Which Bible Version Is the Best?

Type of Doctrine: Typically secondary or tertiary

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

-2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV

Why Does It Matter?

We believe that Scripture is inerrant and inspired in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek writings by the original authors. However, many of us don't know these languages so we need the Scriptures translated into languages that we understand. How do we know which translation to pick? This article will cover some of the most common translations in the English language that are used today.

Bible translations are typically thought of as a tertiary issue by most people. Many times you can find people within a church with different Bible translation preferences. However, churches often adopt a primary translation that they use to prevent confusion. Some people consider this a secondary issue (which affects which church one attends).

What Is It?

I frequently get asked a question something like this: "What Bible translation is the best?" My answer is usually something like, "It depends." Many of the translations today are excellent. Many are similar and differ only on certain words. I have my preferences (which I will provide at the end) but picking a translation is based on many factors.

First, let's go through some background on Bible translations. God has spoken to us through language. It seems that there are few things in life more important than interpreting, translating, and spreading God's words to humans.

However, when we translate the Scriptures, there is a tension. On the one side, we want to be faithful to translate exactly what God has inspired and revealed. In other words, we want to relay the message accurately. On the other side, we want it to be understandable and readable in the new language.

Languages don't have a one-to-one correspondence. (Anyone who has taken Spanish can understand that word order literally translated into English may be confusing for an English speaker.) Also, idioms in one language can't really make sense in other languages if they are translated literally. For example, if you translate the English idiom, "it's raining cats and dogs," into another language, then you may get some odd looks! Thus, a fully literal one-to-one translation is unlikely to make sense in other languages.

Therefore, translators have utilized three basic concepts to make Bible translations. First, some adopt the formal equivalence viewpoint where they seek to be as close to being "word-for-word" as possible. Others, on the opposite end, adopt a functional equivalence view where they focus on translating "thought-for-thought". In between these two ends, you can find a group that seeks to balance the two called optimal equivalence.[1]

Here is a chart to demonstrate.

3 Basic Translation Concepts

View	Description	Example(s)
Formal Equivalence	Literal; word-for-word	NASB
Functional Equivalence	Thought-for-thought	NLT
Optimal Equivalence	Balance between the prior two categories	ESV (leans toward formal equivalence); NIV (leans toward functional equivalence); CSB (in the middle between the two)

Thus, if we put these three views on a spectrum with some of the most common English translations it would look like the chart that follows.

A Spectrum of Some of the Most Common Translations

Formal Equivalence		Optimal Equivalence		Functional Equivalence
Word-for-word / Literal	<- Leans	Middle	Leans ->	Thought-for-thought / Paraphrase
Interlinear, NASB, KJV / NKJV	RSV, ESV,	CSB, NET	NIV, NLT	GNB, Living, The Message

A Few Considerations

Here are a few considerations on Bible translations.

First, there is no English translation that is the correct, authoritative, and God-inspired version. Remember the authoritative, inspired version is the original. That is, the original manuscripts produced by the original authors. (There are some who believe that the King James version is the only authoritative version, but it was produced in the 1600s. It wasn't around in the early church. It was a phenomenal translation for the time. However, it uses language that we don't use anymore and we continue to find more manuscripts which aid in translation. That being said, if someone prefers KJV that is fine, but it should not be presented as the only correct, authoritative translation.)

Second, it's possible to use multiple translations for different purposes. You don't necessarily have only one "right" version that you have to use. (For example: If you don't know Greek or Hebrew, then you can compare the English translations and find the few words that they translate differently. Then study those words in depth. Also, some may opt for one main version for deep Bible study and another for a devotional reading which reads more conversationally.)

Third, on the other hand, many opt to use one main translation for familiarity and memorization. Others may find it helpful to adopt the version their church uses to be on the same page (no pun intended!) with the preacher and other believers in their community.

Fourth, factors such as age, education level, and reading skills may affect which translation is adopted (or even, perhaps, which one is most understandable when listening to it read aloud or on a podcast.)

Fifth, as time charges ahead language evolves. We need new translations to help understand the Scriptures as language changes. Thus, fifty years from now we will probably need new translations in English to help people understand the Scriptures with how English is spoken at that time.

Sixth, at some point, the further you go on the spectrum towards the thought-for-thought side, the translation becomes a paraphrase. Some paraphrase versions can get so loose that it does not resemble the original text very much at all. (Instead of using these versions as translations, maybe they should be used more like a commentary?)

Seventh, the further you go on the spectrum towards the word-for-word direction the less readable it often becomes in English. Some word-for-word translations can be so woodenly literal that the meaning is difficult to grasp. Why? Because no one talks like that!

(An important note on some modern translations: Translation sometimes involves interpretation. Some translations are seeking to move to more gender-neutral readings. When the text says "man" or "brothers" does it also mean "women" or "sisters" or is it simply speaking about men? One side may argue that this can help women feel more included while the other side may be concerned that it could change the text and seem to advocate for women pastors when the text does not. This can help the reader understand when this is happening to try to interpret for themselves regardless of the translation. Another example is the translation of the Greek word for "apostle". Sometimes it is translated as "apostle" while other times it is translated as "messenger". In Greek it is the same word. Perhaps the translators are helping and this translation is warranted, but other times it could prevent the reader from seeing that it is the same word. Therefore, as you can see, translators are sometimes interpreting the text while they are translating it.)

In sum, there are many reasons for multiple translations and there are many factors in choosing a Bible translation. Consider the balance between word-for-word accuracy and readability and pick a translation!

Application

You will need to need to consider factors such as these and find a translation that you like best.

For me, I primarily use the English Standard Version (ESV). Why? Because I like that the translators have attempted to balance word-for-word and readability, but it leans towards the word-for-word side. Why is that helpful? It helps me understand a more literal translation from the original language. It is slightly more readable than the NASB; it doesn't read quite as woodenly literal. Nevertheless, it is still strongly word-for-word.

Sometimes I look at interlinears and the NASB when I would like to see a more literal translation. (I like how the NASB puts words in italics to let you know when they are added for readability and are not in the original text.) When I'm studying the original language, I often compare different translations in order to find the words that they translate differently in their translations. Then that helps me narrow in on the words that I need to study in the original language. (If you don't have the tools to study those words, then you can consult a good study Bible or commentary on those words.)

On the other hand, in my devotional reading, sometimes I use NIV, CSB, or NET due to how effortless they are to read. (The NET Bible Full Notes Edition is a phenomenal resource for the curious. The translators give their notes on why they made the translation decisions that they did.)

In sum: No translation is perfect, but all of the translations are good. We are blessed in our context during this time period. We have tons of options. While I would stay away from a paraphrase for my regular Bible reading, most of the other options are great (e.g., NASB, ESV, CSB, NET, and NIV). What is important is that you pick a translation and read it!

Where Can I Learn More?

End Notes:

[1] Many simply refer to two views: formal equivalence and functional equivalence. They may then refer to a spectrum with translations that fall somewhere in between. However, Dave Croteau has helpfully described these middle translations with another third view (i.e., optimal equivalence). Dave Croteau, "Translation Philosophy: Three Views," The Gospel Coalition, November 9, 2011, accessed August 23, 2025, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/translation-philosophy-three-views/.

Other resources:

• The folks at Bible Gateway have put together this excellent resource on Bible translations: https://www.biblegateway.com/learn/bible-101/about-the-bible/bible-versions-guide/.