Which Bible translation is best if I don’t like the KJV style?

[Anonymous]

I personally don't like the KJV bible cause it reads like something out of Romeo and Juliet which makes reading the bible that much harder to understand. I like the NIV bible

KJV

NKJV

NIV

ESV

Other

Updates

2 mo

I don't understand why they changed the title to my question. I never asked what's the best version is it was what what version of the Bible do you read.

[abc3643]

Go with a Catholic Bible or something that has all the stuff that the traditional Protestant Bibles had omitted by order of King James VI in constructing an English language Bible for the Church of England over 400 years ago.

Personally, I would go with The New Oxford Annotated Bible. I have the 1st Edition of the "New Revised Standard Version", published in 1991 that I bought in 1993 after I moved to Los Angeles.

It was an excellent purchase for learning a great deal about the Bible and good for religious study as it includes maps and translation info and such. Because it contained the Apocrypha and Deuterocanoncial Books (*), I learned a lot that I wouldn't have gotten from a standard English language (Protestant) Bible.

(*) From Google AI: Deuterocanonical books are specific Old Testament texts accepted as canonical and inspired by Catholic and Orthodox churches but generally not by Protestants, who label them Apocrypha.

I am not a religious man, but this is definitely my go-to Bible when the need arises.

Here is how that edition is described by the publisher:

The New Oxford Annotated Bible, acclaimed for its excellence and comprehensiveness, has now been thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded. It includes the full text of The New Revised Standard Version - the new standard for English language Bible translation - and thousands of informative annotations, covering every line of Scripture. The annotations have been heavily revised or, in some cases, completely rewritten by biblical scholars, the extensive essays explaining historical, religious, and literary aspects of the Bible have been updated, and a thirty-six page indexed map section, with maps drawn by Oxford's famous Cartographic Department, provides detailed information on the geography of the Holy Land in biblical times. A new, brief concordance has also been included. In addition to updating the scholarship, the editors have also made The New Oxford Annotated Bible much more easy to use. Annotations are more clearly keyed to the text. New and rewritten essays provide lucid commentary on the different parts of the Bible. Extensive cross references withing the annotations link one part of the text to the other. And larger margins provide extra room for notes. For those reading the Bible for the first time as well as for more advanced students, the NOAB/NRSV is the ultimate resource for exploring the world of the Bible.

If you want, it's available here at eBay for about $25.00. Lots of good pictures. It's definitely the same book I have.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/277801661294

The current edition of the book is the 5th Edition first published in 2018.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version 5th Edition
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-new-oxford-annotated-bible-with-apocrypha-9780190276072?cc=us&lang=en&

Here is the US Amazon link but I'd recommend going to an actual bookstore for this. A used bookstore might have older editions like mine. However, because a new 6th Edition is coming, any hardcover 5th Editions will be going on sale to clear them from stock.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Oxford-Annotated-Bible-Apocrypha-dp-0190276088/dp/0190276088/ref=dp_ob_title_bk#

However, if you can wait about 6 months, the 6th Edition will be published in November 2026.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-new-oxford-annotated-bible-9780197633564?prevNumResPerPage=20&prevSortField=8&facet_narrowbybinding_facet=Hardcover&lang=en&cc=us

[strateguy632]

About update , check the blue button under title, is switched off.

I read NIV because it was a gift to me. About best:

NIV is best translated because "different denominations checked each other sections" to remove bias of that denomination from wording of translation.

Imagine baptists translate Mathew. But Lutheran translation mark. Then they each check each other section.

[strateguy632]

Also use online one, not book for reading. For study use blue letter bible.

[Asker]

thanks for the help didn't I had to switch anything off

[strateguy632]

You're welcome!

[jennifer_bloom]

I like NRSV and NASB 1995

[Massageman]

I have two NIV's- one chronological, and one NIV study Bible. Plus, I have one New Revised Standard Oxford with annotations. I also have my KJ "family Bible" with my name on it which I was given when I was a teen.

The chronological is good if you are trying to draw parallels between books/verses of the Bible. But, since that version IS giving several personal versions of the same occurrences, it can get a bit tedious going through essentially the same sentences from several different Books of the Bible. However, that IS the perfect way to show how historically accurate and consistent the Bible really is.

I've read the Chronological through twice, cover to cover, several years ago. Now- of course- I have the Bible Gateway on my phone which I can use to flip through about 40 different versions, to match which one the pastor is using on a given day.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

I have the NKJV as its the best in the English language as KJV is 1600's English.

Beware of these modern translations as NIV etc because they omit scriptures.

Look it up and see for yourself.

[Asker]

Ok thanks

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Welcome

[BCRanger10]

Use a Catholic Bible translated by Monsignor Ronald Knox (otherwise know as the "Knox Edition"). Traditional but still translates well into contemporary languages.

[Anonymous]

New Living Translation

Best version of Mark that I've ever read

Even comes in pink 🙂😋 📚📖

[Asker]

What does pink have to do with anything?

[Opinion Owner]

I just meant it stands out and I own a pink one 🩷 bought it months ago. Best money i spent biblically

[Asker]

Oh ok gotya

[Dargil]

New Living Translation reads well.

[slatyb]

The LOLCats Bible

[Asker]

what that stand for?

[slatyb]

web.archive.org/.../index.php?title=Main_Page

Genesis

1 Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem.

2 Da Urfs no had shapez An haded dark face, An Ceiling Cat rode invisible bike over teh waterz.

3 At start, no has lyte. An Ceiling Cat sayz, i can haz lite? An lite was.4 An Ceiling Cat sawed teh lite, to seez stuffs, An splitted teh lite from dark but taht was ok cuz kittehs can see in teh dark An not tripz over nethin.5 An Ceiling Cat sayed light Day An dark no Day. It were FURST!!!1