of you would reccomend and why before I go making a purchase.

Answer 1

I have several versions of the Bible, but my very favorite is The Complete Jewish Bible, translated by David Stern, a Messianic Jew.



I prefer this version because the Bible is a Jewish book, written by Jews, so it's logical to have a version translated by a Jew. It's very easy to read, just as the NIV is, but the NIV is missing a lot of important things in translation.



D1

Answer 2

Hi young lady, hope you are well and improving as a person who it seems has a Bible foundation. Well The Holy Bible In Its ORIGINAL ORDER a Faithful Version With Commentary is the best translation out there right now[Schocken Bible 1st five books is probably better from Gen to Duet]. Note though what the world teaches and what the Bible[Christ and the Father] says may not be the same and the commentaries in this Bible will greatly differentiate from the Worlds churches teaching. So if you look into this one and do buy the Bible is excellent and so is the Commentaries though you may not agree with them[the Commentaries that is]. In Sincerity of the Truth, Z.

Answer 3

Hey there!



Your choice of Bible translation is very personal. I used to always read the NIV, but now I'm a convert to the New Living Translation (2004 edition). I just find it so easy to read, and it's been highly acclaimed by scholars, which for me is quite important. For study I compare several translations if there's something I'm not sure about. For just reading I like the Message. Try BibleGateway.com to read lots of English Bibles and see how you get on.



And by the way, the reason some verses are "missing" in newer translations is that there is little evidence that they were in the first Greek manuscripts in the first place, they were added at a later date by overly zealous scribes! There are over 5,000 Greek manuscripts from which we get the New Testament, and by looking at all of them we can find out what the originals said!

Answer 4

Try the Thompson Chain Study Bible in any of the translations. I believe the Thompson Study Bible is available in the King James Version, New King James Version, New International Version, and the New American Standard Version.



This Bible is my personal favorite as it offers various means of following a word, topic, etc. throughout the Bible.

Answer 5

If you're going for accuracy, biblical scholars (actual scholars with actual doctorates, not the neighborhood pastor who calls himself a scholar) consider the Revised Standard Version to be the most accurate translation. The RSV, however, is also not the easiest version to read. The NAB is easy to read, and is second on the accuracy list, though it is a Catholic version, and since you're using the NIV, I'm guessing you're not Catholic.



So I would choose between the RSV and the NAB. The NAB is very accurate and easy to read, but has those seven books that you don't use and very Catholic footnotes (which you could of course just ignore). The RSV doesn't have those Catholic footnotes or the deuterocanon/apocrypha and is more accurate, but is harder to read.



Personally, just avoid the KJV and any versions derived from it and you should be fine accuracy wise.



edit - also - keep the NIV. It's really simple to read in case you're having trouble understanding another passage in your new version, and some people refuse to dialog with you if you're using a NAB or a RSV. And as you can see by my screen name, I think you should pretty much ignore every word Chris says. Not exactly the most honest person in the world. I mean - look at the site he links too. It's got an article about how the government is trying to cross spiders with goats so that they can make bulletproof milk! And he thinks that's a credible source...

Answer 6

A Bible that is easy to understand in contemporary language and reflects the latest scholarship since tels are continually being discovered and older manuscripts studied to clarify portions of scripture which have been hard to translate due to fragmentation.

One easy to read (but this is a paraphrase and not a true translation) is The Message which has some really good scholarship and translation behind it. Keep your NIV for comparison. I often use the New Revised Standard Version.

Answer 7

Try NIV archaeological study Bible or Christian apologetic study Bible by Norman Geisler



The new ESV Bible is good too

Answer 8

I found in my studies that an interlinear is the best for new testament. It's great to see how the bible has been translated, and once you learn about the way it was written it makes the NT have even more meaning. Good luck in your studies!!!



I'm going to assume that the two thumbs down are from atheists or people who don't know what they're talking about. Interlinear gives you the greek words and the literal translation of the words underneath, how can that not be the best bible??

Answer 9

OK, read this if you want a quick answer, skip it if you want a better answer

http://www.bible-reviews.com/selector.html





If you want to do a little reading to find the perfect bible, read the following pages, in order. Warning: the site is still under construction and most of the buttons don't work. That's why I'm listing the pages singly. For each page, write down your choice instead of clicking a button. Notice that fuller explanations are given below each set of choices.



#1 - http://www.bibleselector.com/c_canon.html



#2 - http://www.bibleselector.com/c_tm_mc.html



#3 - http://www.bibleselector.com/c_study_mc_fe.html



#4 - if you need a Roman Catholic approved bible, let me know that too.



E-mail your choices to me here or using the button on the web site, and I will give you a tailor-made recommendation for both version and edition.



Jim

Answer 10

I went through this same dilemma...i chose the NLT study bible (or just the NLT, not study bible) it is more like the NIV in speech. It is however more accurate then the NIV in comparing to the KJV



I would chose the NLT

Answer 11

if you want to buy the best version of the bible, you should buy the one which is closest to the ancient manuscript. The closer it is the more authentic and reliablie the bible will be.



All biblical versions of the Bible prior to the revised version of 1881 were dependent upon the "Ancient copies" (those dated at about five to six hundred years after Jesus). The revisers of the Revised Standard Version (RSV) 1952 were the first biblical scholars to have access to the "Most ancient copies" which date roughly four hundred years after Christ. It is only logical for us to concur that the closer a document is to the source the more authentic it is. Upon discovering these "most" ancient copies of the Bible, what did the scholars of the Bible learn about their "King James Version" (KJV) of the Bible? In the preface of the RSV 1971 we find the following:



"...Yet the King James Version has GRAVE DEFECTS.."



They go on to caution us that:



"...That these defects are SO MANY AND SO SERIOUS as to call for revision"



The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible by Oxford Press has the following to say in its preface:



"Yet the King James Version has serious defects. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the development of biblical studies and the discovery of many biblical manuscripts more ancient than those on which the King James Version was based made it apparent that these defects were so many as to call for revision."



Who says so? Who are these people who claim that the Bible in the hands of the majority of today's Christians contains "many" "grave defects" which are so "serious" as to require a complete overhaul of the text? Well, we can find the answer in the very same RSV Bible. In it, the publishers themselves (Collins) mention on page 10 of their notes:



"This Bible (RSV) is the product of thirty two scholars assisted by an advisory committee representing fifty cooperating denominations"



Let us see what is the opinion of Christendom with regard to these scholars and their work in the revision of the Bible (revised by them in 1952 and then again in 1971):



"The finest version which has been produced in the present century" - (Church of England newspaper)



"A completely fresh translation by scholars of the highest eminence" - (Times literary supplement)



"The well loved characteristics of the authorized version combined with a new accuracy of translation" - (Life and Work)



"The most accurate and close rendering of the original" - (The Times)

Answer 12

You could move up an NIV study bible.



I like the New Living Translation and the New King James Version

Answer 13

Nicole,

I personally like the King James Version but there are a number of side-by-side versions available that will have two different versions and center column references in them. I would also look for one with good references in the back of it. Many of the Bible Book Stores will allow you to check out their Bibles before you purchase them. Have a great week.

Thanks,

Eds

~~~

There are several great answers here but "Pastor's" answer is excellent. I have seen and really like the Thompson Chain Study Bible.

~~~



.

Answer 14

I prefer a readable Bible, like New American Standard.

Many here have mentioned the King James, but I have a hard time staying focused and understanding it. There is a New King James Version - that you might find very readable. And study versions are also helpful to have.

Answer 15

Well...I heard the KJV is the most accurate because people sort of simplify and simplify the Bible (dumbing it down).

I have the NJKV which gets a lot of...critcism. I didn't mean to, but now I think that the best thing to do is read so that you understand the point, then read just for...accuracy if you feel you need to.

Answer 16

A good translation is "The Book" which is the Bible in a Living translation. It is great that you are staying in the Word during these times when it takes real guts to take a stand for what is right. Kudos to you girl!

Answer 17

If you want to read the best possible translations ever you would have to learn Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, understand the Jewish culture and what certain phrases meant and go to the original manuscripts, unfortunately that proves to be too difficult for almost everyone.



Fortunately, most English translation are taken as direct translations from the original manuscripts, so you will still get it mostly accurate.



NIV is becoming the most widely used translation

KJV is viewed to be the most word-for word accurate translation.



I use "God's Word" translation when I want to read a whole book at a time though, because it words it as if you're reading a story, which keeps my attention, although it's not a great "study" Bible



So there's a few good ones, it's mostly personal opinion as to what you want from it, I use a few translations to cross check.



Hope that helps!

Answer 18

I like the New Revised Standard Version with Apocrypha it has every thing that Protestant, Catholic and Greek Orthodox Bibles contain.

Answer 19

Now that you have read the Bible I recommend another bestseller: The US Tax Code.

Answer 20

new living translation....