My Favorite Bible Translation
And how translation choices quietly shape what we believe about God.
For the record, this isn’t sponsored. I don’t have a deal with any publisher. I just spend way too much time comparing translations and geeking out about what they mean for theology.
Most Christians don’t choose their Bible translation. It’s handed to them, by a parent, a pastor, or a friend. You get confirmed and someone hands you one. You download the most popular Bible app, and it defaults to ESV. You pick up whatever’s in the pew rack on Sunday morning. But here’s what we don’t talk about enough: that choice might be shaping your view of God more than you realize.
Why Translations Matter
The Bible wasn’t written in English. It came to us in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, languages that don’t map cleanly onto modern English. Every time a translator sits down with the original text, they’re making choices. Should they prioritize literal accuracy or natural readability? Do they keep ancient idioms that sound weird in English, or swap them for modern equivalents? When the Greek uses masculine pronouns but clearly means everyone, what do you do?
These aren’t just technical questions; they are theological ones. And the people making those choices (the translation committees) matter too. Some are made up primarily of evangelical scholars. Others draw from mainline Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions. Some prioritize preserving traditional language. Others update based on new manuscript discoveries and cultural understanding. Every translation has a philosophy, and that philosophy shapes what you read.
A Quick Tour of the Major Translations
Let’s look at the main players and what they’re trying to do:
ESV (English Standard Version) goes for formal equivalence, as close to word-for-word as English allows. It’s precise, favored in conservative evangelical circles, and great for detailed study. The trade-off? Sometimes it’s clunky, and it tends to default to masculine language even when the original isn’t specific.
NIV (New International Version) aims for dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought rather than word-for-word). It reads smoothly, captures the emotional tone well, and it’s the most popular translation in American evangelicalism. But it occasionally interprets where it could translate, making theological choices for you.
Here is the NIV Bible I was given in high school. So many memories are tied to this:
NLT (New Living Translation) prioritizes readability above all. It’s technically a paraphrase masquerading as a translation. Beautiful for devotional reading, but you’re getting the translators’ interpretation more than the text itself.
The Message is pure paraphrase, Eugene Peterson’s imaginative retelling in modern idiom. It’s not trying to be accurate; it’s trying to capture the feeling of hearing these texts for the first time. Read it for inspiration, not study.
NRSVue (New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition) is where formal equivalence meets modern scholarship. It’s accurate, inclusive, and academically rigorous without being unreadable. It’s the translation used in most seminaries, by the Revised Common Lectionary that many churches follow, and by scholars across theological traditions.
Why I Love the NRSVue
The NRSVue is the 2021 update of the NRSV, which itself was already the gold standard for academic study. But this update mattered. The committee went back through the entire text with forty years of new manuscript discoveries, updated linguistic research, and clearer understanding of what the original authors were actually saying.
The biggest shift? Gender accuracy. Not gender-neutral ideology—gender accuracy. When the Greek word adelphoi appears, it can mean “brothers” (male siblings) or “brothers and sisters” (the whole community). For centuries, English translations just said “brothers” and let readers assume it meant everyone. The NRSVue translates based on context. If Paul is addressing the whole church, you read “brothers and sisters.” If he’s talking specifically about men, you read “brothers.” This isn’t political correctness, it’s correct translation. And that is so important to me.
The committee itself reflects this commitment to accuracy over ideology. It includes Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Jewish, and secular scholars. It’s not trying to push a denominational agenda. It’s trying to get as close to the original meaning as English allows while remaining readable enough for Sunday morning.
How Translation Shapes Theology
Think I’m overstating the impact? Let me show you three examples where translation choices create completely different theologies:
Luke 17:21 — The KJV says “the kingdom of God is within you.” Sounds mystical, internal, individualistic. The NRSVue says “among you.” Same Greek word (entos), but one translation makes God’s kingdom a private spiritual experience, the other makes it a communal reality breaking into the world. That’s not a minor difference.
Romans 16:7 — For centuries, translations turned Junia into “Junias” (a male name) because translators couldn’t imagine a female apostle. Modern scholarship confirms Junia was a woman, and Paul called her “prominent among the apostles.” The NRSVue restores her. The ESV still hedges with a footnote. One translation lets you see women in apostolic ministry. The other makes it debatable. To me, that’s a big deal.
1 Timothy 2:12 — Here’s where translation really shows its power. Paul uses a Greek verb (authentein) that only appears once in the whole Bible. Because it’s so rare, scholars can’t agree on exactly what it means. The NRSVue translates it as “have authority over,” while some study notes (like the NET Bible) say it could mean “assume independent authority” or even “domineer.” That single nuance changes the whole feel of the verse, from a rule about leadership to a warning against abusive power. Same text. Different theology.
These aren’t technicalities, they’re the difference between complementarianism and egalitarianism, individual salvation and communal redemption, closed leadership and open ministry. These are important issues.
How to Pick (and Read) a Bible Translation
Here’s my practical advice: Use multiple translations but pick one primary. For deep study, I use the NRSVue. When I want something to land emotionally, I’ll read the NLT or The Message. When I’m teaching, I’ll compare the NRSVue and NIV to show different interpretive choices.
The goal isn’t finding the “perfect” translation (it doesn’t exist). The goal is finding one that keeps expanding your picture of God instead of confirming what you already think. For me, that’s the NRSVue. It’s faithful enough to wrestle with, inclusive enough to trust, and beautiful enough to pray with. It doesn’t hide the complexity of scripture or make theology easy. It invites you into the actual text with all its strangeness, all its challenges, all its glory intact.
Your Bible translation is doing theological work whether you realize it or not. You might as well choose one that does it honestly.
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This is incredibly valuable. I’m relatively new to my faith and have been confused by all the various versions. I have some of the versions you describe but not the NSRVue. I’m going to order a copy right now. Thank you!
Love this thought provoking article! I have always used multiple versions of the text when studying or just trying to get a better understanding of the text itself; but I don't think I ever thought of it from the theological perspective your article invites us to think about. I've always trusted the Bible to be the inspired word of God - but we must take into consideration the translator and their theology or motives (for lack of a better word). Thanks Beau for this "Tuesday Thinker"!