Modern English Bible translations facts for kids
The Bible is a very old book, and it has been translated into English many times. People don't always agree on what the "original Bible" looked like. This is because there are many old versions of the Bible in languages like Greek and Latin. Because of this, there are also many different English versions of the Bible.
Some English translations try to be exactly "word-for-word" from the original languages. These are called literal translations. They can sometimes be a bit hard to read because old languages are different from modern English. Other translations try to capture the "idea-for-idea" or the main meaning. These are called dynamic equivalence translations. They change the ideas into easier English. While literal translations can be tricky to understand, idea-for-idea translations might change the meaning a little. "Dynamic Equivalence" aims to make the Bible easy to read without changing its true message.
Contents
English Bible Versions Today
Christian Bible Translations
Most English Bible translations are made from a Christian point of view.
The King James Version (KJV)
The Authorized King James Version (KJV) is a very famous and old Bible translation. It is a literal, or word-for-word, translation. The KJV Bible was translated a long time ago, between 1604 and 1611. Because it is over 400 years old, some of the words and phrases can be hard to understand today. However, many common English expressions and idioms we use daily actually come from the KJV.
Since 1611, the KJV Bible has been updated several times. Newer versions include the Revised Version (1885), the Revised Standard Version (1952), the New Revised Standard Version (1989), and the English Standard Version (2001). These updates try to make the language clearer while keeping the original meaning.
Other Popular Translations
- The New English Bible (1946): This version comes from the United Kingdom. It is a simpler version compared to the KJV.
- Letters to Young Churches (1958): Written by John Bertram Phillips, this book translates only the New Testament Epistles (which are like letters).
- The Living Bible (1971): This was created by Kenneth N Taylor. It is a translation of the American Standard Version (1901) but written in a very easy-to-read style.
- The Good News Bible (1976): This Bible is from the American Bible Society and is one of the most popular Bibles for its simple language.
- The New International Bible (1978): This translation is somewhere in the middle. It's not as literal as the King James Version, but also not as informal as the Good News Bible.
- The New Living Translation (1996): This is a newer version of "The Living Bible," made even easier to understand.
Today, you can find many Bible translations online. You can read them on websites or apps. If you only want to read a small part, you can print just that section. This is sometimes called "print on demand."
There are many types of translations available. Some are very literal, like the Young's Literal Translation. Others are very informal and easy to read, like The Message Bible and The Word on the Street.
Gender-Neutral Bible Versions
In older Bible translations, the language often focused on men. Some newer translations try to make the language more balanced for both men and women. These versions are sometimes called gender-neutral or gender-accurate.
Examples of gender-neutral translations include the New Revised Standard Version (1989), the Revised English Bible (1989), and Today's New International Version (2005). The English Standard Version (2001) also tries to use more balanced language.
Simplified English Bibles
Many Bibles have been written using very simple English. These Bibles use fewer words and are often made for people who are learning English or for those who find traditional Bibles too difficult.
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| BBE | Bible in Basic English | 1949 |
| BWE | Bible in Worldwide English [New Testament only] | 1969 |
| NLV | New Life Version (Gleason Ledyard) | 1986 |
| SEB | Simple English Bible (Dr Stanley Morris) | 1980 |
| ERV | Easy-to-Read Version (previously English Version for the Deaf) | 1989 |
| NCV | New Century Version | 1991 |
| NIrV | New International Reader's Version | 1998 |
| EEB | EasyEnglish Bible | 2001+ |
World English Bible (WEB)
The World English Bible (WEB) is a modern English version of the Bible. It started in 1997 and was first called the American Standard Version 1997. The goal was to create an English Bible that uses modern language, not old-fashioned English or very basic English.
The WEB is based on the 1901 American Standard Version. It also uses older Greek and Hebrew texts as guides. The creators carefully checked and edited each book of the Bible many times to make sure it was clear and accurate.
Jewish Bible Translations
Sometimes Jews and Christians have different ideas about how to translate the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Tanakh. Because of this, Jewish scholars have created their own translations that follow Jewish traditions and interpretations.
Some important Jewish translations include:
- Jewish Publication Society of America Version (JPS) (1917): This version was based on earlier English Bibles but changed to match Jewish views.
- Judaica Press (1963)
- New Jewish Publication Society of America Version (NJPS) (1985): This is a completely new translation, not based on the 1917 JPS.
- ArtScroll Stone Edition (1996)
Many Jewish Bible translations show both the English text and the original Hebrew text side-by-side on different pages. These translations are generally not written in Simple English.
Related pages
- Bible translations - Learn about Bible translations into languages other than English.
- Bible version debate
