References

Here are some other reliable translations of the original Hebrew and Greek to help clarify the scriptures so we can understand what they are saying in our own language!

ASV (American Standard Version): Work began on the ASV in 1872 and was completed in 1901. The translation committee was tasked with the mission of providing readers with an accurate, literal, word-for-word translation of the Holy Scriptures. By the time its copyright was renewed in 1929, it had come to be known by its present name, the American Standard Version. Because of its prominence in seminaries, however, it was sometimes simply called the “Standard Bible”. It is now in the Public Domain. More…

ESV (English Standard Version): Each word and phrase in the ESV has been carefully weighed against the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, to ensure the fullest accuracy and clarity and to avoid under-translating or overlooking any nuance of the original text. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. More…

GNT (Good News Translation): Scriptures marked (GNT) are taken from the Good News Translation, formerly called the Good News Bible (GNB) or Today’s English Version (TEV), was first published as a full Bible in 1976 by the American Bible Society as a “common language” Bible and used by permission. It is a clear and simple modern translation that is faithful to the original Hebrew, Koine Greek, and Aramaic texts. The GNT is a highly trusted version. More…

GW: GOD’S WORD (GW) translation accurately translates the meaning of the original texts into clear, everyday language. Readable and reliable, it creates a “natural equivalent translation,” consciously combining scholarly fidelity with natural English. The grammar is simplified; the style is informal; and sentences are shorter and less complicated than other versions. © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group. More…

HCSB: The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) is a trusted, original translation of God’s Word. A team of more than 100 scholars from 17 denominations pursued two ideals with every translation decision: each word must reflect clear, contemporary English and each word must be faithful to the original languages of the Bible. Scripture quotations marked HCSB are been taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. More…

KJV (King James Version): In 1604, King James I of England authorized that a new translation of the Bible into English be started. It was finished in 1611, just 85 years after the first translation of the New Testament into English appeared (Tyndale, 1526). The Authorized Version, or King James Version, quickly became the standard for English-speaking Protestants. Its flowing language and prose rhythm has had a profound influence on the literature of the past 400 years. More…

NASB (New American Standard Bible): While preserving the literal accuracy of the 1901 ASV, the New American Standard Bible has sought to render grammar and terminology in contemporary English. Special attention has been given to the rendering of verb tenses to give the English reader a rendering as close as possible to the sense of the original Greek and Hebrew texts. In 1995, the text of the NASB was updated for greater understanding and smoother reading. Recent research on the oldest and best Greek manuscripts of the New Testament has been reviewed, and some passages have been updated for even greater fidelity to the original manuscripts. Scriptures marked (NASB) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), Copyright (C) 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. More…

NET: The New English Translation was translated by biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts and contains over 63,000 translation notes. The NET Bible is a Bible you can trust. It is clear, accurate, and powerful. The notes bring to the layman scholarly insights and discussions that have up till not been accessible only to those trained in the biblical languages. Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, LLC, www.bible.org All rights reserved. More…

NIV: The New International Version (NIV) is a completely original translation of the Bible developed by more than one hundred scholars working from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. From the very start, the NIV sought to bring modern Bible readers as close as possible to the experience of the very first Bible readers: providing the best possible blend of transparency to the original documents and comprehension of the original meaning in every verse. Scriptures marked (NIV) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. More…

NKJV (New King James Version): Commissioned in 1975 by Thomas Nelson Publishers, 130 respected Bible scholars, church leaders, and lay Christians worked for seven years to create a completely new, modern translation of Scripture, yet one that would retain the purity and stylistic beauty of the original King James. With unyielding faithfulness to the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic texts, the translation applies the most recent research in archaeology, linguistics, and textual studies. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. More…

NLT: The New Living Translation is based on the most recent scholarship in the theory of translation. The challenge for the translators was to create a text that would make the same impact in the life of modern readers that the original text had for the original readers. In the New Living Translation, this is accomplished by translating entire thoughts (rather than just words) into natural, everyday English. The end result is a translation that is easy to read and understand and that accurately communicates the meaning of the original text. Scriptures marked (NLT) are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. More…

RSV: The Revised Standard Version of the Bible (RSV) is an authorized revision of the American Standard Version, published in 1901, which was a revision of the King James Version, published in 1611. Overall, the Revised Standard Version was a good English Bible translation in its time. The RSV, though, can no longer be said to be a modern English translation. While it is more “modern” than the KJV, it does not read as English is spoken today. The RSV is a good balance between formal equivalency and dynamic equivalency. More…

The Voice: My favorite translation. It is accurate and impactful. It combines the relative strengths of scholars who are experts in the original languages and modern writers, musicians, and poets who are skilled in their use of English, our target language (yes poets and MUSICIANS were part of the translation team). In endeavoring to translate sacred Scripture, The Voice captures uniquely the poetic imagery and literary artistry of the original in a way that is beautiful and meaningful. Based on unit sales, The Voice Bible is now the 2nd most popular Bible, just after the NIV. KJV is 3rd in sales (news article) Scriptures marked (Voice) are from The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. More…

Webster: In addition to authoring his famous dictionary, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828), Noah Webster was very well qualified to produce his translation of the Bible since he also knew both Hebrew and Greek. His translation strives to be faithful to the original King James Version. The preface to his translation explains this quite well. Webster’s Translation online (click the “More About the Webster Bible (WBT)” link) More…

OTHER: