How to Choose a Bible Version: Formal and Dynamic Equivalence

For those who are unfamiliar with the various Bible translations or "versions" that are available, what follows is a quick guide to choosing a Bible version. Choosing a Bible version to read can be a daunting task, but there are a few simple guidelines that will be helpful in choosing the Bible version that is best for your particular situation.

It is important to note throughout this discussion that nearly every single Bible version carries the same message of salvation and deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ. The translators of these various translations differ in how they choose to express the fundamental truths of the ancient scriptures in our own English language, but the central message of the gospel remains intact from translation to translation.

The first choice to make when choosing a Bible version is whether you prefer a translation using formal equivalence or dynamic equivalence. Formal equivalence means that the translator has attempted to give a word-for-word translation from the original language into English, and has tried to capture the grammatical structure of the original language as well. The result in English can be very stilted and artificial, but the words, terms, and concepts have been rendered as faithfully into English as our language allows. Dynamic equivalence, by contrast, attempts to capture the intended meaning behind the original language as well as possible without overt concern for the original terms or structure of the source scripture. Most Bible versions will fall somewhere between these two extremes, combining elements of both translation methods; although most Bible versions can be placed generally into one or the other methods, to various degrees.

Translations using formal equivalence can be difficult to read for many people due to the artificial way in which the source scripture is rendered in English. But translations using the formal equivalence method, such as the New American Standard Bible (NASB), are best for doing Bible studies on particular words or concepts. Formal equivalence translations tend to be more academic and scholarly, which can be difficult for the lay-reader, although do not let this deter or scare you from using a translation such as the NASB as your primary Bible. I myself use the NASB as my primary Bible and I find that the degree to which this translation method is inaccessible to be greatly exaggerated.

Translations using dynamic equivalence are undoubtedly rendered in a more easily readable fashion in English. But the translator who used dynamic translation is forced to do a great deal more of his own interpretation than a translator who uses a formal translation method. I would not go so far as to say that the translations using dynamic equivalence, such as the New Living Translation (NLT) contain errors, since the gospel message does come through faithfully in these translations as well; but to me they represent a greater departure from the original scriptures than is justified by the richness of our own language.

An excellent chart displaying the most common Bible translations and their placement along a spectrum of formal versus dynamic equivalence can be found at the "Not Just Another Book" website. Their comparison chart of Bible translations can be helpful in picking out a Bible to read for various reading/learning/devotional purposes. Do not exclude yourself to one type of translation or the other, however. Given that all translation involves a degree of interpretation, making use of different Bible versions will help you unlock the richness of the original scripture with all its clarity and subtleties in God's Word to us. Invariably you will find a translation that you enjoy reading the most. For many years, my favorite version was the Revised Standard Version (RSV). In recent years I have come to prefer the New American Standard Bible (NASB). But I regularly also read the New International Version (NIV), the King James Version (KJV), the New King James Version (NKJV), and the New Living Translation (NLT) as well. The NASB is my favorite version, but to limit oneself to a single Bible version is to do a disservice to the richness of God's Word. There are also parallel Bibles available that list multiple versions side-by-side for comparison. But while parallel Bibles are excellent for study, the print in parallel Bibles is often too small for practical devotional reading on a regular basis.

In conclusion, most Bible versions or translations will utilize formal equivalence or dynamic equivalence to various degrees. But regardless of which translation method is used, the central message of the gospel remains faithful and unchanged from version to version, or from translation to translation. It is best to read translations using both methods to bring out the richness in God's Word, but the differences between the various versions are not as important as the concepts and the gospel (literally the "good news") contained within.