Which Translation Should I Use?

There are lots of great Bible translations out there. The first thing you've got to know is that you're going to be hard pressed to find a bad one. Some are translated from the original languages a word at a time, such as the New American Standard Bible. Others are translated by the phrase, like the New International Version.

The first type may be technically more accurate in a word-for-word sense, but by-the-phrase translations, while still accurate to the original meaning, tend to read easier with phrasing that flows from the tongue.

I preach from the New International Version. It's probably the most popular translation of all time. I also really enjoy the New Living Translation and the New Century Version.

Another option is reading from a paraphrase like The Living Bible or The Message.

I alternate between the NIV and other versions. I read through The Message in 2007 and the New Century Version in 2008. Okay, the alternating thing is more of a guideline than a rule. This year (2009) I’m going back to the New International Version.

Here's my best advice. Go to a Christian book store and take three or four versions off the shelf. Read one Old Testament and one New Testament passage from each of the Bibles, like the 23rd Psalm or The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Find a version you're comfortable with. It doesn't have to be a life-long commitment. You can try another version next year.

Next: What If I Get Behind?