Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. Matthew 26:45–46, KJV
The English reader of the Bible has no shortage of options when it comes to translations: ASV, CEV, ESV, GW, GNB, HCSB, JB, KJV, TLB, NASB, NCV, NEB, NET, NIV, NIrV, NJB, NKJV, NLT, NRSV, NWT, RV, RSV, REB, TNIV, YLT, just to name a few. With so many choices, how is one ever to decide which one(s) to use? If you grew up hearing the majestic cadences and vocabulary of the KJV, chances are that you will be comfortable using it for the rest of your life. But what about those who were not brought up in an environment where the KJV (or any Bible) was read?
First let’s consider the benefits and drawbacks of having so many translations available to us. One of the negatives is that it may be harder to follow along in public reading if everyone is not reading from the same translation. For a few people, the multiplicity of translations may lead them to wonder if any version is reliable. The reality is that there are some words and phrases that are very difficult to adequately translate from ancient Hebrew and Greek into modern English. The differences are not only linguistic, but also cultural. Instead of taking us further away from the true meaning, a comparison of translations can actually help to get us closer, and they may offer new perspectives we might never consider based on the reading of one translation alone.
Take the text from Matthew 26 (above) as an example. When Jesus returned from His prayers in Gethsemane to His disciples whom He had posted as sentries and He found them asleep, why did He tell them at the last to “sleep on now, and take your rest” and then tell them in the next breath to “rise up” and “be going”? Comparing this passage across the translations might be helpful to understanding this. In other versions, you will read something more like this: “Are you still sleeping and resting?” (NKJV, NASB, NIV). The difference here is that the statement is cast as a question. Because the original NT contains no punctuation, it is impossible to know from the wording alone whether this is a statement (You are sleeping.), a command (Sleep.), or a question (Are you sleeping?). If it is in fact meant as a question, Jesus may be wanting them to reevaluate the choice they have made. Here’s another possibility: “Sleep and take your rest later on” (ESV). This takes into account a different possible meaning for the word loipon. Yet another rendering says, “You might as well sleep now” (GW). Perhaps Jesus is saying that whereas they could have benefited from this time by means of watchfulness and prayer (which He had encouraged), they chose to sleep the time away. Knowing that these different possibilities exist gives you as the reader the opportunity to decide what Jesus really meant instead of having to take the word of a single translator or committee.
While I would encourage you to compare several translations on passages whose meaning may be unclear to you, my personal recommendations for a standard Bible include the King James Version (provided that you will be mindful of the changes that have taken place in the English language), the New King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the English Standard Version. When it comes to the soundness of text and accuracy of translation, the ESV is (in my personal opinion) the best of the versions that I have personally read.
Let’s take full advantage of the hard work that others have done to help us understand God’s word better. The best translation ever made will not profit you if you never read.