Picking out the right Bible can be a hard task at times. With so many Bible translations (NIV, ESV, KJV, NLT) and Bible types (Study, Devotional, One Year) it can be a overwhelming task. In Part 1 I wanted to discuss how to find the right translation for you.

Before we go any further, I wanted to say that there are people that swear that this translation is THE translation. They make it sound like if you do not read this translation you are going to hell, or Jesus is going to be disappointed. I personally believe that there are better translation that others, but you need to find a Bible that works best for you. What matters to Jesus is the condition of your heart, and how often you are reading your Bible, spending time with Him,  not what translation you are reading.

When shopping you might hear the words, word for word or literal vs thought for thought or maybe paraphrase Bible.

Word for word or literal translations are Bibles that strive to protect the original meaning of the word of the Bible while still being able to read the Bible. These Bibles might be a little harder to read, meaning that you might have to look up a word to understand it. I feel that these translation are wonderful, and what I would encourage people to buy. For example, Christians should know the meaning of the words; imputation, justification, propitiation. These are big words that word for word translations use, but you should know what they mean. Bible translations that are word for word are King James, English Standard, New American Standard to name a few.

Thought for thought Bibles are Bibles where the writers take the original meaning, then translate that into what they feel it best means. These Bibles are great for reading, but I feel they lose the punch of the Word.

There is one Bible that is right in the middle. It is literal but also has thought for thought. It is the New International Version.

I hope that helps get you started, we well be looking at types of Bibles in new week. As always, if you have any questions, please let us know.

God Bless