60-day returns • free shipping on USA orders $129+
Which Bible translation?
- This topic has 13 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 10 months ago by
.
Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
- Posts
A couple of years ago I bought ds a NKJV Bible and never gave it to him. I’m also using the NKJV for our daily Bible readings, but I wonder if he’s engaging. So I think we need a new translation. I would read it to him for now, but it would eventually become his Bible. Our denomination uses the Holman for their materials; I’m also looking at the ESV b/c it’s mentioned by many of you here. Which one would you use? Or do you have another suggestion? I don’t want strictly a children’s translation, such as the NIrV.
TIA,
Karen
We use the New Living Translation. I like how it is worded in easier to understand language. I also have a NKJV, but find the NLT easier to read/understand.
Personally I like the NASB because I think translation wise it is very accurate, and close to more traditional wordings (the way I have memorized many verses) while still very easy to read. I still use my NKJV study bible as well (the translation my study program used when I worked full-time in ministry). I am not a big fan of some other translations because I think they sacrifice theological truths for easier reading, and when I have studied and compared translations in certain passages, I see where the meaning of the passage studied in a translation very close to the original language is so much deeper than the easier reading one. We also like the ESV at our house, and that is the one I bought for my son for his first bible. It is also a very accurate translation, but reads easier than some of the other (IMO through my research) more accurate translations. Alot of the times when we are just reading stories, I like reading from the ESV – but most of our memory work and a lot of our studying we do with the NASB first, NKJV second – mostly because those are the more familiar wordings. Now, that being said, I am not a huge translation snob here – I still love The Jesus Storybook Bible and Catherine Vos’s Child’s Story Bible – we read from them regualrly as well 🙂 HTH!
Right now we are sticking with the NIV becasue that is primarily the version used at our church. It’s a little annoying that the children’s program gives the students their Bible memory verses in NIrV, though.
Later on I will likely pick up another translation or two for comparison, but right now if we want to compare wording for a better understanding I usually just check it out online at Bible Gateway.
We currently use the ESV…our church recently switched to it. We previously used the NIV, so we have several copies of it as well. We also have copies of the KJV, NKJV, NIrV…and probably several others I’m missing.
My DH is a pastor so we have lots of Bibles laying around! I think any of them are good choices…I sometimes like to look at different translations of the same verse when we’re doing memory work or Bible study. We just use KJV and spend the time with our children they need to talk about words they don’t understand. We’ve read aloud from this since each was a baby and so it is what they grow up knowing and get a feel for the language early. Just like reading classic literature from the beginning can expand a child’s vocabulary and understanding versus reading watered down versions and trying to make the leap to classics later on. It’s doable, but so much easier if you trust your child’s ability even when young.
To each their own!
I grew up with the NIV and have a lot memorized from it, but I like to use the ESV now as an adult for reading and study, especially of certain passages. I am not sure what I will use with my kids…they are pretty young yet.
We have a lot of Bibles, too–KJV, NIV, and Living (not NLT) in addition to NKJV. I receive my daily Bible reading from Crosswalk in NAS. I’m looking for something simpler, I guess. I haven’t done much research on the differences among those and the ESV, just a few verses here and there.
Maybe I should show him the Bible I bought for him two years ago and let him decide? We don’t usually do Easter gifts, but this year if he wants a Bible I suppose it would be a good time.
Bible translations are always a balance between literal translation and readability in English. I am not a fan of the ones that really bend to the English like the New Living. I think they go too far. A lot of people pooh-pooh the NIV too but I think it is alright, especially if what you want is readability for kids. But I also don’t find the NKJV and ESV too hard for my kids (my youngest is 7, not sure what ages yours are). We found that having our kids have the version our church has really helped because thye coudl bring their own Bibles and still follow along easily. So my oldest two ended up with NKJV but then we switched churches so my younger two have ESV. So I guess we have to stay with this church till they are better able to follow along . . .
Also, I recently ran across this article on English translations:
http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/
I really like that it tells why the translations were done. It is good to realize that there was usually a reason behind a translation that might be reflected in how they translated it.
Nebby
I like the ESV. It has a really nice balance of readability and translation accuracy.
The publisher has also been fantastic about creative use of the translation. For example, they provided us with a very inexpensive license to use the text on our free downloadable scripture memory verse cards.
We are thinking of getting the ESV. Have seen that it is supposed to be really accurate. Also, my favorite Bible College, BJU, is recommending it too!
We have always started ours on the NKJV (though I prefer the NASB). If we listen to the Bible we use the KJV. My children have never had a hard time with any of these.
KJV here. I grew up being taught from it at home and at church. The one I have now, I have had for almost twenty years. It is like an old friend! My dd8 reads her KJV with Daddy each day. (We started this because of a post a while back on this forum about reading the Bible with your children.). We are often amazed at her understanding even though many say that it is to hard for young children to understand. I think the thing that amazes us the most is that she reads better when she reads the Bible than she does when she reads other books.
The Bible that my dd has is the Kids Study Bible (KJV) by Hendrickson Bibles. At the beginning of each book it gives you a brief description of what you will learn about, a little about the person who penned it and time period it was written in. It also has blocks throughout the books that give a little more history about a person, place or event that is mentioned. I think it is one of the best kids study Bibles I have ever seen.
I love the beauty of language and the accuracy of the ESV. But for general readability and for read aloud to younger kids, and for my younger kids to read, we all rather enjoy the NLT. I use both, often with both on my lap. I really like to study from ESV and read for pleasure or comfort from NLT.
HTH,
Amy
My DH is a pastor so we have lots of Bibles laying around! I think any of them are good choices…I sometimes like to look at different translations of the same verse when we’re doing memory work or Bible study. 
Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
- The topic ‘Which Bible translation?’ is closed to new replies.