Great for Serious Bible Study

"Lord! Open the King of England's eyes." 

These were the final words spoken by William Tyndale, the first person to translate the Bible from its original languages of Greek and Hebrew into English. For doing so, he was strangled to death and burned at the stake. His crime? Heresy for translating the Bible into a language the people of England could understand. 

Despite his evil corruption, the King’s eyes were eventually opened, and he permitted the production of the Bible into English. William Tyndale’s translation became a model for many future English translations, including the 1611 King James Version, and his conviction and sacrifice should be remembered every time we study the Scriptures in our own language.

Many may not realize that innocent blood was spilled for us to read the Bible in English today.  However, it is imperative that we do not forget the sacrifices of Tyndale and other Christian martyrs. They fought to provide us the opportunity to study the Bible more precisely on our own by giving their lives for this noble cause. Therefore, we ought to be selective when choosing a reliable and accurate Bible translation. 

Choosing the right translation is easier said than done. If you’ve ever walked into a Christian bookstore or shopped online for a Bible, you may have realized rather quickly that there are a lot of options. And as we saw in the first part of this series, 5 Bible Translations You Should Avoid, not all options are good. Let’s look at the five best translations to use for serious Bible study.

1) New American Standard Bible (NASB) - Most of the scholarly world agrees this to be the most literal word-for-word translation of the Bible into modern English. (If you prefer another translation, the NASB makes a great Bible to keep handy for double-checking passages, especially if you prefer using a thought-for-thought translation like the NIV or NLT.) 

The NASB presents the words as they appeared in the original languages, leaving the reader to interpret the meaning themselves. Strong’s Concordance (a Bible word index) has a NASB version for additional word study. Concordances are helpful in that a reader can directly compare the use of the same word used elsewhere in the Bible and provide an independent check against the translator’s use of words in a translation. 

One con usually associated with the NASB is that due to its word-for-word nature, some verses and passages come off a bit rigid or clunky, especially in the Old Testament, but this is really a matter of personal preference.

2) English Standard Version (ESV) - The ESV is another word-for-word translation. Although it does not share the same word-for-word accuracy of the NASB, it is often compared to the NASB for its reliability and accuracy. The advantage of this translation is its smoother readability. 

Another benefit of the ESV is found in its publisher, Crossway. Crossway is a juggernaut in the Christian publishing world, leading to a myriad of options for ESV Bibles, making it an asset for personal Bible study.

3) Christian Standard Bible (CSB) - The CSB was first published in 2017 by Holman, a division of Lifeway Christian Resources, which is owned by the Southern Baptist Convention. This new addition to the Bible translation world, translated by 100 scholars from 17 denominations, has already received positive endorsements by notable Bible teachers and scholars, including Alistair Begg, David Platt, and Tony Evans. 

The CSB is unique in that it is virtually a hybrid of a word-for-word translation and a thought-for-thought translation, making it a great alternative if the NASB or ESV are too challenging or are not your preference. The CSB, being published by Lifeway, means you will find many great Bible and study resources available for you.

4) New King James Version (NKJV) - The NKJV is the 1982 update to the popular 1611 King James Version. Updates include revisions to the Old English vocabulary and grammar, providing more modern English, along with verse modifications due to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. 

Although the NASB is more literal and the ESV reads smoother, the NKJV is a good alternative for anyone who grew up with the KJV and struggles with the Old English yet prefers the poetic beauty of the 1611 word-for-word classic.

5) King James Version (KJV) - This is the classic and the most popular translation of the Bible in English. Many have grown up using this translation, even memorizing verses and passages in this version. Despite translations like the NASB that are more accurate and easier to read for modern readers, this version is still reliable and presents Scripture in an accurate and uniquely elegant and beautiful manner. 

It should be noted that in order to fully benefit from this translation, it is recommended that one  be well-versed in the use of the Old English of the 17th century, as some verses many appear confusing without this background (pairing the KJV with a modern translation is another recommendation).

Honorable Mentions: New International Version (NIV) and New Living Translation (NLT) - The NIV and NLT are both reliable thought-for-thought translations of the Bible and have become two of the most popular translations of our time. Most Bible commentaries on the market today use the NIV as the base text, so being familiar with this translation is a plus when studying Scripture. However, due to the thought-for-thought nature of these translations, pairing these Bible with a more literal translation like the NASB or ESV is highly recommended to avoid full dependency on a translator’s interpretation of the text. 

Use Multiple Versions

A useful technique for thoughtful and deliberate Bible study is using multiple translations simultaneously. Everyone has a favorite translation (NASB and ESV for me), but when studying a specific verse, passage, chapter, or book in the Bible, it is imperative to consult many translations, as they can shed a great deal of light and lead your study in the right direction. 

Pairing a literal translation like the NASB and a thought-for-thought like the NLT can assist in understanding difficult writings or sayings in the Bible. Using multiple word-for-word translations together, like the NASB and the ESV can help identify if there is a consensus from different groups of scholars on a word used in a particular verse. 

In my personal study, I use six translations (NASB, ESV, CSB, KJV, NIV, NLT) at the same time to help me identify any areas I need to dive deeper into and research. Using Bible software like Logos or a website like Bible Hub can assist with this parallel study of translations and is strongly suggested.

I hope these translation recommendations and studying techniques will help take your Bible study to the next level and help keep the psalmist’s words in mind, 

“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.” (Psalm 119:97-99)