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16 Responses to “What is the best, most accurate translation of the Bible from the original lanugages?”

1. Giant Flying Turtle For Fireball Says:
   February 13th, 2010 at 9:11 pm

   The NASB is the most literal, but very "wooden" and without any text-critical notes.

   The NIV is fairly balanced and contains several notes concerning text-critical issues.

   The HCSB is the best I know of in terms of text-critical notes, however it was late on the scene as far as Bible translations go (I think it came out in 2000 or 2001), so it never became very popular.

   you can see them all at biblegateway.com
   References :
   I collect Bibles, and currently own about 30 different English translations. I have read parts of each, and all of several.

   For the record, the answerer below me simply listed two Catholic Bibles. They are both beautifully written, but, not "the most accurate" by a long shot. Even the pope was extremely disappointed with the New American Bible.

2. David M didn't die Says:
   February 13th, 2010 at 9:27 pm

   In english?
   The New American or New Jerusalem
   References :

3. David H Says:
   February 13th, 2010 at 9:59 pm

   The English Standard Version Study Bible is very, very good. It also comes with a password for a special ESV Study Bible website.

   The Oxford Bible is nice, but it’s hard to carry around.
   References :

4. ...virginiaO Says:
   February 13th, 2010 at 10:36 pm

   the best all round bible with notes and appendixes that explain what was added to the original texts and what was removed from the original texts by copyists and translators is;dr.bullingers companion bible kjv.

   with this bible there is hardly a need for obtaining a strong’s concordance because he also includes the various meanings of words in poorly translated verses

   not only does he make clear the meaning of all the hard to comprehend verses but also gives us a history lesson on places and biblical personalities.
   References :

5. hasse_john Says:
   February 13th, 2010 at 11:24 pm

   consider Ex 23:13–(that we are not to use names of heathen mighty ones for the creator or savior). Just that one text eliminates Lamsa, and about 98% of English translations. I use ‘THE SCRIPTURES’ by the Institute of scripture research. I also have ‘THE SACRED SCRIPTURES,- bethel edition’ from Assembly of Yahweh in bethel Pa. James Trimm did a ‘Hebrew roots’ translation, which I have, and parts of it is very good, but I don’t use it so much. there are a couple others that qualify about that one rule, but the one from ASSEMBLY OF YAHWEH (singular) is written in old English style, and I seldom look at it.
   References :

6. GAWDZILLA (((Crazy Pirate))) Says:
   February 13th, 2010 at 11:36 pm

   The Brick Testament, of course

   http://www.thebricktestament.com/
   References :

7. Robot Says:
   February 13th, 2010 at 11:58 pm

   Love.. hope you don’t mind me asking s sub question.

   From which exact bible source do translators translate from ? thanks.

   I find the "New International version" bible to be easier to read and understand than any other bible.
   References :

8. harry Says:
   February 14th, 2010 at 12:11 am

   The New world translation is actually the most accurate to what was originally wrote. :] A survey was conducted, and it has proven to be.
   References :
   Jehovah’s Witnesses
   A survey site I saw awhile back

9. Jamie Says:
   February 14th, 2010 at 12:34 am

   The first Bible called the Jerome Bible 374 A.D. was translated from copies of copies of the original text. No English Bible can be said to be "best accurate" because there are no vowles in the Hebrew language. Unless you can read Hebrew or Greek and have excess to the original written manuscriptes every Bible from King James and before Geneva, Bishop’s Bible and the Tyndale’s Bible will be close to original at best..
   References :

10. Song Says:
    February 14th, 2010 at 1:07 am

    There are lots of good ones. I feel that NIV is the best because it keeps things straightforward but does not dumb them down too much. It uses modern language, and it’s writers take into account all of our most up-to-date understanding of ancient languages, archaeology, and cultural context. The other reason I like it is that the organization which created the NIV has made it into the most languages of all modern translations, making it truly God’s word for everybody instead of just for English speakers.

    The King James is the worst of all popular versions, since it is extremely obsolete. It was made in 1711, and uses archaic language, and reflects a lack of understanding about many things the Bible was trying to tell us.
    References :

11. Knowledge + Application = Wisdom Says:
    February 14th, 2010 at 1:47 am

    Having different Bible versions can be very helpfull. Even though the ideas are pretty much the same, some say it in clearer words that other translations. I particularly like the New World Translation (for it’s clear and modern, easy to read language) but I’m in the process of building up a collection of the most common ones. Comparing your Bible witht he way it is worded in toher versions can be helpfull sometimes.

    If you would like to know more about this and other themes, next time Jehovah’s Witness come to your door, ask them for a free Bible study at your convenience. You will never regret all the knowledge you will acquire and remember that what you do with that knowledge is your choice. Knowledge + Application = Wisdom
    References :
    http://www.watchtower.org

12. Barney Says:
    February 14th, 2010 at 2:30 am

    Without a doubt, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Recently on Jeopardy, one of the answers was, "It’s the most accurate translation of the Holy Scriptures." No one got the correct question so Alex Trebek said, "What is the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, printed by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society."
    Jason David BeDuhn, the Associate Professor of Religios Studies at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff after comparing several Bible translations also came to this conclusion. The ones he compared included the King James Version (KJV), The Amplified Bible (AB), The Living Bible (LB), The New American Bible (NAB), The New American Standard Bible (NASB), The New International Version (NIV), New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT), The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), and Today’s English Version (TEV).
    References :

13. sean-baker Says:
    February 14th, 2010 at 2:44 am

    Check out the New world Translation from Jehovah’s witnesses you can give it a spin online for free, and they are available for a voluntary donation or free if you dont have any money.

    http://watchtower.org/e/bible/index.htm
    References :

14. † John The Baptist † Says:
    February 14th, 2010 at 3:32 am

    Your question is impossible to answer; it is a matter of opinion. There are a NUMBER of websites that have all of the versions mentioned by answerers to this question, and several more, excepting the NWT by JW’s, which is a non-scholarly edition.

    Most of these sites have multiple Bible versions and commentaries:

    http://www.e-sword.net/index.html
    http://www.blueletterbible.org/
    http://www.bible-explorer.com/
    http://www.biblekeeper.com/
    http://www.biblegateway.com/
    http://www.carm.org/
    http://www.crosswalk.com/
    http://bible.oneplace.com/
    http://net.bible.org/bible.php

    If you are interested in reading about the history of and different early versions of scripture, this may be interesting reading for you: http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/septuagi.htm

    I have about 30 versions loaded on my laptop using E-sword, and one of the things I like about this program is that YOU can pick up to any 4 different versions and display them side by side on the same page, effectively building your own parallel Bible. There are also numerous Bible commentaries, (I think I have about 8 commentaries, you might really enjoy these), dictionaries, and even maps of the Holy land. E-Sword itself is a FREE download, but if you send him a $20 (donation?) he’ll send you a CD with MUCH more on it.

    I trust and appreciate this ministry, and I send them $20 monthly, and give the CDs away to those who appreciate them. I hope you find what you’re looking for.

    In Christ,
    John the Baptist
    References :

15. http://www.bible-reviews.com Says:
    February 14th, 2010 at 3:49 am

    Well, in fact this is a sort of passion of mine – finding the most accurate bible translation. I would like to point out first of all that no **objective** evaluation of bible translation accuracy exists or has been applied to even one bible. You can read more (in plain language) on why it is difficult to *objectively* determine the accuracy of a translation here
    http://www.bible-reviews.com/topics_accuracy.html
    (please excuse the giant buttons – I am slowly renovating the site)

    Now – that being said, there *are* **indicators** that we can use to determine the accuracy of a bible translation. Those are **very** briefly discussed here
    http://www.bible-reviews.com/topics_accuracy_indicators.html

    and I have begun a chart which compares these indicators here
    http://www.bible-reviews.com/charts_accuracy.html

    Now – I have personally read through several bible versions, and read large portions of several more. In my **subjective, unprofessional but unbiased opinion**, the most accurate English translation at this time is the New Jerusalem Bible. As "evidence" of my lack of bias, the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) is a Roman Catholic bible – but I am a Fundamentalist Christian.

    It so happens that the NJB comes in one of the best scholarly study bibles available (these 2 editions have identical bible text and study notes)
    http://www.bibleselector.com/r_njb_ss.html

    Look at the "Regular Edition" first. Check out the reviews there at Amazon – they are stellar, and this bible is stellar. I have perused hundreds of bible study reviews at Amazon in my hunt for the perfect study bible. There are other really, really good study bibles – but none paired with a translation as excellent as the NJB.

    The DLT edition is rare in the US, but available from UK. It is available in several editions, including expensive leather and cheap laminated paperback. Here are links to Amazon UK if you cannot find them in the U.S.
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0232516758?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwjimpettico-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0232516758
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0232516502?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwjimpettico-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0232516502
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0232520771?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwjimpettico-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0232520771

    Here is an "old" review of the NJB that I wrote. There are many additional reasons that I still prefer the NJB today over other bibles.
    http://www.jimpettis.com/bibles/njb.htm

    Finally – here is my huge work-in-progress, the site that guides you step-by-step in selecting the perfect bible. It should at *least* help you to find the perfect bible version, and it might help you to discover the perfect study bible.
    http://www.BibleSelector.com

    Note: if there are no study bibles listed at that site for the version you want, contact me. I have loads of info on bibles that I have not had time to post to that site, particularly regarding study bibles. I will be happy to help you narrow down your options and answer any questions – just e-mail me.

    Jim
    References :

16. Burger....... Says:
    February 14th, 2010 at 4:00 am

    The original bible was "the three little bears…."

    Thank you for the 2 points
    References :

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