Your favourite Bible Translation / Version ?

Quo Vadis

I own a copy of the Jerusulem Bible (JB) , and a pocket English Standard Version. (ESV)

Even thought it doesn't have the seven deuterocanonical books of the OT, I must say I really like the ESV, I find it a very readable yet still literal translation.

Whats your favourite Bible edition and why ?

Donatello

I like the Douay Rheims. The rendition of many verses is unsurpassed in this edition and it is accurate, being based on the Latin Vulgate. I also like the New American Bible. Some people don't like it, but I do - I find it very readable, more readable than the Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition which is good too. But the difference between the NAB and the RSV-CE is that one has WD-40, whereas the latter is a bit awkward and clunky. I also have the New Jerusalem Bible.

I suppose if I could only have one Bible, it would be the New American Bible. There is only one slight problem - the notes in this edition follow the historical-critical method, so if one is new to the faith, they would be best avoided in many cases.

Keylem

I have both the Douay Rheims bible and NAB on my kindle! I like to read both, but tend to read the NAB more often, as it is more readable! I'm hoping they'll realease the New Missal on kindle!

PDN

I prefer to use the New International Version for preaching/congregational use.

For personal study, where you want more of a strict word-for-word translation then I find the New American Standard Bible to be the most accurate - but it's always good to use biblegateway.com and compare different versions.

philologos

I use the NIV mainly, but occasionally dip into the ESV or the NRSV.

noel farrell

i like new king james , but for reading and personal use the niv is good

Quo Vadis

Another vote for the NIV here, I don't have a copy, but I do like it the fact it is easy to read yet still reliable.

Two great parallel bible comparision websites :

http://bible.cc/john/6-1.htm

http://www.biblegateway.com/

It really is amazing the facilities we have now compared to a few years ago.

Fanny Cradock

I've got the ESV study Bible. It came top of my list when I was researching the most comprehensive study Bible out there. It is easy to read, has loads of background information, maps, charts, thematic tables, and a cracking free online resource. The NIV gets a nod as well.

In all honesty, assuming the translation is decent, I guess the best translation is the one you actually read.

homer911

I like dipping into The Message, but would mainly use the NIV

wolfsbane

Quo Vadis wrote: »

I own a copy of the Jerusulem Bible (JB) , and a pocket English Standard Version. (ESV)

Even thought it doesn't have the seven deuterocanonical books of the OT, I must say I really like the ESV, I find it a very readable yet still literal translation.

Whats your favourite Bible edition and why ?

New King James Version (NKJV). It flows well for those following in the old KJV/AV and has the great advantage of including textual notes where there are variant readings in the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts.

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Deuteronomy 6:6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

keano_afc

wolfsbane wrote: »

New King James Version (NKJV). It flows well for those following in the old KJV/AV and has the great advantage of including textual notes where there are variant readings in the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts.

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Deuteronomy 6:6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Seconded, I like the New King James. I have a traditional King James and a New Living Translation as well. Wife has a NKJV for study purposes.

antiskeptic

NIV-positive

Slav

I don't really like any English translations but among them I mostly use NKJV for New Testament and the fairly recent NETS for Old Testament books as it's based on Septuagint. However the language of Douay Rheims and KJV is far better then of contemporary translations so sometimes I use them.

Fanny Cradock

You read Greek, Slav?

Slav

I wish I could read Greek fluently but no, I usually go to Greek only to clarify something. Reading it as the main text takes too much time now; I need to improve my Greek.

The main translation I use for my own readings is the Church Slavonic one. The language itself is very interesting as it's created, developed and used purely as a biblical and liturgical language. The translation is very interesting as well, it was done more then a millennium ago by a group of Greeks who were fluent in Slavic languages. This tremendous work gave birth not just to a new Bible translation but also to the writing system for Slavs to use and to a completely new language, understood by Slavs but at the same time very suitable for representing the original Greek and for liturgical use. A really wonderful gift from educated Christian Greeks to a group of pagan Barbarians (who actually gave Greeks a log of troubles), which changed them completely.

A good example of how a Bible translation can do miracles.