Top 10 Bible Translations

For more than 2,000 years, scholars have been translating the Bible. And they’re still refining it as they learn more…

The Old Testament was written over a 1,500-year period before the birth of Christ. It was written primarily in Hebrew, with a few portions in Aramaic. The New Testament was written within 70 years of Christ’s death and resurrection (AD 50-100). The writers of the New Testament wrote in koine Greek (“common” Greek). The original manuscripts have not survived, but God’s Word has been preserved through meticulous copying.
Because of the changes in language and scholars’ changed understanding of ancient languages, we usually end up with more Bible translations than we know what to do with! So what are the most popular translations this year? (Note: these are simply a list compiled from the Nielsen Bookscan, and not an endorsement by Rose for one translation over another).

Top 10 Bible Translations

(From Nielsen 2016 rankings)

  1. New International Version
  2. King James Version
  3. New Living Translation
  4. English Standard Version
  5. New King James Version
  6. Reina Valera
  7. New International Reader’s Version
  8. Christian Standard Bible
  9. Common English Bible
  10. The Message

The Right Bible Translations For You?

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What version should you be using for your personal studies? Frankly, we’d recommend using more than one version to get a well-rounded view of the Word, but not everybody has that kind of money! While we can agree there’s no “right” translation for everyone, there are various translations to suit various purposes. Here’s a handy chart that you can use to determine the best fit for you:

For a handy foldout pamphlet on the most popular Bible translations, click here!

“Bible Translations Comparison” Pamphlet

Ever wondered why there are so many different versions of the Bible? How do you know which translation is best you, your friend, your child or teen? This handy fold-out pamphlet was created to serve as a concise yet very informational reference for understanding the history, intent, purpose behind and audience for today’s most popular English Bible translations.

As is typical of Rose Publishing, this convenient little pamphlet is loaded with valuable information including:

  • Reading level by school grade: from formal English to contemporary word use
    • Describes the purpose of each translation and who sponsored the translation work
    • Explains which Greek and Hebrew texts were used for translation
    • Gives a sample verses (Matthew 4:19, and John 3:16 & 17) in each translation to compare the readability and tone
    • Indicates which Bibles use “inclusive language,” “gender neutral terms,” or include features such as the Apocrypha

    Compares these facts…

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