which version of the bible is the most correct?

Dear Kae,

The NASB is by far the most accurate when it comes to a LITERAL translation. Most others tend to "interpret" the Scripture for the reader in certain verses.

Now this is unavoidable in ANY translation. But the NASB is far superior in that it always trys to stick with the most literal meaning when at all possible. It is especially excellent when it comes to translating the TENSES.

This is extremely important in determining what a passage of Scripture means. A good example of this is any passage pertaining to the Doctrine of Salvation. If the correct tense is NOT used, one can easily apply a verse dealing with our present christian WALK (which is always changing) to the unchangeable act of Salvation itself.

As a result we can doubt our eternal security.

You can pretty much always count on the NASB to always give you the literal meaning of the verse. The NASB can be a little stilted when reading, but I would rather live with THAT and know I'm getting accuracy.

The closest translation for accuracy AND readability is probably the ESV. It's not quite as good as the NASB, but it's close.

Myself, I like to use the NASB for study, the ESV for general reading, and the NKJV for memorizing. (I find it easier to memorize because it's so familiar already).

Well anyway, thats my take on it. Hope it helps.

....theBerean

It is a hard question to answer, there are a few that are really good. The criteria I use are:

(1) accuracy - I think word for word is better than "dynamic equivalence". Dynamic equivalence is where the translators put what they think the passage means rather that what it literally says. The problem is that it can change the meaning and doctrinal bias can sneak in.

(2) which Greek text is used as the basis of the translation. There are different Greek texts that can be used for the New testament, some newer ones place a lot of emphasis on following the readings of just a few old manuscripts, which leave out some verses "a well known portion of scripture left out are the last twelve verses of Mark.

(3) Readability: How good is the English? Is is easy to understand or not?

The best translations I think are:

The New King James and The English Standard Version

The King James is too hard to follow for many people (I still use it for private reading) - but otherwise good.

The New World Translation has been altered to include Jehovah's Witness theology, I only use it to show the Jehovah's Witnesses where their bible has been changed.

The NIV is a "dynamic equivalent" - so should not be a first choice. It also has Calvinist doctrine included.

The New Living Translation is apallingly bad (totally stay away from it).

When first looking at a translation, I go to a number of passages to see how they read:

Two if them are: Psalm 51:5 and Acts 2:38

New King James 

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

compared with the New Living Translation:

For I was born a sinner—

yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

The New Living Translation makes the sin refer to the baby, the translators have taken a position about the verse instead of just translating, where as the NKJV is more ambiguous and in fact more likely has the sin reffering to the mother and the environment in which the child was born.

Here's Acts 2:38 in the New King James (almost all translations render it similarly)

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Here's the same verse from the 2004 edition of the New Living Translation:

Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show you have received forgiveness for your sins"

Almost all translations render this verse honestly, the New Living Translation changes baptism from being something done "for the remission (forgiveness) of sins" to something a person does because of the forgiveness of sins. It might seem small, but what it in effect does is change the meaning of baptism from being something which brings about salvation, to being something a person does when they are already saved.

All versions have their problems, so using a few is good. All in all I would go with the New King James or the English Standard Version.

I like the KJV because of logic. It is the same as the catholic, minus a few books. The two together are the most common book on the face of the earth. God would not have flooded the entire planet with a faulty version. Also, who would have a better connection to an exticnt language. Somebody who was only 500 years away from it or somebody who was 1000 years away from it. There will always be a new graduate class from the bible school, just dying to rewite something and leave their personal mark on history. When God taught Guttenburg how to mass produce written literature, his main work was the bible and it ended the dark ages

The 1560 Geneva Bible.

Unlike the KJV, it didn't get a make-over by the Church of England who threw out the Apocrypha so people wouldn't read about successful uprisings against political despots in Macabees or faithful women like Judith who overcame generals of conquering empires.

It isn't based on the inferior/heretical Alexandrian "trash can version" or the Vulgate (upon which the Catholic Bible is based)

The name "Jesus" doesn't appear anywhere. It uses the more grammatically appropriate (but not entirely correct) Iesus.

It's very tough reading due to the fact that the English pre-dates the King James by over 50 years.

In my subjective, amateur but well-researched opinion, I think that the New Jerusalem Bible and the Revised English Bible are the most accurate English translations available.

There are lots of other very good choices, depending on what kind of features you want. This might help you to decide

http://www.bibleselector.com/

Jim

Not the KJV, I have heard far to many times that the KJV had to be cleared up by the NKJV.

In my opinion KJV,But NIV is easier to read though..

The New World Translation

I believe that it is the King James Version :)

Douay-Rheims