What are your Top 5 Bible Translations in 2021 and why?

P A
P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭
edited November 2024 in English Forum

What are your Top 5 Bible Translations in 2021 and why?

Thanks just curious Smile

P A

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  • mab
    mab Member Posts: 3,071 ✭✭✭

    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.

    The mind of man is the mill of God, not to grind chaff, but wheat. Thomas Manton | Study hard, for the well is deep, and our brains are shallow. Richard Baxter

  • Aaron Hayworth
    Aaron Hayworth Member Posts: 56 ✭✭
    1. NIV2011
    2. RSV
    3. REB
    4. NRSV
    5. NLT
  • John5796
    John5796 Member Posts: 32 ✭✭

    Logos 9 - Win 10 - I7 8700 - 1TB SSD - 1TB HDD - 32G DDR4 - Still have Libronix running on an old laptop Wink

  • James Amos
    James Amos Member Posts: 33 ✭✭

    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.

  • Gary Osborne
    Gary Osborne Member Posts: 325 ✭✭

    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.

  • Kiyah
    Kiyah Member Posts: 2,841 ✭✭✭✭

    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. 

  • Mike Prewitt
    Mike Prewitt Member Posts: 47 ✭✭
  • P A
    P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭

    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...

    P A

  • Aaron Sauer
    Aaron Sauer Member Posts: 433 ✭✭✭

    CSB - Readable, Reliable, Accurate

    CSB - Readable, Reliable, Accurate

    CSB - Readable, Reliable, Accurate

    CSB - Readable, Reliable, Accurate

    CSB - Readable, Reliable, Accurate

  • Bruce Dunning
    Bruce Dunning MVP Posts: 11,149
    1. ESV
    2. CSB
    3. LEB
    4. NIV
    5. NASB

    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.

    Using adventure and community to challenge young people to continually say "yes" to God

  • P A
    P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭
  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 14,209 ✭✭✭✭

    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).

    "If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.

  • Kiyah
    Kiyah Member Posts: 2,841 ✭✭✭✭

    mab said:

    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).

  • Kiyah
    Kiyah Member Posts: 2,841 ✭✭✭✭

    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?

  • Bruce Dunning
    Bruce Dunning MVP Posts: 11,149

    Kiyah said:

    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.

    Using adventure and community to challenge young people to continually say "yes" to God

  • Allen Browne
    Allen Browne Member Posts: 1,893 ✭✭✭

    My top 5 Bibles are prioritized as:

    1. NIV: familiar, good turn of phrase, reasonably true to the original most of the time
    2. ESV: better at retaining Hebrew idioms (so I use this mostly in the Old Testament)
    3. NRSV: mostly so the deutero-canonical books show up in my searches
    4. KJV: mostly so the old words I grew up on show up in my searches
    5. NLT: because my work required me to use this, though it's very poor at communicating the ancient sense (way too interpretative with its particular theological bent).

    Mostly I'll have an interlinear open beside the English translation: USB Greek, Lexham Hebrew, Lexham LXX (because these 3 play well together).

  • Ben
    Ben Member Posts: 1,797 ✭✭✭

    "The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected."- G.K. Chesterton

  • DAL
    DAL Member Posts: 10,832 ✭✭✭

    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

  • Bruce Dunning
    Bruce Dunning MVP Posts: 11,149

    Ben said:

    How are you sorting translations by date?

    I sort by date by changing the resource title.

    Using adventure and community to challenge young people to continually say "yes" to God

  • DMB
    DMB Member Posts: 14,209 ✭✭✭✭

    I sort by date by changing the resource title.

    Ditto, but I remember KSFJ has a good system.  I also push back dating to the older languages (eg latin, coptic, syriac, etc) even though the equivalent english translation is more recent.

    "If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.

  • Denise said:

    I sort by date by changing the resource title.

    Ditto, but I remember KS4J has a good system.

    Thankful for Logos & Verbum allow Resource Title & Abbreviated Title modification so an alphabetic sort is chronological:

    Inverted image for easier reading by some. Thankful for Dark Mode contrast improvement:

    Personal quirk is adding a letter after year for non-English Language. Some "Bible" resources also have an Abbreviation added to prefix.

    Keep Smiling [:)]

  • Sean
    Sean Member Posts: 1,802 ✭✭✭

    I could almost copy P A's list verbatim, but I'll make a few more comments:

    1. ESV--My default for teaching, personal, and academic use; I like the elegant language and accuracy.
    2. NIV 2011--When in doubt, my default for preaching or casual usage at times when the ESV's precision is not required. I agree wholeheartedly with the description of it as "a bit bland."
    3. NLT--I usually avoid looser translations (the NIV is about as far as I like to go), but I've discovered in recent months that I like the NLT. It's not much looser than the NIV but is far from bland, with a nice upbeat style most of the time. (Again, used at times when precision is not so necessary.)
    4. ASV--For those times when that newfangled NASB isn't wooden enough! I kid; mostly it's for when I'm too lazy to try to puzzle things out in the Greek or Hebrew.
    5. Could be either NRSV or NABRE.

    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.

    P A said:

    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.

  • David Paul
    David Paul Member Posts: 6,056 ✭✭✭

    KS4J, how do you get the columns in your library layout?

    ASUS  ProArt x570s Creator, AMD R9 5950x, HyperX 64gb 3600 RAM, ASUS Strix RTX 2080 ti

    "The Unbelievable Work...believe it or not."  Little children...Biblical prophecy is not Christianity's friend.

  • Graham Criddle
    Graham Criddle MVP Posts: 33,151

    KS4J, how do you get the columns in your library layout?

    I think, for the purpose of demonstration, he has opened the Library in multiple tabs

  • David Paul
    David Paul Member Posts: 6,056 ✭✭✭

    I think, for the purpose of demonstration, he has opened the Library in multiple tabs

    Ah, yes, seeing that now. Thanks. You know...I like this theoretical option. Would be great if FL could create a multi-column view for the Library.

    ASUS  ProArt x570s Creator, AMD R9 5950x, HyperX 64gb 3600 RAM, ASUS Strix RTX 2080 ti

    "The Unbelievable Work...believe it or not."  Little children...Biblical prophecy is not Christianity's friend.

  • John W Gillis
    John W Gillis Member Posts: 136 ✭✭✭

    P A said:

    What are your Top 5 Bible Translations in 2021 and why?

    1. RSV-2CE (go-to Bible since it got an RI in Logos)
    2. RNJB (To get more familiar with it. Print-only. Newly published in 2019. The JB/NJB reimagined as a formal equivalence text! It's fantastic!)
    3. ESV-CE (Re-visit this translation now that it has Deuterocanonicals to see if it might become new go-to)
    4. NET 2.0 (Will check this one out, although I thought NET 1.0 was drab)
    5. NABRE (call it a situational necessity)
  • David Thomas
    David Thomas Member Posts: 3,272 ✭✭✭

    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.

    Making Disciples! Logos Ecosystem = LogosMax on Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Win11), Android app on tablet, FSB on iPhone & iPad mini, Proclaim (Proclaim Remote on Fire Tablet).

  • Veli Voipio
    Veli Voipio MVP Posts: 2,065

    Kiyah said:

    What are your thoughts on the NET Bible?

    I use it, and I don't care that much of other English translations.

    Gold package, and original language material and ancient text material, SIL and UBS books, discourse Hebrew OT and Greek NT. PC with Windows 11

  • Mattillo
    Mattillo Member Posts: 6,201 ✭✭✭✭

    1) NASB

    2) ESV

    3) NLT

    4) AMP (wish we could get the updated one)

    5) NCV [I have young kids and this is the easiest for them to understand :)]

  • Mattillo
    Mattillo Member Posts: 6,201 ✭✭✭✭

    Kiyah said:

    What are your thoughts on the NET Bible?

    I use it, and I don't care that much of other English translations.

    I don't read the NET very much but I do like the notes

  • Stephen Terlizzi
    Stephen Terlizzi Member Posts: 206 ✭✭

    1) NABRE

    2) RSVCE

    3) ESVCE

    4) NJB

    5) DRB 

  • xnman
    xnman Member Posts: 2,905 ✭✭✭

    I guess I'm just a simple man.... here's my choices...

    1. NKJV

    2. Text Comparison under Tools in Logos with 11 translations. 

    I do my heavy studying now in Logos with minor in WS (there are things I can do quicker in WS still). My reading I do out of an opened book.

    xn = Christan man=man -- Acts 11:26 "....and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch".

    Barney Fife is my hero! He only uses an abacus with 14 rows!

  • I think, for the purpose of demonstration, he has opened the Library in multiple tabs

    Ah, yes, seeing that now. Thanks. You know...I like this theoretical option. Would be great if FL could create a multi-column view for the Library.

    Thankful for Logos & Verbum change that allows Library to be opened in many tabs.  +1 [Y] like so Please Vote => https://feedback.faithlife.com/boards/logos-desktop-app/posts/add-title-view-to-library

    Keep Smiling [:)]

  • Kiyah
    Kiyah Member Posts: 2,841 ✭✭✭✭

    Sean said:

    NLT--I usually avoid looser translations

    At first I read this as "loser translations" and chuckled. I thought, "I'm not a fan of the NLT but that's a bit harsh." lol Then I realized what you meant. Reading is fundamental. lol

  • P A
    P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭

    Inductive bible study method might have helped Observation-Interpretation-Application

    before Interpretation and Application, always do the Observation 

    Thanks Kiyah for making me chuckle [:)]  LOL

    P A

  • Kathleen Marie
    Kathleen Marie Member Posts: 813 ✭✭

    P A said:

    Has anyone switched from NKJV to MEV?

    I am really curious about this translation, too.

  • Mike Childs
    Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭

    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) 


    "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

  • xnman
    xnman Member Posts: 2,905 ✭✭✭

    P A said:

    Has anyone switched from NKJV to MEV?

    Since the NKJV was the Bible the apostles carried in the hip pocket of their Levis when they traveled the earth.... why would anyone want to change? [8-|]

     

    xn = Christan man=man -- Acts 11:26 "....and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch".

    Barney Fife is my hero! He only uses an abacus with 14 rows!

  • P A
    P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭
  • P A said:

    Has anyone switched from NKJV to MEV?

    I am really curious about this translation, too.

    Yes, replaced 1982:NKJV with 2014:MEV in my BibleGrid group for Bible searching of many Bibles for Grid display.

    Thankful for MEV now having Reverse Interlinears => https://www.logos.com/product/197462/mev-ot-reverse-interlinear & => https://www.logos.com/product/197487/mev-nt-reverse-interlinear

    Thankful for hard copy Spiritual Warfare Bible with MEV.

    Keep Smiling [:)]

  • Kathleen Marie
    Kathleen Marie Member Posts: 813 ✭✭

    " rel="nofollow">Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :) said:

    Yes, replaced 1982:NKJV with 2014:MEV in my BibleGrid group for Bible searching of many Bibles for Grid display.

    Thankful for MEV now having Reverse Interlinears => https://www.logos.com/product/197462/mev-ot-reverse-interlinear & => https://www.logos.com/product/197487/mev-nt-reverse-interlinear

    Thankful for hard copy Spiritual Warfare Bible with MEV.

    Keep Smiling Smile

    I don't seem to have the features necessary for the MEV interlinear; I think I had them when I had a trial subscription. 

    I am not finding much online about this translation, but what I have heard interests me. 

  • Scott S
    Scott S Member Posts: 1 ✭✭

    5. LEB - Since the majority of my study is in Logos, this translation is FULLY tagged and integrated into Logos interactives and datasets.

    Does the LEB offer more functions in Logos than the ESV?   If yes, what are these functions?

  • John W Gillis
    John W Gillis Member Posts: 136 ✭✭✭

    " rel="nofollow">Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :) said:

    Thankful for MEV now having Reverse Interlinears

    Wow! That's wonderful! I hadn't noticed that in my library. I really liked the MEV when it came out, and even bought into another Bible Study program to get an electronic copy of it in probably 2014 or so, before Logos had it. Now that it has an RI, I'd have to adjust my earlier answer on this thread to fit it in to my top five for 2021 - I'm sure I'll be re-acquainting myself with it.

  • Kathleen Marie
    Kathleen Marie Member Posts: 813 ✭✭

    I am a little frustrated trying to figure out the cheapest option to be able to use the MEV interlinear, without paying for things I don't want, while still being denied access to things that I still want very badly.

  • P A
    P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭

    I think you can purchase separate reverse interlinears  for the MEV Old and New Testament.

    Not sure this is cheapest option

    Others will advise

    P A

  • P A
    P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭

    Sorry my information was incorrect. You seem to only be able to purchase MEV interlinear as part of collection.

    P A

  • P A
    P A Member Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭

    Have you tried contacting customer services?

    P A

  • Matt Hamrick
    Matt Hamrick Member Posts: 667 ✭✭

    1. LEB

    2. NIV

    3. ESV

    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.