The 5 Most Popular Bible Translations - What's the Difference?

There are many Bible Versions out there and it is easy to be confused by all the differences and not really know where to start. Here are the top 5 translations by unit sales for May 2011 (according to the CBA).

1. New International Version (Various Publishers) - The New International Version is commonly abbreviated NIV. It is a completely new English translation based upon the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. It was developed by over 100 scholars and originally published in 1973, but has been updated in 2011. The NIV is the most commonly used English Bible translation because it uses the most commonly understood language and is at a reading level that most any adult can understand (7-8 grade level). The original vision for undertaking the NIV translation was because the King James version did not connect to modern people because of the old English terms and expressions.



2. King James Version (Various Publishers) - The King James Version is commonly abbreviated KJV. It is sometimes known as the Authorized Version. It was begun by the Church of England, at the command of King James I, in 1604 and completed in 1611. The KJV is a very common English Bible translation, but has been surpassed by the NIV for many people because the KJV's language is often difficult to understand. An example would be, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Most modern readers have no idea what begotten, whosoever or believeth mean. The reading level is equivalent to a 12th Grade reading level.



3. New King James Version (Various Publishers) - The New King James Version is commonly abbreviated NKJV. The NKJV was begun in order to upgrade the language of the KJV while keeping it's poetic literary style. The full version was published in 1982. One of the biggest changes in the NKJV in comparison to the KJV is the abandonment of historic pronouns such as thou, thine and ye. Verbs were also modernized, such as "loves" instead of "loveth". Both the KJV and NKJV use later texts that were available in the 1600's, but newer versions use older texts that are considered more reliable since they were closer to original. These texts had not been discovered in King James' time. The NKJV has an 8th grade reading level, and is easier to read for a majority of people.



4. New Living Translation (Tyndale) - The New Living Translation is commonly abbreviated NLT. It was began in 1989 as a revision to the Living Bible and was first published in 1996. It is meant as an entire thought translation as opposed to some other translations which are word-for-word translations. It also tries to make the text have the same impact on modern readers as it had on the original readers. The NLT is at approximately a 6th grade reading level.



5. English Standard Version (Crossway) - The English Standard is commonly abbreviated ESV. The ESV is a revision of the Revised Standard Version (RSV). It was originally published in 2001 and updated in 2007. The translators used a similar translation philosophy as the KJV which was literal, while updating the language and changing some purported liberal translations in the RSV. They sought to understand the literal equivalent of each word, not the meaning they might have had to the original hearers. The ESV has an 8th grade reading level.

There are many Bible translations and none are perfect. Language changes and people's understanding of language changes. There are also new texts found that change slightly the understanding of certain passages or words. You have to decide for yourself what is the best version to use. Hopefully, this summary will help you make that decision.

Joshua Brown is a co-owner of LifeHouse Books & Gifts ( http://www.LifeHouse-Books.com ). LifeHouse Books & Gifts is a family-owned Christian bookstore. You can save 10% on one item when you use the coupon code EZA10 at their website: http://www.LifeHouse-Books.com