Bible Translations.
The common question of which Bible translation to use is crucial. It concerns the most important words ever spoken, the words of God. It’s critical to understand that behind each version is a fundamental philosophy of Bible translation. You want to ensure your version reproduces what God said. You can separate modern Bible translations into two primary groups—formal equivalency and dynamic equivalency. Formal equivalency attempts a word-for-word rendition, providing as literal a translation as possible. Dynamic equivalency is more like paraphrasing, which conveys ideas thought by thought. To know God’s Word, the best translations are those of formal equivalency. The translator's duty and privilege is to render the divine Author's words. The job is not to simplify or adjust the message for the reader's sake. Instead, it is to lift the reader to hear the message God has given us. Read more at Which Bible translation is best?
The most popular formal equivalent versions that are reliable are:
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
English Standard Version (ESV)
New King James Version (NKJV)
The Bible Manuscript Society (webpage) - The Bible Manuscript Society strives to make sure that all Biblical Manuscripts and early editions of the Bible are available to everyone. Just as the early translators of the Bible into English (Wycliffe and Tyndale) emancipated Bible manuscripts from the shackles of Church tradition, so too, we want to free the original Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin manuscripts and early editions of the Holy Bible from the libraries and museums where they currently reside, and make them available to Bible students everywhere to see and study for themselves.
How do you know which Bible to buy? In this special message, Drs. R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur, Sinclair Ferguson, and Robert Godfrey answer questions concerning Bible translations (video) - there are more Bibles and more translations than ever, yet the church is still experiencing a disproportionate amount of biblical illiteracy considering the availability of God’s word. Why is the market flooded with all these different kinds of Bibles? How do you know which Bible to buy?
Bible Translations: What to Know and How to Choose by Mama Bear Apologetics (article): Paraphrases often sound more like a commentary on Scripture than Scripture itself, which is why we at Mama Bear do not endorse the reading of paraphrases for spiritual discipleship. Instead, we encourage believers to dive into the Word of God through formal, functional, or optimal translations.
A Conversation About the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) by John MacArthur (article + video) - In a real sense, translation is interpretation. Just as biblical interpretation is not about the reader’s fancy but the Author’s intent, translation must also be. The proper concern for translators is not how much we can reduce and simplify a translation but how much detail we can bring out from what is included in the inspired text as originally written.
The Bible in English by Stephen Nichols (article) - The history of the English Bible is long and circuitous, resulting in a treasure of riches for us living downstream. Thanks to the sacrifices of people like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale and the energies of countless scholars whose names have been lost to us, we not only have the Word of God in English, but we have the Word of God in English many times over.
Prince of Translators: William Tyndale by Steven Lawson (article) - because of his powerful use of the English language in his Bible, this Reformer has been called “the father of modern English.”
The World’s Most Popular Bible: A History of the New International Version (NIV) by Logos (article) - The NIV was a trans-denominational effort by over a hundred scholars, sponsored by the nonprofit New York Bible Society (NYBS). This Bible was released in 1978, with significant revisions in 1984 and 2011. This article surveys the translation’s origin, production, remarkable success, recent controversies, and present place in English Bible translation.
The New 'Christian Standard Bible' Exposed (article)- put out by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), changed the text to gender-neutral. The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) is a significant revision of the 2009 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) edition.
Southern Baptists Embrace Gender-Inclusive Language in the Bible (CSB version). The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) now translates the term anthropos, a Greek word for “man,” in a gender-neutral form 151 times, rendering it “human,” “people,” and “ones.” This helps usher in the transgender movement where the lines between a biological man and woman are blurred by secular society (article)
Brian Simmons Releases New Edition of His Nutty Passion Bible Translation (article) - The Passion is a single-author “translation” of the scriptures by NAR “Apostle” Dr. Brian Simmons of Stairway Ministries, who claimed that Jesus appeared to him during a trip he made to heaven and gave him “secrets” of the Hebrew language. He claimed during a conversation with Sid Roth that one time, he was so full of the Holy Spirit that God “literally” melted a wall in his house. He further claimed that following this incident, he went shopping where anyone who came within 12 feet of him fell to the ground, including knocking out 60 children.
Compare Bible Verses in All Translations - This study tool can help people see how different translations and versions have interpreted the original Greek and Hebrew languages. When comparing translations for a Bible verse, users can read the well-known translations, including New International Version, King James Bible, and English Standard Version, as well as more than 30 additional translations.
MSG and TPT: The Message is not a Bible translation but a commentary filled with New Age jargon. It should be avoided. The Passion Translation is not a Bible at all. It’s a reworded and rewritten heretical book that falsely calls itself the word of God.
John Wycliffe is credited with translating the entire Bible (Old and New Testaments) into English. His translation started a revolution and enabled ordinary people to finally have access to the Bible in a language they could understand. The revolution Wycliffe caused was so profound that he is called "The Morning Star of the Reformation" - in other words, Wycliffe marked the start or dawn of the Reformation and sparked the events that would soon follow.
Following the Wycliffe Bible, William Tyndale's Bible is the next major event in the history of English translations. Gripped by a desire to see this fog lifted, the Reformer William Tyndale set out to give the Scriptures to his countrymen in their language so that the ordinary farmer in the field might have a better knowledge of the Bible than the pope. Since these translation efforts were considered heresy, Tyndale spent his final decade as a fugitive. But he would not be deterred from his mission, even if it cost him his life.
The 27 books of the New Testament, according to the English Standard Version (ESV) translation of the Holy Bible, are presented here in dramatized format for the benefit of those listeners who find this a more engaging entrance into the riches and revelation in the Word of God.
William Varner was on the translation committee for the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB), an updated version of the New American Standard Bible (NASB) published in 2021. In this episode, host Kevin Grasso discusses Varner's involvement in the project, including some of the distinctiveness of the translation. They cover some of the committee's interpretive decisions and the translation philosophy behind the LSB.
Dr. James White: Which Bible translation is the most reliable?
What if the words in your Bible aren’t the exact words in the original Hebrew and Greek Scriptures? What if the translation you’re reading hasn’t been translated word for word but was interpreted concept for concept? Sadly, many modern Bibles are not accurate translations of the original texts. In this episode, Dale and Veronica discuss the importance of choosing a reliable translation of the Bible.
England was cloaked in spiritual darkness during the sixteenth century. While the Protestant Reformation caught fire on the European continent, the people of England suffered under spiritually ignorant and superstitious priests who read the Bible to them in indecipherable Latin.
Gripped by a desire to see this fog lifted, the Reformer William Tyndale set out to give the Scriptures to his countrymen in their language so that the ordinary farmer in the field might have a better knowledge of the Bible than the pope. Since these translation efforts were considered heresy, Tyndale spent his final decade as a fugitive. But he would not be deterred from his mission, even if it cost him his life.
In The Daring Mission of William Tyndale, Dr. Steven Lawson tells how Tyndale became the father of the modern English language and birthed a legacy that lasts to this day. This book is a welcome reminder of the power of God’s Word and our privilege of having a Bible that we can know and understand.
The fourteenth century was a dark time for the church in England. Superstition and error obscured the gospel's truth; even the clergy had little knowledge of the Bible. Against this bleak backdrop, God raised a scholar and preacher who would stand with conviction on His Word, even if it meant standing alone.
Trusting Scripture as his highest authority, John Wycliffe believed the Bible was what England needed most. Only through the Word of God would the Holy Spirit reform hearts and, in turn, reform the church. But for this to happen, Wycliffe knew that everyday people needed to have the Bible in their language.
In The Bible Convictions of John Wycliffe, Dr. Steven Lawson tells how Wycliffe’s devotion to the gospel made him the forerunner of the Reformation, who translated the Bible into English for the first time. We’re indebted to him for our English Bibles today, and his story can encourage us to establish our convictions on God’s Word.
The beautiful LSB Journaling Edition is specially designed for writers, artists, and serious students of Scripture. Its 40 GSM paper and generous 2-inch margins make it ideal for artwork, extensive notes, and profound meditations.
Features:
Black letter text with 9.5-point font
Line-matched, single-column, verse-by-verse typeset
Generous 2-inch margins for notes and artwork
14 blank pages at the back for additional journaling space
40 GSM Bible paper
1,696 pages
Smyth-sewn, paste-down binding
Perimeter-stitched faux leather cover
Rounded spine and page corners
Gold foil stamping on the spine
Two double-sided satin ribbon markers
The Reformation Study Bible has been thoroughly revised and carefully crafted under the editorial leadership of R.C. Sproul and the contributions of 75 distinguished theologians and pastors from around the world. Over 1.1 million words of new, expanded, or revised commentary represent 40% more content faithfully presented to emphasize the need for God's grace to lead us out of darkness and into the light of Scripture.
Over 1.1 million words of verse-by-verse and topical explanations
Over 20,000 new, revised, or expanded study notes
Historical creeds and confessions from 2,000 years of church history
Includes over $400 of digital resources (eBooks, videos) from Ligonier Ministries and six months of Tabletalk Magazine
16 pages of high-resolution full-color maps at the back of the Bible
Embedded maps provide quick references as you read
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