Introduction
As the centuries have passed and knowledge has increased, God has exceedingly blessed His church with several intelligent scholars, pastors, and theologians. Although this knowledge, at many times, proves itself to be exceedingly valuable. Other times, it causes confusion among individuals who simply seek to study God's word, especially when considering what Bible translation to turn to.
Due to the immense amount of scholarship, English-speaking Christians have been blessed with a number of excellent Bible translations that they have access to. However, committing to a translation is a daunting task that so many people find difficult and unequipped for.
Choosing a Bible translation can frequently be a difficult task. However, a brief understanding of the history of Bible translations alongside a basic knowledge of translation philosophy can make the task of choosing a translation much more straightforward.
History of Bible Translation
The beginning of Bible translation goes all the way back to the third century (BC), around the years 280-250 BC. Where the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Pentateuch, were translated from the Hebrew to the Greek language by a group of seventy-two scholars. The apparent need for this translation was due to the rapid expansion of the Greek language. With a goal to make the sacred texts accessible to everyday people, the translation now known as the Septuagint was therefore initiated.(LBD)
The second major translation of God's Word occurred during and after Jesus's life, specifically in the recording of the gospels. Considering that Jesus likely spoke in Aramaic, as the gospels writers wrote the account of Jesus' life and teachings, they did so in a different language than the one Jesus spoke in. The last of the ancient translations was the Latin Vulgate. This translation was produced by Jerome (347-419) (LBD) around 383-405 AD. Yet, as we know, Bible translation did not stop there but continued into the first English translation, which was produced by John Wycliffe around 1383.
Throughout the history of Bible translation, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the consistent aim is clear: adapting the text as languages evolve to make the words of God accessible to everyday people. This goal guided the creation of the Septuagint and the Vulgate, influenced the gospel writers in their use of the common language of their time, and continues to be the objective of modern translators today.
Methods of Trasnlation
As the sacred text of scripture was translated from language to language, two fundamental issues confronted the translator while they carried out their task. First, they must consider the most accurate way to convey the message from the original text. Secondly, translators must consider how well the target audience will be able to read and comprehend the Bible, as this awareness impacts their initial decision-making about the most accurate method of translation. Flowing out of these considerations, the translations that are encountered today will gravitate towards either a word-for-word methodology, favoring precision of translation. An idea for idea methodology, favoring audience understandability, or a hybrid approach that meets somewhere in the middle of the two.
With the history of Bible translation and translation philosophy in mind, there are two fundamental factors when considering one of the many good Bible translations at our disposal: readability and understandability. As ideal as a literal, word-for-word translation may be, the reality is that if an individual cannot read and understand that version, then it's likely not for them. However, a focus on the understandability of translation can also lead to bad Bible translations that misrepresent the text altogether. In balancing these two pillars of translation, there are four translations that I would recommend.
The translations I recommend
I would suggest the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB), the English Standard Bible (ESV), The New International Version (NIV), and the New Living Translation (NLT). These four translations, beginning with the LSB, being the most literal, and the NLT, the most idea for idea, are among the top Bible translations on my list. Although I will always suggest utilizing the LSB as the primary version to conduct a thorough Bible study. I personally enjoy reading the ESV in the morning because it's straightforward and easy to grasp on the first read. However, when diving into the Psalms and Proverbs, I almost always gravitate toward the NIV and NLT versions, primarily because these books have a lot of wordplay and phrases that aren't initially clear to me.
Conclusion
All in all, the decision of which Bible translation to choose resides entirely with the individual. Yet, as one considers which translation best suits them, one must consider their ability to grasp the scriptures with clarity. A Bible translation I recommend when considering a broad audience is the NIV, as it balances reader comprehension and the author's word choice. Furthermore, an important thing to remember is that God chose to communicate to humanity in a way they could understand; therefore, if a Bible translation is too technical or outdated according to one's ability to comprehend it, then that individual should choose a translation they understand.* (With the exception of bad translations of course)
Recommended Resources:
The Bible Project: "Choosing a Bible Translation"