Bible Question: What do you think is the best version of the Bible? (the one that best captures the intent of the original authors) |
Bible Answer: . . . The best Bible version is the one YOU use -- the one you can understand AND trust. . . . If you asked 20 different people what's the best version, you would get 20 different answers. . . . First you have to answer the question, best for what? What will you be using this Bible for -- general reading, devotional reading, personal study, evangelism, teaching youth, etc.? . . . I personally use 16 different versions of the Bible. What are my top recommendations? . . . They are, in alphabetical order: . . . The Amplified Bible . . . New American Standard Bible . . . New International Version . . . New King James Version. . . . Which is my personal favorite over all, for reading, study, teaching, memorization, devotional reading, etc.? It's the New American Standard Version of the Bible. The New American Standard has been widely acclaimed as "the most literally accurate translation" from the original languages. Today the NASB remains the most literally accurate Bible in the English language. I use many translations every week, but after 30 years of reading, studying, teaching and praying in the NASB, it is my personal favorite over all the others. . . . The advocates of the King James Only movement are violently opposed to any and all modern translations. Their view is the KJV is the only perfect (without error) English Bible in existence. I merely define their views, as I understand them. I refuse to be drawn into a dispute over the King James Only controversy. I personally love and respect the King James and have done all my memory work in it. But is it the most literally accurate Bible in the English language? No. While it contains a remarkable degree of general accuracy, it cannot and does not make the claim for itself of being the only perfect English translation. NO TRANSLATION IS PERFECT, INERRANT AND INFALLIBLE. Inerrancy can be said to apply only to the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. No honest Bible scholar would claim otherwise. . . . Brothers and sisters, let us live at peace with one another. Back to my original answer: The best Bible version is the one you use -- the one you can understand AND trust. |