My Updated Top Five Bible Translations
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- As I read more and more translations, my top five evolved. I believe I have landed, and this video gives my favorites and why. Hope you enjoy it. Let me know what your top translations are.
For reading proverbs and psalms KJV/NKJV.
For devotional reading NKJV/ESV/NASB
For reading large portions of text ESV/NIV
For deep word study NASB/KJV
Use all of them as reference. I have and collect every translation I can get my hands on.
Yay! NKJV is King of the translations!
I like using the NLT partnered with an ESV study Bible. I also have an LSB but haven’t read it a lot yet.
NKJV is my preaching Bible also. And it my favorite translation. I have an NASB I bought in 1977. Currently reading through the ESV. I like the TLV for it Jewishness, really cool. I also have JPS Tanakh.
Love your videos.
My favorite translations are in this order:
1) KJV
2) NKJV
3) ESV
4) NASB 77 (never used the others)
5) Coverdale Psalter
I have the RSV and NRSV and other translations as well, but they are all for reference.
I can't afford to rebind any of my bibles! But, I'm happy you are blessed with the rebinds you own.
Sounds like I should look into the NKJV! I usually go ESV and the pastors of my church all go NASB (I'm not sure if they use the '95 or the 2020). My mom's been using the HCSB, but I want to spend a bit of time looking at their translation philosophy... It sounded a bit odd at first listen.
Anyway, I think I'd still go ESV just because of their source text, but I love good poetry in general, so if NKJV does poetry well, I'd love to read it! I think that's generally the worst part of English Bible translations.
BTW: I'm a bit of a Bible/linguistic nerd who really wants to get better at both Greek and Hebrew so I can read in the original languages... But, since I'm not there yet, I like to use the best option I can in English!
Thanks for making this video!
The poetry books in the NKJV (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes) are closer to the KJV than any other translation, in my humble opinion. I think you will be very pleased with the NKJV.
1. NKJV 2. KJV, that is all I need.
The NKJV is easily the best english translation. I used to use the ESV but after a few years I went back to the NKJV and am happy I did.
The NKJV easily surpasses other modern translations in both beauty and accuracy. I can follow KJV easily at church using my NKJV and it's also easily understood by current english speakers. Another plus is that it is never updated and comes from the historical orthodox Christian manuscript tradition.
I was amazed how much scriptural differences there are in the new testament between the KJV/NKJV and most other translations, I am made aware of this by the textual variants being provided in the NKJV as notes in the margin. No doctrine is completely lost but it is definitely weakened, for me the NKJV is easily more trustworthy. I have also found the NKJV more literal, clearer and accurate than the KJV . Another thing I have realised is how overrated the ESV is and how underrated the NKJV. God bless.
Agreed, and the NKJV uses better NT text-base.
My ranking would go something like this:
1. NRSV (my evening reading Bible; 1989 or 2021 edition)
2. ESV (my morning reading Bible; preferably 2011 edition)
3. KJV (the classic Bible, unmatched in literary beauty)
4. REB (the modern Bible with the greatest literary beauty)
5. CSB (the best of the purely American English Bibles)
This would almost be my exact list! But I'd put the NASB 1995 (or 1977) ahead of the CSB, and let the NLT be the honorable mention simply because it's, as you said, more of a reference to me than a true Bible translation.
I think when you get into the BSB, it might be in your top 3 next year. About as readable as the CSB but keeps a traditional style to its text. I love it. Godbless y’all!
I am in the poetry now. I must admit, so far it is excellent.
Yes I like the BSB too. I'll admit I forgot about that one...
Since it's really important everyone knows this(🤣🤣🤣🤣), my top are NLT/CSB/BSB/NKJV/ESV in that order...
I’ve seen the BSB in several top fives.
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews Tim that was meant as a joke mostly .. although that is my lineup.. yes I love the ease of the BSB
I'm a big fan of the RSV translation. Growing up with the KJV, I love that it retains the thee's, thou's and thine's of the KJV, but only in reference to God, which I think is a nice touch. Because of that, the poetry and Psalms sound great in the RSV translation.
I think my top 6 bible translations would be something like this:
1. RSV2CE
2. NRSVCE
3. NJB/RNJB
4.Confraternity (NT only)
5. ESVCE
6. DRC
I'm still unsure about it, I guess the CSB could take top 7, I haven't had much experience with the DRC either. I don't like the NKJB at all. It's better for modern readers than the KJV but it just feels and reads like a worse RSV/ESV. If you want KJV style poetry it's just better to read the actual KJV.
The extended list would probably be:
7. CSB
8. NLT
9. Knox
10. NIV
11. NABRE
12. NASB
13. NKJV
14. KJV
I haven't really had *that* much experience with all these translations, so I'll probably change my mind in the future.
1. RSV (71)
2. NRSV (Gender inclusiveness aside)
3. NRSVUE (1 Cor 6:9 & 1 Tim 1:10 aside lol)
4. ESV
5. ASV & KJV (maybe counts as six lol, hard to decide between the two, tho I do lean more towards the ASV)
Honorable mentions:
LEB
NET
NIV 2011
NLT
NASB 2020 (Really grew on me in the last year or so)
For years I was an essentially literal translation reader, I almost wouldn't touch anything that wasnt NASB or NKJV, LSB etc, but lately I am favoring the above versions much more (Of course the ASV is extremely literal and the ESV and RSV or pretty strong towards the literal end as well, but more elegant and beautiful to read in my opinion
1. Authorized Version
2. NKJV
3. Legacy Standard Bible
4. NRSVue
5. ESV
CSB is always incorporated as well
What is authorized version?
@@KeithGarrett-w1t KJV, it's formal title is Authorized (King James) Version
@@AnthonyMarcus0115 thank u. If u ever see the real 1611 KJV, it actually reads a bit different. I didn't know if that's what u meant. I'm usually KJV but I'm accompanying that with ASV same daily readings of both.
@@KeithGarrett-w1t the real 1611 KJV is not the one you pick up in the store today but it is the New Cambridge Paragraph Bible! That’s a 1611, only with updated spelling, as the translators intended and left the text for the printer! A KJV you pick up from the store today is a revised text from 1769!
@@AnthonyMarcus0115 thank you
My favourite translation is the NIV because it has a good balance between formal and dynamic equivalence.
Outstanding! I love the king James and the CSB as well. I agree CSP could be a little more poetic, but you made up for that with your ESV choice. I would probably rank the NASB a little higher though. My Baptist friends, who really know the Bible seem to always study NASB. MacArthur does as well. It’s such an Accurate version. Perhaps not as poetic as the ESV or NIV
My top Bibles ...
1. NRSV Study Bible (Cultural Backgrounds)
2. Complete Jewish Study Bible (Messianic)
3. NET Full Notes Edition.
4. ESV Study Bible
5. Artscroll Stone Edition / Jewish Study Bible (NRSV) for the Jewish view of the Bible.
King James Bible / Geneva Bible for the enjoyment of early modern English, which is definitely up there with Shakespeare.
NKJV is my favorite too.
My 3 favorites are:
1. The KJV for my morning devotional.
2. The KJV for my late afternoon daily reading plan.
3. The KJV for my late evening topical study.
Other than those 3, I don't really use much else. 😂
Well done!
And not that you asked, but my top 5 would be: 1. NKJV, 2. NASB95, 3. NLT, 4. ESV and 5.CSB, with KJV and MEV as honorable mentions.
1. KJV
2. NKJV
3. NASB77
4.CSB
5.RSV (1st translation I read after Jesus saved me, so will always hold a special place in my heart.)
Great thank you, I agree totally. Thank you for addressing the poetry issue - you are so right I’ve tried to get into some of the more modern translations like the NLT but I always get turned off when I get to psalms. Then I always run back to NKJV or even KJV. That said I’ll keep using NLT to make the stories more readable or understandable - like a reference or paraphrase. I also really like the Amplified translation as it fills in some gaps that make it easier to understand and read.
You know I love that idea that the NKJV won’t be updating, we don’t have to be figuring out who has which NKJV…
What do you think about the MEV brother?
I read through Jeremiah, and gave up. Just couldn’t get into it. I may try again if they ever fix the problems with an update.
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews I tried getting into it myself but I just couldn’t
I've always been a KJV exclusively. I am just exploring others. How accurate is ASV? That's the one Ive been looking at. I do like word for word
I’m not a fan of the ASV.
Yep! NKJV for me followed by the NASB 95 or even better 77?
I am so surprised by how many people live the KJV. It’s state sponsored translation by a country still suffering from a religious identity crisis.
It’s a great work, but people’s devotion to it exclusively is crazy.
Great overview video Tim. Thank you for giving a brief synopsis on your top 5.
My top 5. Starting with my top 3.
NIV
NKJV
&
ESV
*I’ve got study bibles for the 3 of them. I love to use them for youth ministry, preaching, & diving deeper into the word. These 3 help me understand The Word the best.
4. KJV (just like you, the poetry).
&
5. NASB 1995. It’s put together in a very unique way.
Honorable mention:
NRSV (it’s been growing on me. I love how certain parts are worded).
My main Bible is the NAS95, but this past year I have been reading through the RSV in my Morning Bible Reading. It has blown me away in how beautifully worded it is. I was really surprised.
I also preach from the NKJV, but the KJV is my bible and must sit on the throne as #1.
🥇 KJV 👑
🥈 NKJV
🥉 NASB
4th NIV
5th my other KJV s
I love the ESV. The NKJV used to be my favourite translation, but it's so difficult to find one that had no references and is all black letter. My favourite bible is the ESV Large Print Wide Margin, the font perfect size for me, it is all black letter, no references plus it has all the ESV translation footnotes. There is an NKJV Thinline that doesn't have any references, but it also doesn't have the full set of NKJV translation notes either and it had the abominable red letters too. I so badly want an NKJV physical Bible, but I can't find one for me. Why does all TN only make reference Bibles? Can they not make one like the ESV Large Print Wide Margin Bible? I don't use the references in the Bible, I never have, so they are useless to me, but if I could find an affordable double column NKJV in all black letter, I would overlook the references. Do you know any? By the way, is there a less expensive version of the NKJV that you showed in this video, it's super nice?
They have economy editions of the NKJV Large Print reference, but it is red letter.
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews I've been really thinking about it, and it seems that there's no way to escape the red letter with Thomas Nelson at all. If I'm going to get one with red letters, I might as well get the one without the reference. Thank you
The Maclaren NKJV large print is black letter. It is verse by verse. It has the full set of translator notes and references at the bottom of the page, so they stay out of the way. It's available in several bindings not just goatskin. I'm not aware of an NKJV edition with a full set of translator notes but without references. I would like that arrangement very much. Although I would still keep references for OT quotes. Both the ESV and CSB have text blocks like that but not the NKJV.
@@magicsysrq8453 Yeah, I have one of those in ESV, that is the Bible I currently have, it's just a wonful Bible. No references except for Old Testament quotes in the New Testament. I really like the NKJV translation, it was my first Bible, I got it from the Gideons back in the early 90s. I have not been able to replace that Bible because other than KJV and NIV, you can't get any other Bible translations in my country. I got that ESV Bible from a brother who sent it to me and I have been using it ever since. I didn't have one before, and he was generous enough to send it to me. I will check out the Maclaren NKJV. Red letters hurst my eyes badly. One fun fact for me with the NKJV is that it was released in the Dane year I was born. Also for me it's the only translation that bridges the gap between the the two Textus Receptus and the Critical Text with its translation notes.
@@edwardgraham9443 Yes, the NKJV has very good textual notes. An even better alternative from that perspective is Adam Boyd's Text-Critical English New Testament. It shows translatable differences in 11 editions of the Greek New Testament. It's a very readable new translation. Since it has a generous copyright license, you can even download the PDF and print it yourself.
Have you done a video on the Evangelical Heritage Version? What are your thoughts?
Never even heard of it.
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews I believe it's from a Lutheran publishing house and is similar to the CSB and NIV in translation philosophy. It will be the next translation I read through.
Have you read the Jerusalem bible translation?
I don’t have one yet but maybe one day.
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews Fun fact, this was the translation used by Mother Angelica on her show, she was founder of EWTN.
Thanks for sharing these excellent choices. They are all in my bible reading rotation.
I have to agree the NKJV holds a special place in my heart.
I agree with you on the poetry. The perfect bible for me would be an esv large print wide margin, but the Psalms would be parallel with the kjv.
Thanks for your opinion. No surprises (I'm glad). Beautiful rebinds as well.
What what what??? Who even are you??? 🤣🤣🤣 The thing I love about NKJV is that they capitalize the pronouns for deity. It's a small thing but I really like that. Also it's close to the KJV but just easier to understand.
I mean I guess I am evolving…and that’s a BAD thing according to some. It’s like the old joke, how many _________ (insert favorite Christian group here) does it take to change a lightbulb? The answer: What do you mean CHANGE???
No love for the LSB?
It has become my number 1.
My number 2 would be the NKJV for the same reasons you gave in your video.
Number 3 would be the ESV for the same reasons you gave as well
I prefer the NIV over the CSB as a thought for thought translation. I think it is because I came up in the NIV in the Church Of Christ.
Number 5 for me is KJV I enjoy reading it for the beauty of it but I would rather study out of one of the other translations.
I also use the NASB 95 as well but it is so much like the LSB I find I just usually go there. I own a couple of NLT's very rarely use them. My wife enjoys it though and the CSB also. Those are her two primary translations but she has been starting to take an LSB with her to church lately. I guess I am rubbing off a little bit.
I just want to let you know that I truly enjoy your reviews here on RUclips Tim. Those rebinds are amazing! My Uncle taught me how to rebind as a child (45 years ago or so.) I have been wanting to try my hand at it again but seeing all the wonderful work out there is kind of intimidating. All we ever did was redo hardback books.
Keep up the great work! May The Lord bless you and keep you Tim.
I enjoyed the LSB, just didn’t make my 5.
Awesome. Thanks for another great video with unique content.
Thank you, Brother Tim 🌹🌹🌾🌹🌹
My favorite translations:
1. Douay-Rheims
2. King James 1611
3. New Catholic Bible (NCB)
4. ESV
5. RSV
I really wish the NKJV, CSB, and NASB included the Apocrypha like the 1611 KJV did!
Thomas Nelson just released a KJV with the Apocrypha.
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews I wish they had at least included the cross-references to the Apocrypha that the 1611 KJV had.
Thank you for a great video
Is the Premier collection the only NKJV that offers thicker 36 GSM European paper?
Sometimes they will use the 36gsm on the leather non premier collection bibles. If not then it is generally 33gsm. But yes, I know of no other NKJV bible with 36gsm paper.
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews thank you for the information I appreciate it very much
Great video
Wow. You knocked NASB out of top 5 for NLT ?!? Unsubscribed
I’ll miss you!
I should have listened to Wildsmith 🤣
@justinthyme2666 never listen to a guy named Tim! 🤣
1.KJV 2.NKJV 3.LSB 4.YLT. , the others are useless to me
I find it hard to understand why the others would be useless. Especially since the LSB doesn’t exist without the NASB.
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews But the LSB does exist, so now the NASB is obsolete. Without the KJV, none of these might exist as they all claim to carry on that tradition.
For me personally I don't have the KJV or NKJV in my top five. I don't think either are bad translations, I just don't think the Textus Receptus represents the best set of Greek manuscripts. That being said, I do recognize the cultural impact of the KJV and the way God used it throughout the las 400 years.
Many share your opinion.
I'm personally in the Byzantine Majority camp. The nice thing about the NKJV is that while it's a TR translation, it has great notes showing readings for both the Critical and the Majority text. The notes provided with other translations tend to say things like 'the most reliable manuscipts say' without being specific or neutral.
9 seconds in and "but as you know, we evolve..." 😯 😖 oops.
No, I don't know that.
NKJV is a good solid translation. 👍
Why do people have an issue with that word? Evolve simply means that over time we gradually change. This has nothing to do with the scientific heresy of the Theory of Evolution. The fact is, it is the easiest word choice to say, “these were my favorite translations, but over time as I’ve read more I have gradually shifted to like these more.” Goodness folks…CHILLLLLLLL.
We learn, we don't evolve LoLoL.
By definition we evolve. People freak out over a word that has a clear and usable meaning outside of the scientific counterfeit.
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews , meh' , I don't need to use it. The Bible was assembled by the Pope.
@@joeyfood1435 🙄
@@anickelsworthbiblereviews, the Bible is a Catholic Book, read it n' weep.
@@joeyfood1435 unfortunately you are wrong