Every once in a while, people ask me which translation of the Bible is the best.  In this day and time, there are many different translations of the scripture.  A translation is a word that is used for various versions.  For instance, “The Message” in not really a translation.  It is a paraphrase. And while some may think it is a translation of the scripture, it is really only Eugene Peterson’s thoughts about what the scripture says.  It is very readable, but it is certainly not a translation.

There are really two basic schools of thought on Bible translations.  Some use what is called a dynamic-equivalence approach. This means that it is not a literal translation, but rather a thought-by-thought translation. The translator looks at the thought of the sentence in the original language and then tries to express that in a different language. The second major practice is that of a formal-equivalence approach. This is the approach that is preferred in that it follows a method of word- by-word translation.  By using this method, someone is not giving their opinion; they are translating the words of the scripture.

When you have a high view of scripture, you may read various translations, but you will want to depend on one that is a word-for-word translation of our best manuscripts.  There are a number of good translations, and at some point, it becomes a matter of personal preference.    I use the New American Standard version. For a long time this has been considered the most accurate transcription of the scripture. Another translation would be that of the Holman Christian Standard.   This is a relatively new translation and is very readable.  It has received very high reviews from Biblical scholars. A third translation is also relatively new and is the English Standard Version.  There are other translations that have become very popular, such as the New Living Translation and the New International Version of the scripture.  As you study the Word of God, sometimes it is helpful to read the passage in various translations, but if you are going to study just one Bible, you need to be sure you have a very accurate translation.  Any of the translations that I have mentioned will be helpful, but I prefer the first three.

On another subject, I am excited about tonight and the beginning of our discipleship series “The Miracle of Life Change.”  I hope that we will have a large number of people who are willing to take this very important step in their Christian growth.