A Guide to Popular Bible Translations
Translation Reading Manuscripts (Abbreviation) Date Level Translation Method Translators and/or Texts Used
Verbal equivalence; Frances Siewert and Lockman Amplified Bible 1965; updated amplification of word Greek text of Westcott and Hort; NA Foundation Editorial Board 1987 meanings various translations
Common English Bible Committee, Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (4th Hybrid: Verbal an alliance of five denominational edition), Biblia Hebraica Quinta (5th Common English equivalence with 2010, 2011 7 publishers (117 translators from edition); Nestle Aland 27th Edition Bible (CEB) dynamic balance and 22 faith traditions and 5 countries; (1993), Gottingen Septuagint (in common language 77 field testing groups with 400 progress), Ralf's Septuagint (2005) participants in 13 denominations)
The Contemporary Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (4th American Bible Society; over English Version (CEV) 1995 5 Dynamic equivalence edition), UBS Greek NT (3rd edition, 100 translators and reviewers corrected)
English Standard Conservative revision of 30-35 Verbal equivalence Crossway Version (ESV) 1951, 2002 11 passages in the RSV
Good News Bible; American Bible Society; Robert Dynamic equivalence The Bible in Today's 1976 6 Bratcher, NT Bratcher and Biblia Hebraica (3rd edition), UBS English Version (TEV) 6 others, OT Greek NT (3rd edition) Hybrid: Verbal Holman Christian 90 scholars, primarily 2003 8 equivalence with Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (4th Standard Bible (HCSB) Southern Baptist dynamic balance edition), Nestle Aland 27th Edition (1993)
King James Version (KJV) 1611 12 Verbal equivalence 54 English scholars Masoretic (OT), Textus Receptus (NT); The Bishop's Bible, 1568
The Living Bible (LB) 1971 8 Paraphrase Kenneth Taylor Paraphrase of American Standard Version (1901) The Message The Message 6 Paraphrase Eugene Peterson 1993; 2001 Paraphrase from original languages
The New American 1970 NT 55 scholars, including some Dynamic equivalence, 1970; Masoretic (OT), Nestle-Aland Bible (NAB) revised, 1986 7 Protestants verbal equivalence, 1986 Greek NT
New American 61 evangelical scholars (original Biblia Hebraica, Nestle's Greek Text, 1971; update Standard Bible and update), sponsored by 23rd edition (1971); Biblia Hebraica 1995 11 Verbal equivalence (NASB) Lockman Foundation Stuttgartensia, Nestle-Aland/UBS, 26th edition (1995) New Century Version A team composed of the World 1991 (NCV) 6 Dynamic equivalence Bible Translation Center and Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; UBS 50 scholars and translators Greek NT Biblica: 2011 update by 10 person New International Hybrid: Verbal 1978, 2011 committee ( 2%–4% change from 1978 Biblia Hebraica; eclectic mix Version (NIV) 8 equivalence with dynamic balance edition) based on some TNIV changes of original texts for NT
New International Verbal equivalence, with 40, including stylists Reader's Version (NIrV) 1996 3 dynamic balance and Simplification of NIV some simplification
New Jerusalem Bible Verbal equivalence, with Approximately 30 1985 8 Original Languages; La Bible dynamic tendencies de Jérusalem (French) New King James Version Approximately 60 scholars 1982 Revision of KJV Biblia Hebraica 1982 (NKJV) 11 Verbal equivalence and church leaders Textus Receptus (NT) New Living Translation 90 scholars, primarily from Trinity 1996; 2007 Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; (NLT) 6 Dynamic equivalence Evangelical Divinity School UBS Greek NT (1993), Nestle-Aland and Asbury Seminary Novum Testamentum Graece (1993)
New Revised Standard National Council of Churches; Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (3rd 1990 11 Verbal equivalence Version (NRSV) 30 scholars edition); UBS Greek NT (3rd edition, corrected) revision of RSV (1952)
27 scholars and 52 retellers; The Voice 2011 8 Paraphrase from the emergent movement not disclosed *Definitions provided on second page Definitions
Dynamic equivalence: Emphasis on reproducing the functional meaning of the ancient words with freedom to rearrange the order of the words (syntax) in the target language.
Masoretic: The most widely used Hebrew text of the Old Testament.
Paraphrase: Emphasis is on expressing the meaning in contemporary language, with numerous additional words.
Textus Receptus: "Received Text"; 1550 edition of the Greek NT used by most translators before 1900.
Verbal equivalence: Emphasis is on reproducing the modern English equivalent of the ancient words, with tendency to use same word order as the ancient language.