Here are the FIVE Translations I typically use:
- BSB (Berean Standard Bible) – a great middle of the road translation that is FREE for public use (no copyrights to worry about). I suggest this translation in place of NIV, CSB and ESV since it is equally easy to read and the translation process is similar. It is available online from many sources, but sadly not BibleGateway. Read (and watch some videos) about why this might be the best translation for you! I now use the BSB translation almost daily. I would not be able to release my Joy Obedience Bible for free (or in any way) if not for the BSB!
[I just saw this online comment about the BSB:nearly as literal as the ESV, yet as readable as the CSB–it’s perfect.]
Lots of INFO=> BSB (Berean Standard Bible) – including links to articles and videos - Voice (The Voice) – this is such a good translation. I remember the first time I discovered it in Barnes and Noble (or was it in Borders book store?) … and I *HUGGED* the Bible right there in the book store in front of the shelf where I had taken it from! Bibles are something I love like that! I liked that they wanted to translate the Bible ACCURATELY but without losing the IMPACT that the Bible had back when it was written (or spoken). **THAT** is one of the typical problems with any translation … so much is “lost” in the translation!! To try to keep that impact their translation team included the typical language and Scripture experts … but also included poets, artists and musicians. PLUS they present it in play or movie script format – this lets you get a better feel for the places where people are talking! I use this translation a few times each week (but not as much as the BSB).
- NET (New English Translation) – they did an excellent job and have over 60,000 translator notes explaining WHY they translated some word or phrase the way that they did. This translation does copyright it but are more lenient in letting you quote from it! (but it copyright is an issue for you, then definitely consider my #1 choice: BSB (Berean Standard Bible). They also make it available as Word Processor documents! This way you could (if you wanted) set the font to any size you want … choose a specific font even … and then print it out for yourself … make your own custom printed Bible!
- NCV (New Century Version) – this is a much easier to read translation. They try to stay accurate, but use simpler sentences. However … the main reason I chose this as one of my FIVE is quite personal. This is the Bible that Kirsten, my DJ friend from San Francisco who moved to New Hampshire or Vermont and then came to Madison to visit me and took me to Family Christian Bookstore and bought me a NCV Bible, then back at my house, proceeded to open it up and read with me exactly what I needed to hear … the day I was saved. I called her my lifesaver.
- NLT (New Living Translation) – there are TWO editions of this and the FIRST edition is way way better. However … BibleGateway only has the second edition so that is what I use … maybe I am wussing out and should find someplace online that has the first edition or just TYPE what I am quoting directly from my First Edition NLT. Anyway … it is based on The Living Bible but made a bit more accurate and less paraphrased. It tends to word things in a nice way (I think).
PLUS a Peek at a few more Good Translations:
- GW (God’s Word) – Their official webpage has an interesting chart that compares some of the English Translations:
GOD’S WORD Translation Bible was produced using a theory of translation that combines accuracy with understandability. This theory is called closest natural equivalence. In short, closest natural equivalence concentrates on accurately translating the meaning of the original languages into natural English. At the same time, closest natural equivalence retains as many of the unique characteristics of the original text as possible without making the English translation unnatural or harder to understand than the text was in the original languages. That’s why you can hear God’s word in clear, natural English. [Len’s note: it made me smile to see that their very short paragraph about how easy GW is to read and understand was flagged by my spell check at the last word (6 syllables) in the FIRST SENTENCE: understandability. :) ]
God Is In Our Midst 
