What is the Best Bible Translation?

"I've noticed that you mostly quote from the King James bible in your book. Is this because it is the best translation, and what is the best bible translation?", (Question courtesy of Carl Holben)

I use the King James for two main reasons; it remains by far the most popular bible translation in use today, and it's still one of the best. A proper bible translation should be very formulaic, rigid, and consistent in how it translates. The job of a translator is to be like a robot, and simply take one language and turn it into another, while maintaining some level of readability. This is the problem with alot of translations. Whether it be arrogance, or a desire to coddle the reader, they constantly insert their own creative license and interpretation into the text. Even most of the so-called literal translations do this to some extent, whereas the King James family of bibles are generally pretty good about not doing this.

My overall favorite translation is actually Jay P. Green's LITV, or Literal Translation Version. The late Jay P. Green's LITV is sometimes looked down upon because he was a self-taught Greek and Hebrew scholar. Yet when compared to alot of these other translations (which are often done with teams of academics and review boards) his work puts them to shame. He simply translated the text as fairly, accurately, and consistently as possible, while leaving it up to the reader to form their own conclusions.

Does this mean that all the modern translations aren't worth the paper they are printed on? Well, no, because in some instances having a more readable translation is helpful, especially in sections of the Old Testament that are basically historical accounts. A good bible would be a parallel bible with the LITV, some version or off-shoot of the King James, and an NIV. One of the reasons I include the NIV is because it's very readable, and the translator's commentary is excellent. I would never use a lone NIV as a study bible though.

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