Last week, we talked about the option of starting with “milk” and using a Children’s Bible to get into the habit of reading the Bible. While this is a great tip to get started, remember this is not your ultimate goal! Your goal is to read the whole Bible, not simply get an abbreviated overview of it. So, assuming you’re ready for that next step, let’s talk about “Big girl Bibles!”

Choosing the correct Bible is essential when it comes to reading it all the way through. But with so many different translations, you may not know which one to pick.

There are two methods for translating the Bible:  word-for-word and thought-for-thought.  A rough, general rule for judging a translation is this:

The closer to word-for-word, the more accurate. The closer to thought-for-thought, the more readable.

This translation chart, published by Mardel Bookstore, has a wonderful summary of each translation on page 1 and a visual layout of accuracy vs. readability on page 2.

Laurie has often mentioned her love of the One-Year Bible, published by Tyndale House,  in the New Living Translation. The NLT is a great translation for everyday time with God.

I’ve always used the New International Version (NIV), which is another great everyday translation.

When I’m preparing to teach or to write, I like to refer to the New American Standard Bible (NASB) because of its accuracy level. And when I just want a fresh look at God’s Word to complement those familiar passages, I explore The Message (technically a paraphrase, not a translation) because of its easy-to-read, relevant language.

So choose your own version of the Bible based on your goals (intense study vs. devotional study) and your comfort level (ie. you may love the King James Version because it’s familiar to you).

Q: Which translation of the Bible do you prefer and why?