The best Bible to read and understand is often hotly debated among Christians. However, for many people, the best Bible translation to read and understand is often considered the New Living Translation (NLT). It is an accurate thought-for-thought translation of the original languages of the Bible and is widely accepted among scholars and laypeople alike.
Other Bible translations are equally easy to read and understand, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses, but not every version is easy to read.
For those who struggle to understand a more difficult version of the Bible, 11 Best translations may be easier for you! This list includes a brief description of each translation and a short explanation about why it’s best suited for certain people.
What is the best version of the bible to read and understand?
The best version of the bible to read and understand is The New Living Translation (NLT). It’s an accurate thought-for-thought translation of the original languages of the Bible.
The NLT is an accurate thought-for-thought translation of the original languages of the Bible, and it’s widely accepted among Christians worldwide. Apart from this best choice, other options are based on scholar preferences or which version best suits your needs. If you want to know more about them, keep reading!
Then question, why do we need multiple Bible translations when we have one written in modern English?
Why do we need multiple translations?
Multiple translations of the Bible helps people who speak different languages read and understand the word of God without any difficulties. If a person doesn’t know English, they can pick up a Bible in their language to help them better communicate with God.
The best Bible translation is not determined by its popularity or even accuracy alone but based on factors such as ease of reading and understanding for those learning English and cultural relevance that matches our modern world.
Which version of the Bible should you read?
The best-selling English translations of all time were as follows:
- The Living Bible (1971) – sold more than 40 million copies in 1971 alone
- New King James Version (1982) – has sold over 30 million to date
- Today’s New International Version (1984) – 25 million and counting
The best bible translation is a matter of personal preference, mostly regarding ease of reading or understanding based on one’s native language. However, most people prefer versions rooted in Greek and Hebrew, such as NIV, NRSV, NLT, among others, due to their accuracy compared to ‘dynamic equivalence’ type translations like The Message.
11 Best Bible Translation to Read and Understand Easily.
There are many best Bible translations to read and understand easily. However, the best bible translation should not be determined by its popularity but based on ease of reading and understanding for those learning English or other languages besides cultural relevance that matches our modern world.
There are many Bible translations to choose from, but some stand out as more accurate and easier for readers. In fact, 55% of people who read the bible use King James Version in 2014. However, the best translation is up to personal preference which one you prefer to understand easily.
-
The New Living Translation
The New Living Translation (NLT) is one of the best Bible translations in these categories because it uses normal modern English, making it an easy-to-understand version. In addition, most people who speak different languages can pick up a copy in their own language if they don’t know how to use the ones available in the United States alone!
The New Living Translation is a legitimate and accurate translation of Hebrew and Greek. The misunderstanding is unsurprising, given that the NLT originated as a modification of Kenneth Taylor’s 1971 paraphrase.
The New Living Translation of The Holy Bible is considered the most reliable translation that is not only best for personal reading but also best for studying the word of God.
Is the NLT a reliable translation?
Yes. The translation is best for personal reading and studying the word of God since it remains as close to the original languages as possible while still being easy to read and understand.
The New Living Translation (NLT) has been around since 1996. Still, it’s not until recently that its popularity skyrocketed among Christians who want a more modern and easy-to-read translation of the Bible.
The New Living Translation (NLT) was created for modern readers to understand contemporary English and slang easily.
Who uses the New Living Translation?
This translation is used by many people, including those who use the King James Version (KJV) or New International Version (NIV).
It depends on your intentions. If you are looking for the best bible to read and understand easily, NLT is the best option. However, if you want the best accuracy, then go with NASB.
The New Revised Standard Version is the best translation for those who seek the best accuracy and word-for-word approach to the original language of the biblical text.
Scholars have widely accepted it as it represents a good balance between readability and literalness, with 55% of survey respondents reporting using this version in 2014.
What does the NLT version try to accomplish?
The New Living Translation (NLT) is an English translation of the Bible completed in 1996. The New Living Translation tries to make God’s Word easy to read and understand by keeping it simple without losing its impact on the reader while remaining accurate.
The NLT version has become one of the best-selling versions because it is so popular among many readers.
-
The Contemporary English Version of the Holy Bible (CEV).
The Contemporary English Version of the Holy Bible is a fairly easy-to-read and understood version. It is best for readers who are already comfortable with the idea of reading God’s Word in modern English without too many old words or phrases that may be hard to interpret correctly.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) is a simple version of the Bible intended for children at a fourth-grade reading level and the uneducated. It’s similar to the American Bible Society’s Good News Bible, which was released earlier.
The writing style of The Message Bible uses simple, everyday language while remaining true to the original text. For example, John 11:35 (New International Version): “Jesus wept” becomes “Jesus cried,” which makes it more easily understandable for today’s reader.
Another type of translation called functional equivalence also exists where meaning takes precedence over word-for-word renderings, so some aspects might not strictly follow literal translations but instead convey their meanings within certain passages best through this method. While this practice may lead to best-understood passages in their original languages, it is still easily accessible for today’s readers.
The Contemporary English Version was created in 1995 due to a study conducted by the American Bible Society and is best understood by people who read at a third-grade level or lower. It has been criticized for not being accurate to the original texts, but it does offer easier reading with phrases like “sinful nation” instead of “evil nation” in Deuteronomy 32:29.
The translation principles of the Contemporary English Version were that it must be understood by all, be accurate, and have a good literary quality.
This version can best be read by those with a learning disability or who struggle to understand the English language because of their low reading level.
The Bible’s terminology is simplified into more common terms and phrases in this translation. For humans, the CEV utilizes gender-neutral terminology, but not for God.
Who uses the Contemporary English Version?
It is used by adults who struggle with reading or have a low literacy level. It is best for those learning English as their second language because it uses simple, clear words that everyone easily understands.
The CEV can be useful to pastors and preachers who want to make sure the message of the Bible remains understandable in modern times.
What does the Contemporary English Version try to accomplish?
It is written in easy-to-understand language to reach a wider audience, especially those who are not used to reading the Bible or have low literacy skills.
The CEV has been translated into various languages and is best for nonfiction books that need simple explanations.
What resources can be found in the Contemporary English Version?
It contains extensive notes and study guides to help the reader understand more about the Bible.
It contains a dictionary and preface, so it can be used as an English-to-English translation of certain words for those who may not know what they mean.
-
The New Revised Standard Version.
The NRSV is probably best known by most Christians because it was used almost exclusively during the writing of The Message Bible and has been an incredibly successful translation among mainline Protestants since its publication.
Firstly, this version does not use archaic language like many other versions, making it easier to understand both today’s culture and ancient words.
Secondly, unlike some other popular modern English translations—such as the NLT—the NRSV sticks fairly close to literal word-for-word rendering, which helps readers achieve a more accurate understanding of Greek and Hebrew.
Who uses the New Revised Standard Version?
The New Revised Standard Version is used widely by the United Methodist Church and used in many mainline Protestant denominations such as The Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), National Baptist Convention USA Inc., American Baptists, and Evangelical Lutheran.
When should you use this best bible for understanding?
The NRSV has been widely praised as a high-quality translation that stays true to its literal goal while still using the modern English language.If reading comprehension is your main priority and you don’t mind dealing with some outdated word choices here and there—which can sometimes make it feel like other versions are written more recently than the NRSV even though they were published later—the New Revised Standard Version might be best for you!
What does the NRSV version try to accomplish?
The NRSV translations intended accomplishments are to provide an accurate text that is faithful to the original languages in which it was originally written while also being easy to read.
The NRSV has been widely praised as a high-quality version because of its goal to stay true to its literal translations without using the modern English language.
Some outdated word choices in the NRSV version you might notice.
Some outdated words could be “thou” instead of “you”. Other examples include any mention of slave labour or women’s place within society, etc… this list goes on and on! Most people don’t realize that many Bible versions have made changes over time for various reasons.
-
The English Standard Version.
When referring to the best Bible to read and understand, The English Standard Version is best to use. It is the most accurate and widely used of all modern English translations today.
As an essentially literal translation of the Bible in contemporary English written by a team of 95 best scholars and writers, it has become a standard for Bible readers and translators.
The ESV Bible emphasizes word-for-word accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. Its best characteristics are accurate, reliable, clear, biblical truth without losing the original sense of the passages.
What does the English Standard version try to accomplish?
It is best to use the English Standard Version as it has become a standard for Bible readers and translators.
The best characteristics of this version are that it is accurate, reliable, clear, biblical truth without losing the original sense of the passages.
Target Audience: Families with children who want easy reading along with deep understanding.
-
Today’s New International Version (TNIV).
Developed by the Committee on Bible Translation (CBT), Today’s New International Version of The Holy Bible was published in 2002 as a revision of the New International Version to a more accurate translation that is “as literal as possible when it comes to matching contemporary English usage”.
The best characteristics of this version are its clarity, accuracy, and flexibility for readers with different levels of understanding while maintaining the importance of being true to Scripture.
Target Audience: People who want an easy way to understand their Bible passages without sacrificing truthfulness.
In addition, at least six major study Bibles have been published in TNIV today’s language, including over 100 reference works from Nelson Reference & Electronic and Zondervan Publishing House.
The TNIV’s biggest strength is its readability. The original Hebrew and Greek have been translated into a modern, comprehensible, and natural-sounding English version.
What is the difference between NIV and TNIV?
While the TNIV uses gender-neutral language to refer to people, the NIV uses masculine terms to refer to both males and females. This is because the English language does not have neutral terms for people in general.
-
Good News Translation (GNT or GNB).
The American Bible Society first published the Good News Translation (GNT), formerly known as the Good News Bible or Today’s English Version, as a full Bible in 1976 as a “common language” Bible. It’s a straightforward and clear modern translation that stays true to the ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic texts. The GNT is a version that can be relied on.
It combines the Deuterocanonical Books, which are utilized by Roman Catholics, into the Old Testament to follow the Latin Vulgate order. Annie Vallotton’s artwork is included.
It is best for those who are new to the Bible and want a clear, easy-to-read version. Good News Translation (GNT)
Characteristics of The Good News Translation (GNT)
This translation is suitable for whatever age range, and this is a fantastic translation. That includes some fascinating features, including:
– It uses basic and plain language that is easy to understand.
– Each book has an introduction at the beginning.
– In-line drawings are incredible! -
God’s Word Translation (also called as GW for short).
God’s Word Translation (GW) offers the saving, life-changing Good News about Jesus in simple, natural English. GW is a rare literary work that purposefully combines scholarly authenticity with natural English. It was translated directly from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The best original-language texts into English by a team of more than 100 scholars and technical editors.
God’s Word Translation Bible is all its own category and an easy-to-read translation with no theological jargon.
Dr Bill Graham describes The God’s Word Translation as a “Bible for everyone who wants a readable, literal Bible translation” it’s a great version to offer to a new believer or someone who isn’t yet a believer.
As an example of the best bible to read and understand easily, the God’s Word Translation is a good choice. It has been prepared with plain language that makes it easy to read and understand. Anyone can pick up this translation and be able to start reading from Genesis all the way immediately.
-
The Message: The New Testament in Contemporary English*(also called MSG for short).
This is one of the best Bible Translations to read when you want an easy reading. This translation has been used in churches worldwide because it’s highly accessible while maintaining the best translation accuracy.
The majority of the modern English translations are very accurate, making them ideal for bible study, but they can be hard to read at times; with this in mind, The Message was created to provide a readable version that is still highly accessible.
When should you use this best bible for understanding?
This version of the Bible is best for people who are looking to be entertained. It is written in a poetic style that makes it best enjoyed as literature rather than the best option for a biblical study or reading devotionals.
-
Christian Standard Bible (CSB).
The Christian Standard Bible equips readers for lifelong discipleship by accurately and clearly presenting the truth of God’s Word. It’s a Bible you can trust to teach from and one you can share with a friend who is receiving God’s Word for the first time.
What makes The CSB translation easy to read and understand?
The CSB is an excellent choice for people looking to read the Bible in its entirety but find other versions too difficult. This version of the bible has a writing style that makes it easy to follow along with, even if you have little prior knowledge about Christianity or religion as a whole.Who uses the CSB Translation?
The CSB is an excellent translation for individuals who find it difficult to read and understand other Bible versions. It’s a great choice if you want to share God’s Word with others, such as family members or friends, but think they might struggle with carrying on conversations about Christianity in general due to their lack of knowledge.What is the difference between CSB and NIV?
The CSB is part of the new generation of bible translations that have been released over the past decade. It’s a more modern take on Christianity but still adheres to some traditional biblical words and phrases.The NIV takes a different approach as it was first published in 1978 and has gone through many re-editions. It’s considered more traditional than the CSB, so it can sometimes take a few words longer to read.
When reading the same verses in different Bible versions, some people cannot see much difference between them. However, small changes make a big impact on how we understand and apply God’s Word to our own lives.
Is CSB easy to read?
The Christian Standard Bible is easy to read due to its word choice and formatting; it is not only faithful-to-the-original text but also smooth to read. It uses common modern-day language suitable for kids, not making the Bible sound like a textbook or history lesson. -
New International Version (NIV).
The New International Version is one of the best Bible translations to read and understand, and it is widely accepted in Christian denominations worldwide. The NIV translation committee often consults Greek manuscripts such as Codex Vaticanus (B) and Sinaiticus (Aleph), found at Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Sinai by Mrs Lewis—the wife of a British diplomat in 1859.
The New International Version (NIV) is a completely new translation of the Bible created by over a hundred experts using the best Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts available.
Is NIV easy to read?
The NIV appeals to the same market of those looking for a trustworthy, conventional, and easy-to-read text. Theologically, the ESV and NIV study Bibles have a lot in common, and many people feel that the ESV is best for those who want a more literal interpretation. NIV Study Bibles are best for those who prefer a less literal translation.
Who should use the NIV Translation?
NIV is best for those looking for a Bible they can easily read and understand.
Who should not use the NIV translation?
Those who prefer a more literal interpretation may not like how many words have been translated to make it easier to read and understand.
Those with theological differences from mainstream Christianity might disagree with some of its translations as well, such as Acts 26:18, which states “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light.”
This verse implies universal salvation, but most English translations say “turn” or “that they may be saved.” Some people also dislike the inclusive language used throughout the text (e.g., saying ‘brothers’ rather than ‘brethren,’ etc.), but this is a matter of personal preference.
-
New King James Version (NKJV).
The New King James Version of the Holy Bible is based on the King James Version, but it corrects and updates its languages. It also uses old-fashioned English words commonly used at Shakespeare’s time, such as “thee” and “thou.”
The New King James Bible is best for people who want a literal translation without too much modernization.
Is the New King James Version easy to read?Also known as the King James Version Easy Read, and while it doesn’t alter the Bible, it does make it easier to understand difficult terms and replaces plainly antiquated or obsolete phrases.
The Version is best for people who want a literal translation without too much modernization. It’s also best to be familiar with the King James Version, which was based on earlier English translations.
Recommendation
The best way to find out which version of the Bible is best for you is by doing a little in-depth research. The best place to start looking will be at your church or in your local Christian bookstore if there’s one near you.
You may also want to consider reading reviews online before making any final decisions since many reviewers are equipped with expertise that goes beyond just personal experience and can provide insightful information about each translation—such as accuracy, readability, language style, etc.—that will help you make an educated decision.
Final Thought
The Bible is one of the most influential books in history, and its impact on our lives can never be underestimated. Whether you’re trying to understand your faith better or looking for a new way to connect with God, you must find an accurate translation that matches how we speak today as well as cultural relevance.
We want to help make this process easier by giving you some tips about what factors go into choosing an excellent Bible translation.
Thanks for reading this post. We hope that you’ve learned something new about the best Bible translation and how to choose one!
If you have any questions, please ask them in the comment section below or reach out on social media. To get more tips like these delivered straight to your inbox every week, subscribe today!
