What are your Top 5 Bible Translations in 2021 and why?
Thanks just curious
P A
My translation choices don't really change much from year to year. My congregation uses the Complete Jewish Bible as the standard for parashah and sermon readings as a Messianic group. I've never completely liked it, so I often supplement it with quotations from the Tree of Life Version. My daily Bible readings and much of my own personal use gets the New King James Version. I love the KJV but it's not the easiest to work with everyday. The ESV has long been my standard Bible for straight Bible study.
I should point out that all of this becomes kind of topping because I won't say much of anything about verse without at least using an Exegetical Guide and an OL text or two to see where a translation receives its foundation.
KJV
ASV
NASB
ESV
NKJV
1. CSB
2. NASB
3. ESV
4. LEB
5. NIV
I have found out that I can consume more in one sitting when I use the CSB. It is easier for me to read and understand, so I use this one a lot. The other 4 I use when I'm trying to get a holistic understanding of a verse or passage.
1. NASB
2. NKJV
3. CSB
4. NIV ('84)
5. LEB
I prefer a literal translation, but also like to consult dynamic equivalents, as long as they too lean toward the literal as opposed to a paraphrase.
1. NRSV
2. ESV
3. NIV
4. CSB
5. NET
The first two are always the same. The other three get swapped out a lot depending on what I'm working on. The NASB also frequently makes an appearance in my top five. I've been using the NET bible more since I have the reverse interlinear for it now and it has such detailed notes. I've also been using the NIV a lot more lately since I'm out of school and do a lot more personal reading versus exegetical papers and I'm following some bible teachers that are using it right now. The CSB is a good comparison text, and it's new so I'm trying to familiarize myself with it. I use the NRSV because it's a good all-purpose translation for personal reading, in-depth study/scholarship, contains the apocrypha, and it's accurate and ecumenical/non-sectarian. I like the ESV because it's similar to the NRSV in structure/language but slightly more literal (sometimes) and comes from a different theological perspective than the NRSV. So I most frequently have the NRSV and ESV open together, and then I pull in other translations as needed.
1. NIV (2011)
3. NLT
For me the top 5 at the moment go something like this...
1) ESV good for study, elegant, harder to understand, which forces the reader to work out the interpretation for themselves...
2) NIV 2011 Good middle of the road, general purpose bible, although sometimes can be a bit bland.
3) NLT Easy to read translation, does the interpretation for you (but is it right?), opposite of ESV
4) NASB 1995 more word for word, sometimes a bit wooden. I am currently using this bible to read through the whole bible, as I have never read through it before. Good to mix things up.
5) NRSV mainline translation, a lot of scholars prefer it. Good alternative to ESV for theological interpretation.
***Bonus translation The Lexham English Septuagint good alternative for comparison of old testament based on Greek text.
There are many good translations, I think it always best to prefer translations done by committees over one by one person.
Next year I might read through NKJV when I finish NASB,
Has anyone switched from NKJV to MEV?
Just my thoughts, the best bible is the one you read...
CSB - Readable, Reliable, Accurate
Why is an interesting question. I think that primarily because I consider these to be the best overall Bible translations for study and for text comparison.
Yes I intend to read through the CSB one year
Mainly, I use NABRE (plus good notes) and NRSV (matches my paper Oxford).
But for translation patterns, I use Text Comparison with maybe 40 translations sorted by date, showing the general trend. Between the TC tool, and Logos re-publishing the older works, it's really quite nice. Need Bishop's (missing link).
so I often supplement it with quotations from the Tree of Life Version.
I wish that Faithlife had made the TLV a part of their New Year's Sale with the other bibles. They only put on sale the ones I already own (that I'm sure many of us already own if we have a larger library).
What are your thoughts on the NET Bible?
Why is an interesting question. I think that primarily because I consider these to be the best overall Bible translations for study and for text comparison. What are your thoughts on the NET Bible?
I read the NET Bible several years ago and really enjoyed it. It is actually number 6 on my prioritized list.
My top 5 Bibles are prioritized as:
Mostly I'll have an interlinear open beside the English translation: USB Greek, Lexham Hebrew, Lexham LXX (because these 3 play well together).
How are you sorting translations by date?
Not much has changed since I try to read several translations when studying a text, but here are top 5 with a new one added:
1. The For Everyone Bible — translates key verses correctly!
2. NASB 1977, 1995, 2020 and its equivalents in Spanish LBLA, NBLA, NBLH I’ve always used these.
3. CSB I like how it reads
4. NKJV I’ve always used it.
5. NIV 1984, 2010 and NVI Spanish some expressions in Spanish are super awesome!
After that NA28 and Lexham Hebrew Bible along with the Septuagint in Greek and Hebrew NT
DAL
I could almost copy P A's list verbatim, but I'll make a few more comments:
Bonus for special Hexateuch studies: The LEB linked to the AFAT Hebrew text with a visual filter color-coded (thanks MJ!) to the source texts.
For me the top 5 at the moment go something like this... 1) ESV good for study, elegant, harder to understand, which forces the reader to work out the interpretation for themselves... 2) NIV 2011 Good middle of the road, general purpose bible, although sometimes can be a bit bland. 3) NLT Easy to read translation, does the interpretation for you (but is it right?), opposite of ESV 4) NASB 1995 more word for word, sometimes a bit wooden. I am currently using this bible to read through the whole bible, as I have never read through it before. Good to mix things up. 5) NRSV mainline translation, a lot of scholars prefer it. Good alternative to ESV for theological interpretation. ***Bonus translation The Lexham English Septuagint good alternative for comparison of old testament based on Greek text.
1. CSB 2. NASB 3. ESV 4. LEB 5. NIV
I have the same 5, but different rank for different reasons.
1. CSB - This is the translation I am journaling in my personal quiet time - personal spiritual formation is highest priority.
2. ESV - The translation I use for preaching (accuracy in translation philosophy and accessibility to congregants)
3. NASB - I consult a more "wooden" translation for micro view (Reverse Interlinear Panel, look at individual words)
4. NIV - I consult a more "dynamic" translation for macro view (Discourse features turned on to get the big picture and overall flow of the thoughts).
5. LEB - Since the majority of my study is in Logos, this translation is FULLY tagged and integrated into Logos interactives and datasets.
I use it, and I don't care that much of other English translations.
1) NABRE
2) RSVCE
3) ESVCE
4) NJB
5) DRB
I am really curious about this translation, too.
ESV (has become my "go to" translation for its accuracy or translation)
NIV ('84) (Was my "go to" translation, but moved to ESV because my congregation cannot buy a NIV ('84)
NLT
After that I go to the Greek (NA 28) for New Testament and the Hebrew (BHS)
Does the LEB offer more functions in Logos than the ESV? If yes, what are these functions?
1. LEB
2. NIV
4. NASB95
5. CSB
I use these for a variety of different reasons. LEB is the top priority because it's a Lexham product for Logos Bible Software. ESV is my carry bible. NASB95 is the bible I use in a academic situation. NIV because it's a different philosophy than the other bibles. CSB because I am Southern Baptist.
Hi Matt:
I thought the LEB was cool until I found the following:
LEB.
Deu 6:4 "Hear, Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is unique.
I have a few issues with the LEB but that changes nothing for why I use it Hamilton.
Hi Matt: I thought the LEB was cool until I found the following: LEB. Deu 6:4 "Hear, Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is unique.
While that may strike your ear as odd, it is within the parameters of the meaning of 'ehhaadh. The word is not just a cardinal number meaning "one". I think the verse is best translated as "YHWH is a unity." What does that mean? Pretty much what " 'Elohhiym is " means...that is, "Gods is" [plural noun/singular verb]. Numerically, the words "unity" and "unify" by definition include more than one. That is because those words indicate that some number greater than one is to be considered "as" one because there is some unifying characteristic that binds them.
Put another way, what does "one" mean in Deut. 6:4? Pretty much the exact thing that "one" means in Jn. 17:22. How many is that? At least 13, since Judas had already been sent packing, but ultimately at least 144,002. All will be 'ehhaadh.
Remember your theosis.
Yes Matt, LEB is a really good version, I was just surprised to see that rendering.
Shalom David Paul:
Thanks for the clarification. I am not an expert, so is not critical. I am old school, so to me the number one principle for the elect has always been:
Deu 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (ESV)
Deu 6:4 HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE. (JPS)
Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD. (KJV)
The problem with theosis is that even though in the East they understand it does not mean believers will eventually have self-existence like God has, in the West many groups do think humans will eventually have it. (That is the old satan scheme of wanting to be God without having what it takes [think antiChrist]).
Being a living stone (body of Christ) part of the New Temple of God (Jesus Christ) does not make such living stones equal to the Spirit who dwells there.
I will have to ask Jewish acquaintances what they think of the LEB translation of Deu 6:4 to see what their reaction is. [Even "a unity" seems fine, but unique ? seems strange.]
Peace and grace.
