BIBLE VERSIONS AND TRANSLATIONS

There is probably no ‘perfect’ translation, all have their own strengths & weaknesses.

The various Bible translations seek to achieve a balance between the original text and its contemporary meaning and to reflect that our language is constantly changing. The challenge for the translator is to exchange the obscurity of the original languages for a faithful, accurate and readable English text. Every version  has its own specific nuances.

Firstly it is important to be aware that there are basically three main translation philosophies or methods behind each of our English Bible versions.

The major English versions are grouped in this context – using these three translation methods. It is worth noting that some of these versions seek to take a ‘balanced’ approach, combining the best of WFW and TFT techniques. This would apply to the NIV and CSB.