There are hundreds of English Bible versions, and that can make choosing one feel harder than it should. The short answer: every major version falls somewhere on a line from word-for-word to paraphrase, and the right one for you depends on how you plan to read.
If you want a quick starting point, here is how I would put it after 25 years in church leadership, serving in youth, couples and men’s ministry:
- For close, careful study: NASB, ESV, NKJV or KJV.
- For everyday reading and study: NIV or CSB.
- For clear, easy reading: NLT, or the NIrV for younger and newer readers.
- For a fresh read alongside a translation: The Message.
Worldwide, the work is far from finished. According to the Wycliffe Global Alliance’s 2024 figures, the full Bible is available in more than 750 languages, and at least some Scripture has been translated into more than 3,700.
What are the three types of Bible translations?
Bible versions fall into three broad groups. Most are a blend, so think of these as points on a line rather than boxes.
- Word-for-word (formal equivalence). These follow the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words and sentence structure as closely as English allows. They are excellent for detailed study and memorizing exact wording. Examples: NASB, LSB, ESV, KJV, NKJV.
- Thought-for-thought (dynamic or functional equivalence). These carry over the meaning of each phrase in natural English, which helps with ancient idioms that don’t translate word by word. Examples: NLT, GNT, CEV, NIrV.
- Paraphrase. These restate the text freely in modern speech, usually by one writer. They are great for seeing the flow of a story or letter, and work best next to a translation. Examples: The Message, The Living Bible.
A number of popular versions sit in the middle and are often called “balanced” or “optimal equivalence”: the NIV, CSB and NET. You can usually find a version’s approach explained in its preface or introduction.
Bible translation comparison chart
This chart places today’s most widely used versions from most literal to most free. Every one of them is a faithful choice for the reader it was made for.
| Version | Approach | Reading feel | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NASB (2020) | Word-for-word | Precise, formal | Detailed study | Check price |
| ESV | Word-for-word | Literary, dignified | Study and public reading | Check price |
| KJV | Word-for-word | 1611 English, poetic | Traditional worship, memorizing | Check price |
| NKJV | Word-for-word | KJV style, modern words | KJV lovers who want easier wording | Check price |
| CSB | Balanced | Clear and close | Study and everyday reading | Check price |
| NIV | Balanced | Natural, smooth | Everyday reading, churches | Check price |
| NLT | Thought-for-thought | Warm, very readable | New readers, devotional reading | Check price |
| The Message | Paraphrase | Conversational | Reading alongside a translation | Check price |
Here are those eight versions in editions you can pick up today:
NIV, Thinline Bible, Bonded Leather, Black, Red Letter, Comfort Print
ESV Thinline Bible, Red Letter (TruTone, Charcoal, Crown Design): Holy Bible, English Standard Version
Holy Bible NLT, Personal Size Large Print edition (Red Letter, Bonded Leather, Black)
CSB Thinline Bible, Olive LeatherTouch, Red Letter, Presentation Page, Full-Color Maps, Easy-to-Read Bible Serif Type
KJV Holy Bible: Giant Print Thinline Bible, Brown Leathersoft, Red Letter, Comfort Print: King James Version
NKJV, Deluxe Reference Bible, Super Giant Print, Leathersoft, Black, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version
NASB, Thinline Bible, Leathersoft, Black, Red Letter, 2020 Text, Comfort Print
The Message Full Size (Hardcover): The Bible in Contemporary Language
Word-for-word Bible translations
King James Version (KJV)
King James I commissioned this translation at the Hampton Court Conference in 1604, and it was published in 1611. Around 50 scholars worked on it, building on earlier English Bibles such as Tyndale’s. For centuries it was the English Bible, and its phrases still run through our hymns, literature and everyday speech. It is best for readers who love its beauty and churches that read it in worship.
Read my KJV Study Bible review.
American Standard Version (ASV)
Published in 1901, the ASV is the American edition of the English Revised Version of 1881 and 1885, which revised the KJV using older Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. Its title page called it the “Standard American Edition.” It is very literal, and it later became the starting point for the NASB, the RSV and The Living Bible.
Revised Standard Version (RSV)
The RSV revised the ASV in the tradition of the KJV. The New Testament came out in 1946 and the full Bible in 1952, with the Apocrypha following in 1957. A Catholic edition (RSV-CE) is still widely used, and the RSV became the basis for both the NRSV and the ESV.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Lockman Foundation published the NASB New Testament in 1963 and the full Bible in 1971, with updates in 1995 and 2020. It is known for following the original word order and verb tenses closely. The 2020 update smooths some wording and uses “brothers and sisters” where the original refers to both. It is best for careful, detailed study.
Read my John MacArthur Study Bible review, available in the NASB.
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
The LSB is a 2021 update of the NASB 1995, made with Lockman’s permission by scholars connected with The Master’s Seminary. It keeps the NASB’s literal approach and adds a few distinctive choices, such as rendering God’s name as “Yahweh” and “doulos” as “slave.” It is best for readers who loved the NASB 1995.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Thomas Nelson commissioned the NKJV in 1975. The New Testament appeared in 1979 and the full Bible in 1982. It keeps the structure and familiar sound of the KJV while replacing words like “thee” and “thou.” Like the KJV, it is translated from the traditional Greek text (Textus Receptus), with footnotes showing where other manuscripts differ. It is best for readers who want the KJV feel with easier wording.
21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
Published in 1994, the KJ21 is a light update of the KJV. It replaces obsolete words but leaves the text and sentence structure almost unchanged, so it reads very much like the 1611 version.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Crossway published the ESV in 2001, with minor text revisions in 2007, 2011 and 2016. More than 100 scholars and pastors worked from the RSV to produce an “essentially literal” translation that still reads well aloud. It is best for study and for churches that want one version for both pulpit and small group.
ESV Bibles I’ve reviewed:
Lexham English Bible (LEB)
Lexham Press released the LEB New Testament in 2010 and the full Bible in 2012. It is very literal and was designed to be read alongside the original languages and Bible software, so it works well as a second Bible for word study rather than a first reading Bible.
Balanced Bible translations
New International Version (NIV)
The NIV New Testament appeared in 1973 and the full Bible in 1978. It was revised in 1984 and again in 2011, which is the version sold today. Its translators aimed for a balance of accuracy and natural English, and it is one of the best-selling English Bibles. It is best for everyday reading and study, and for churches that want a version readers of all ages can follow.
NIV Bibles I’ve reviewed:
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
Holman Bible Publishers released the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) in 2004. In 2017 it was revised and renamed the Christian Standard Bible, which replaced the HCSB. The translators call their approach “optimal equivalence”: as literal as possible, as free as needed for clear English. It is best for readers who want something close to the original that is still easy to read.
New English Translation (NET)
The NET Bible’s first full edition came out in 2005, and it was one of the first Bibles made freely available online. Its second edition came in 2017. The full-notes edition includes tens of thousands of translators’ notes explaining word choices and textual questions, which makes it a favorite for study.
Today’s New International Version (TNIV)
The TNIV was an update of the NIV published in full in 2005. It used gender-inclusive wording for people where the original meant both men and women. It was discontinued in 2011, when the updated NIV replaced both it and the 1984 NIV.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB)
First released as the Berean Study Bible in 2016, it was renamed the Berean Standard Bible and placed in the public domain in 2023. It aims for clear, accurate modern English and is easy to find free online and in Bible apps.
Thought-for-thought Bible translations
New Living Translation (NLT)
The NLT began as a revision of The Living Bible, but it became a new translation from the original languages, made by about 90 scholars. It was published in 1996 and revised several times since, most recently in 2015. It is best for new readers and for devotional reading, and it’s the version in many of the one-year Bibles I recommend.
Read my Life Application Study Bible review, which comes in the NLT, NIV and KJV.
Good News Translation (GNT)
The American Bible Society published the New Testament in 1966 as Good News for Modern Man, and the full Bible in 1976. It is also called the Good News Bible (GNB). Written in simple, everyday English, it has long been popular with children and with people learning English.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The American Bible Society published the CEV in 1995. It was written to be easy to understand when read aloud, at a lower reading level than most versions, which makes it a good fit for children and new readers.
God’s Word Translation (GW)
Published in 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society, with roots in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, GW aims for “natural equivalence”: clear, everyday English that still reflects the original meaning closely.
New International Reader’s Version (NIrV)
The NIrV was first published in 1996 and updated in 2014. It is based on the NIV but uses shorter sentences and simpler words, at roughly a third-grade reading level. It is best for children, new readers and people learning English. See my guide to the best Bibles for kids.
New Century Version (NCV) and International Children’s Bible (ICB)
The ICB (1986) was one of the first translations made especially for children, and the NCV (1991) brought the same plain style to adult readers. Both use short sentences and modern words.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Published in 2011 by a group of mainline Protestant publishers, the CEB was translated by about 120 scholars and tested with reading groups for clarity. It uses natural, modern wording, such as “the Human One” for “Son of Man.”
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and NRSVue
The NRSV was published in 1989 as a revision of the RSV and is widely used in universities and mainline churches. It uses gender-inclusive language for people where the original refers to both men and women. The New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue), released in 2021, updated it with newer manuscript research.
Revised English Bible (REB)
The New English Bible, a British translation, appeared in full in 1970. The REB, a revision of it, followed in 1989. It is written in graceful British English and is best for readers who enjoy a literary, thought-for-thought style.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
The Lockman Foundation published the Amplified Bible in 1965 and a full update in 2015. It adds shades of meaning in brackets and parentheses right in the text, so you see what a word can mean without leaving the page. The older text is still sold as the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition. It is best as a study companion rather than for reading aloud.
Bible paraphrases
The Message (MSG)
Pastor and scholar Eugene H. Peterson wrote The Message from the original languages, publishing the New Testament in 1993 and the full Bible in 2002. He wrote it in contemporary American English so readers would hear Scripture the way its first readers did. It is a paraphrase, not a word-for-word translation, so it shines when read next to a translation.
The Living Bible (TLB)
Kenneth N. Taylor paraphrased the ASV into simple English for his own children, and the complete Living Bible was published in 1971. It was enormously popular in the 1970s, and Taylor’s publishing house later sponsored the work that became the NLT.
Catholic Bible translations
Catholic Bibles include the deuterocanonical books (Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach and Baruch, plus parts of Esther and Daniel).
Douay-Rheims Bible
English Catholic scholars in exile translated it from the Latin Vulgate. The New Testament was published at Rheims in 1582 and the Old Testament at Douai in 1609 and 1610. Bishop Richard Challoner revised it in the mid-1700s, and that revision is the Douay-Rheims most people read today.
Knox Bible
Monsignor Ronald Knox translated the Bible from the Vulgate while also consulting the Hebrew and Greek. His New Testament was published in 1945 and the Old Testament in 1949. It has been reprinted in recent years for readers who enjoy his elegant English.
Jerusalem Bible (JB) and New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
The Jerusalem Bible (1966) was an English translation based on the French Bible de Jérusalem, made with reference to the Hebrew and Greek. It is known for its extensive notes. The New Jerusalem Bible followed in 1985, and the Revised New Jerusalem Bible in 2019.
New American Bible (NAB) and NABRE
The New American Bible was published in 1970 and translated from the original languages for American Catholics. Its revised edition, the NABRE, came out in 2011. A form of the NAB is the basis for the readings heard at Mass in the United States.
Historic and lesser-known Bible versions
These versions are not as common on bookstore shelves today, but each one played a part in the story of the English Bible.
- Webster’s Bible (1833). Noah Webster, of dictionary fame, revised the KJV to update obsolete and awkward wording.
- Twentieth Century New Testament (1898 to 1901, revised 1904). A team of about 20 lay translators worked from the Westcott and Hort Greek text to give young people a New Testament in plain English.
- Weymouth New Testament (1903). Greek scholar Richard F. Weymouth’s “New Testament in Modern Speech” paid close attention to Greek verb tenses and articles.
- Worrell New Testament (1904). A. S. Worrell’s literal translation, with notes, from a Baptist scholar.
- Moffatt Bible (1913 to 1924, revised 1935). James Moffatt’s free, vivid translation was widely read, and some of its liberties surprised readers at the time.
- The Bible: An American Translation (1931). Edgar J. Goodspeed translated the New Testament in 1923 and J. M. Powis Smith led the Old Testament team. Goodspeed added the Apocrypha in 1938.
- Williams New Testament (1937). Charles B. Williams worked to bring out the full force of Greek verb tenses.
- Bible in Basic English (1949). Professor S. H. Hooke led the translation into C. K. Ogden’s Basic English, a vocabulary of about 850 words, plus some additional Bible and poetry words.
- Berkeley Version (1959). Gerrit Verkuyl’s translation in modern English, later revised as the Modern Language Bible.
- Wuest Expanded Translation (1956 to 1959). Kenneth S. Wuest, a Greek professor at Moody Bible Institute, expanded the New Testament text to bring out the meaning of the Greek.
- Phillips New Testament (1958, revised 1972). J. B. Phillips’ lively New Testament in Modern English began as letters translated for his youth group in London during World War II.
- New English Bible (1970). A British thought-for-thought translation, later revised as the REB.
- Jubilee Bible 2000. Russell M. Stendal’s translation, which draws on the Spanish Reina-Valera tradition and early English Bibles such as Tyndale’s.
Study Bibles are not translations
Several popular titles are study Bibles: a translation with notes, references and helps added. They are well worth knowing, but the Bible text inside comes from one of the versions above.
- Thompson Chain-Reference Bible (first published 1908). Frank C. Thompson’s system of topical “chains” links related verses. Editions are available in the KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESV and NASB.
- Scofield Reference Bible (1909, revised 1917). Cyrus I. Scofield’s notes in the KJV were highly influential in dispensational teaching.
- Dake Annotated Reference Bible (1963). Finis J. Dake’s KJV Bible with extensive notes in the margins.
- Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible. Spiros Zodhiates’ study Bible links English words to Strong’s numbers and lexical aids, available in several translations.
- The Daily Study Bible. William Barclay’s popular New Testament commentary series, with his own translation of each passage. It is a commentary, not a full Bible.
If you are shopping for a study Bible, see my comparison of the best study Bibles.
How do I choose the right Bible version?
Ask yourself three questions:
- How will I use it? For close study, lean toward the word-for-word end. For reading large sections or daily devotions, a balanced or thought-for-thought version may keep you reading.
- What does my church use? Reading the same version as your pastor makes it easier to follow along and memorize together.
- Who is it for? Children and new readers often do best with the NIrV, ICB or NLT.
Many people find it helpful to own two: a word-for-word Bible for study and a more readable one for devotional reading. If you are just getting started, my guide to Bible study for beginners walks through the next steps.
No list can cover every version, and new ones keep coming as God’s Word reaches more of “every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9). Whichever one you choose, the best Bible version is the one you will open and read.
