Step 1: Do you know what Bible translation you are looking for?
If you know what Bible translation you are looking for—great! Feel free to skip this step and go to Step 2.
If not, here is some information to guide you along your way.
When it comes to translating from one language to another—whether translating the Bible from Hebrew and Greek or translating a cookbook from Italian—there are two philosophies:
- Word-for-Word translations strive to the match the wording, syntax, and grammar of the source language as closely as possible.
- Thought-for-Thought translations strive to capture the intent of the original and produce an accessible, sophisticated destination language.
Most translations, of course, fall somewhere on the spectrum between these two approaches.
Case Study
Here is John 5:24 in the original Greek with corresponding English words placed below each Greek one.
|
Ἀμὴν
|
ἀμὴν
|
λέγω
|
ὑμῖν
|
ὅτι
|
|
Amen/verily/truly
|
Amen/verily/truly
|
I am saying
|
to you
|
that
|
|
ὁ |
τὸν |
λόγον |
μου |
|
the |
the |
word |
of me |
|
ἀκούων |
καὶ |
πιστεύων |
τῷ |
πέμψαντί |
|
hearing |
and |
believing |
to the |
one sending |
|
με |
ἔχει |
ζωὴν |
αἰώνιον, |
|
me |
is having |
life |
eternal |
|
καὶ |
εἰς |
κρίσιν |
οὐκ |
ἔρχεται |
|
and |
into |
judging |
not |
is coming |
|
ἀλλὰ |
μεταβέβηκεν |
ἐκ |
τοῦ |
θανάτου |
|
but |
has proceeded |
out |
of the |
death |
|
εἰς
|
τὴν
|
ζωήν.
|
|
into
|
the
|
life.
|
And here are several popular English translations of that verse.
New International Version (NIV):
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
New King James Version (NKJV):
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
New American Standard Version 2020 Text (NASB 2020):
“Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
New American Standard Version 1995 Text (NASB 1995):
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition (NRSVue):
Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.
English Standard Version (ESV):
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Step 2: Ask yourself these three questions:
Question 1: Who will be reading this Bible?
Knowing who will be using this Bible will help you make the right choice. Is it an adult, teen, or child? Is it for a pastor, a parent, or a friend? Is the reader just starting their faith journey?
Question 2: How will this Bible be used?
If it’s for deep study, you might want to consider a reference Bible or study Bible. If it’s for inspirational daily reading, a devotional Bible might be right for you. If you are celebrating a milestone or giving it away, a gift Bible might be right. If it’s one you’ll take to church or put in a bag, you might think of purchasing something in a more portable size. If it’s a Bible you want to keep your entire life and pass along to your children, consider a high-end premium Bible with a genuine leather cover.
Question 3: Are there specific features this Bible should have?
Does it have to have a specific font size, so you can read it more easily? Do you want indexed thumb tabs to make finding books of the Bible more accessible? If you like to journal in your Bible, look for ones with wide margins or ones with “Journal” in the title.
Terms You’ll See on Bible Packaging.
- Three or four-letter abbreviations in the title: They might say "NIV," "KJV," or "ESV." This refers to the translation of the Bible. There are dozens of translations, and some of the more popular ones are listed above.
- "Reference" or "Study": This means that there are helpful study aids throughout the Bible. These can be book introductions, study notes, cross references, charts, tables, graphs, or maps.
- "Devotional": These Bibles are filled with thoughtful readings and prompts to help you get the most out of your quiet time.
- "Journaling": These Bibles have space in the margins to take notes and are often printed on heavier paper.
- "Gift": These are often lower-cost Bibles intended to be given away—often to children.
- "Single-Column" or "Double-Column": This refers to the layout of the Bible page. Double columns help cut down the number of pages needed, but many people love single-column layouts for readability.
- "Thinline": These are Bibles that are generally about an inch thick. These portable Bibles are excellent options to carry to church or fit into bags.
- "Premier Collection": These are high-end Bibles crafted with the finest materials. Premier Collection Bibles have goatskin leather covers, premium European paper, three satin ribbon markers, and a lifetime guarantee.
