Best English Translation of the Bible

In your poll, move one vote from NRSV to NASB. When I "scrolled down" to hit the vote, the indicator moved, too! Sorry.

 

It's sorta like asking what's the best tool without considering for what.

But I voted for the NIV anyway--how else to see the results?

Better to've asked:

What's the best English translation for liturgy in a native speaker (of English) church?

What's the best English translation for liturgy in an ESL context?

What's the best English translation to learn Jacobean English?

What's the best English translation to do form-by-form comparisons with the Greek, Hebrew, n Aramaic?

What's the best English translation to reach the Deaf community?

What's the best English translation to get 5-year-olds to read out of?

What's the best English translation to elicit a strong readers' response from a British/American/Ebonic college community?

What's the best English translation to seminary use with M.J. Erickson's _Christian Theology_?

Answer: a hammer (duh)

 

The only sad thing about the poll, is that I don't know how to speak the English of 1611. I need a translator to translate from the KJV to today's English as I learned it!

But, I guess we have room to debate what the word "best" means.

Personally, I have sensed God's presence while reading all of the versions in the poll.

Andrey
www.achievebalance.com

 

Andrey, if you do not speak the Modern English as the KJV, what form of English do you speak?

English is divided into three parts:</font>

• Old English 500-1100</font>
• Middle English 1100-1500</font>
• Modern English 1500-Present</font>

If you don't speak Modern English, and need a translator, do you speak Old or Middle English, and if so, where are you from that Old or Middle English is the common language of your people?

 

Best means favorite here. It has virtually nothing to do with quality.

 

Best has everything to do with quality. But we qualify based on what our needs are. Different people read the bible for different reasons. Their reasons for reading will greatly influence which bible is best for them.

 

The man with the ever changing name wrote:

Care to elaborate?

 

Certainly. Some people read the bible simply as literature. A contemporary translation with its modern language and dynamic equivalence is fine for them.

Others read for study. A translation which uses more formal equivalence and maintains not only form but also verbal equivalence is better for them.

Some wish to do an indepth exegetical study, in which case the original language texts would be the best for them.

See?

 

I also think people will use the DE or Free MVs for devotional reading in many cases.

 

i thought that was a little unfair, when no one on this board writes in KJB Jacobean English, which is technically a part of a period called "Modern English"--a long n massive evolution of a language that has become the lingua franca of the world.

this "Modern English" includes everything fr pre-Jacobian writings thru Dr Johnson n Dryden n the rest of American n Brit lit, ranging now to the New Englishes of India, South Africa, n Southeast Asia. while the "Modern English" of Time Magazine n Roald Dahl r eminently readable, the same cannot be said of Shakespeare's n the KJB's "Modern English," where many readers--even those of "intermediate" ability--r intimidated, sometimes to tears.

modernity is such a long period that it has lost its meaning when applied to this creature called the English Language--we need gter granularity if we wld understand what's meant.

 

What part of "In the beginning" don't you understand?

 

Good poll. I voted for the NASB though I use a NKJV . 2 other Translations I wish would have been in the poll - The ESV and AMPLIFIED BIBLE. I really like the AMPLIFIED and hear good reports on the ESV The Amplified is now Online at http://www.studybibleforum.com/bibletext.php

 

Kiffin,
The ESV was in the poll.

Thanks for the info on the Amplified being online. Have you noticed that a lot of charismatics use this translation? I have noticed that a good many IME have an affinity for it. Anyone else noticed that? Maybe it's just that some of the big wigs on tv in that ilk use it.

 

Possibly because one can use the AMP to mean almost anything one wants it to as it adds every nuance of possible meaning. I'm sure charismatics like that. (Besides, reading from the AMP publicly is almosts like speaking in tongues)

John 3:16 AMP For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

A.W. Tozer said this about amplified Bibles:

 

Kiffin:

Just curious: why?

 

RSR,
Me too.

Chris,
Good points!

 

Bro Tom,

I must have been brain dead when I read the poll...Thanks for pointing out my error

I have found the Charismatics using it alot. I use it in the Bible studies I teach and would say it is my favorite next to the NKJV. It would be hard to read in a preaching situation because the amplification is a mouthfull.

Chris, I voted for the NASB because I believe it to be the most literal. I use the NKJV primarily because about half my congregation uses it and those who use the KJV have no problem following alone. I would probably use the NASB if most my congregation did though if they used the NIV I might be hardpressed to assimilate with them because of it's looseness in translation. I like the NKJV also because of it closeness to the KJV which I was raised on. So I'm comfortable with it but not ready to start a NKJV only movement yet

I do not have a ESV so I could not comment on it but hopefully around Christmas I'll get it for myself as a present

[ May 26, 2002, 10:08 PM: Message edited by: Kiffin ]

 

Hmmm, efore I was saved I couldn't understand the KJ English, then after salvation there was a translator. Perhaps some need to meet The Lord Jesus Christ then you would understand his book....