I remember when my wife and I first gave our lives to Christ… It was late summer, and as we were attending Church, the Pastor kept encouraging everyone to open their Bibles to wherever he was preaching from that week. At first, it didn’t seem that bad, as we were given a handout every Sunday as we walked into service. This handout had the scriptures from the message right there in the handout. Heck, it even had a fill in the blank section for his message takeaways, making me an active participant of the Sermon.
My wife and I continued on in this fashion for a few more months, and now it’s Christmas time. And being the sentimental romantic that I am, what better Christmas gift to get for my wife than her very own bible! Did our Church have a bookstore, where I could get this sentimental romantic Christmas gift? Yes, it did, I however in a spark of genius decided I would get her a bible at the mall…
If only I knew what I had signed up for! Do you know how many bookstores they have in the mall? Exactly zero in the first 2 malls I went into (this was obviously before Amazon, and free shipping to my house) However, mall number 3 has a giant bookstore in it, JACKPOT! Now to find the bibles… they don’t keep those in the front like the bookstore at our Church… But, resourceful as ever, I find my way to the “Religious” section of the bookstore…
It’s there, where I find myself face to face with row after row of Bibles!!! I had no idea there were so many options. I’m not talking just about style, Leatherbound or Hardback. No, there were countless options. With things on the label, I had never considered, Red Letters, Large Print, Study Bible, Life Application Bible… So many options, where do I start?
Again, this was before I had the power of the internet in my pocket, so my options for help were limited. Shoot, I couldn’t even phone a friend, as the only other Christian I knew was the one I’m actively shopping for…
Then in a brief moment of hope, I see an employee with the red apron and everything. Listen, I know as a Christian, I’m not supposed to judge… but as I approached this female employee (red apron and all) sporting a crew cut and septum ring, my hopes of receiving any help picking the right Bible slowly faded…
So back to the “Religious” section I go, with no help in sight. All I could do was pull every Bible that looked like my wife would say, “Awe that’s pretty” and read what each one was all about… Which brings me to the point of the entire article, Which Bible should you buy?
Hopefully you go to a Church that is teaching from the bible (seems obvious but now days you would be surprised). And hopefully your church has standardized what translation they read from… and if they have, perfect! That the Bible for you… But if you’re like a lot of other Christians, not knowing exactly which Bible your Pastor reads from, or maybe he jumps from one translation to another to make his point smoother… Here’s a general guide to make sense of all the fancy marketing:
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, with small portions in Aramaic. A translation is the work of taking those original-language texts and expressing them in another language, such as English.
While a version is the published form of the translator’s work—such as the ESV, NIV, NLT, NASB, or CSB. In everyday conversation, people use translation and version almost interchangeably. When someone asks, “What Bible version do you use?” they usually mean, “Which English translation?” (ESV, NLT)
There is also a paraphrase which is different from translation. A paraphrase, such as The Message, takes greater freedom to communicate the thought in contemporary language. It can be useful for devotional reading, but I wouldn’t recommend it as someone’s only Bible for careful study.
Translators are constantly balancing two goals: “What did the original text actually say?” and “How do we communicate that clearly in English?”
Picture it like a spectrum, on one side you have a word for word translation, and the other side of the spectrum is thought for thought. The NASB translation being regarded by many as very close to the original wording and structure of Biblical languages, making it a good candidate for deep study.
On the completely opposite side of this spectrum, is the NLT, more of a thought for though translation of the original text; and praised for its readability, The NLT is a good choice for the New Believers or someone looking for more of a devotional type of read.
Neither side of this spectrum automatically makes a translation “good” or “bad.” They simply have different strengths. One side of this spectrum is good for deep study, with the other side being much easier to read and digest for a modern reader.
Leatherbound or Hardback?
Who cares! This is personal preference; some prefer leather as it tends to sit in your lap more comfortably. Whilst the hardback is easier to put in a carry bag, and not get all ruffled up. To me this is just your personal preference. If you’re like me, Hardback so you can toss it in any bag you’re carrying that day and not have to worry about it. If you’re like my wife, and want something you can emotionally connect with, leather seems to be the way to go…
If you are into understanding more than what the text says, I highly recommend buying at least one Study Bible, in the translation you prefer. There are just about as many different Study Bibles choices as there are different translations… EEK!
There is no need to go through this whole thing again. If you’re wanting to go deeper, just ask yourself, “what are you interested in?” you will probably enjoy studying something you like. If you want to better understand how to apply Gods word to your life, Life Application Study Bible is for you. If knowing about the history and culture of the time help you connect with the text, a good Study Bible with commentary notes about the texts, and articles throughout is going to give you more than enough to consider.
What is important is that you find a translation that you can read. There is no amount of intellectual knowledge that is going to force what is in your head to your heart… Keep that in mind when reading or studying the Bible. It is the transformative Word of God; it will change you from the inside out. Take a step in faith, join a Bible Study at your Church, find people to read along with you, so you can ask questions, or help you to stay motivated.
Remember, for most reading the bible is something new. It’s like going to the gym for the first time, very hard to get into it if you don’t know where to start. And even harder to be consistent and notice any difference without someone encouraging you to push harder, go deeper, and finish strong.
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