It’s difficult to choose the finest Bible translation for you when there are so many available in English. Much depends on your identity. What every college student needs are less stress from studying the Bible.
Are you a new Christian or a seeker with minimal familiarity with the Bible? You need a translation of the Bible that you’ll understand quickly. Do you value accuracy more while reading the Bible or studying it in-depth?
This post will look at the 15 Best Bibles for College Students that are Easy to Study in 2022.
Make sure you read this post to the end, as it promises to be very insightful.
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What Is A Bible Translation?
Translation of the Bible refers to replacing words from one language with equivalents from another. Scripture translation is a necessary component of its interpretation and dissemination.
This shows that the Bible has been translated into 3,415 different languages to some extent.
The individuals who speak these languages, however, cannot read God’s Word in their mother tongue because there are still about 3,945 languages that require Scripture.
Translation of the original language manuscripts into these 3,945 languages is essential because the Bible is more than just a collection of archaic tales about conflicts and relationships; it is the life, breathing Word of God with the capacity to change hearts and minds.
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Types Of Bible Translations
Every translation compromises fidelity to the source language’s wording and readability in standard English. Translations that balance these two criteria lean more in one direction than the other.
Please remember that no Bible translation is formal or functional as you read the descriptions below.
Instead of a simple yes or no, it is more beneficial to think of different translation types as points on a line.
1. Formal Translations:
Formal translations prioritize, to the extent that English permits, imitating the original Hebrew and Greek forms; they employ a method of translation known as “formal equivalency.”
These translations, however, tend to be more “wooden” because they typically aim to select one English word for each word in the original language and to retain the word order as near to the original as feasible. The reading can occasionally be a little.
There are thousands of years between the present and when the authors wrote the original manuscripts for every new translation. Our culture today has undergone a significant shift.
Back then, religious practices, cultural items, and idioms left us scratching our heads.
Language has changed as well. Consequently, it makes sense that some words or phrases in formal translations can be challenging to read or practically impossible to grasp in our setting.
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2. Moderate
Moderate translations try to find an optimal blend of formal and functional translation choices.
Three moderate versions include the Christian Standard Bible (CSB), New International Version (NIV), and New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
3. Functional Translations
Available translations put readability first and are known as “meaning-for-meaning translations” or “functionally equivalent” versions.
They try to decipher a text’s meaning from its format and then translate it such that it will have the same effect on modern readers as it had on the original audience of the old book.
They do this, however, by occasionally being a little freer to interpret than formal translations, even though they present an easy-to-read rendition of Scripture (and hence tend to be easier to understand).
Meaning and form are not always wholly distinct; the original author may have had multiple meanings in mind. Sometimes inspired ambiguities in the originals can be eliminated by more functionally equivalent versions.
Popular functional translations include the New Living Translation (NLT) and the New English Translation (NET).
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4. Paraphrases
Some translations are paraphrases rather than actual ones, meant to make the language more straightforward to understand than practical Bibles.
According to Mark Ward, these translations are “transcultural” Scripture, substituting modern terms and concepts for archaic metaphors and literary devices.
As a result, they transcend the formal and functional spectrum.
The Bible was “presented in extremely interpretative and very modern language,” according to this.
Examples of paraphrased Bibles include The Living Bible and The Message.
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How To Choose The Best Bible Translation For You
Keep in mind, dear Bible student, that you are not constrained to a single translation—so let go of the burden of determining which Bible translation is the finest.
Ultimately, the Bible translation(s) you choose to read is the “best” for you.
If you have trouble understanding the NASB’s wording, you might prefer the NIV. (Most contemporary translations—especially after reading a few—are excellent.)
According to Ward, when we search for the best, we are searching for the incorrect thing because we should be searching for the useful: Which English Bible translation makes the best sermon preparation companion? for evangelization? for completion in a year? Which is best for an in-depth study? What about reading to children? To memorize?
Having a prior version is beneficial (some people opt to use the version their church uses), but studying from various translations will give you a comprehensive knowledge of the text at hand.
And thanks to contemporary technology, it isn’t necessary to constantly switch between a table full of heavy Bibles that are open to your passage (which is time-consuming even if you have many printed Bibles in various versions!).
You may quickly compare any passage from any Bible version in your collection with the Text Comparison Tool included with Bible Software. It’s wonderful.
Here are some pointers:
- Find out how the many Bible translations differ from one another.
- Think about how you intend to apply the Bible. Will it serve as your primary Bible or as a backup?
- Consult a reliable mentor. This probably refers to your pastor. And in that case, you probably begin with whatever your pastor suggests. There is nothing incorrect about this. Although your pastor is not perfect, he or she is the shepherd that God has given you.
- Is it brand new to Bible study? Take into account a precise, meaning-focused translation.
- Are you looking for an additional Bible to help you in your study? Think about one that is the complete opposite of your primary Bible. (For instance, pick a practical Bible if your prior version is formal.)
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15 Best Bibles For College Students That Are Easy To Study
1. New International Version (NIV)
The New International Version (NIV), originally known as the International Bible Society, is an entirely new translation of the Bible and is one of the best bibles for college students.
To produce a more contemporary English Bible translation than the King James Version, the core translation team was composed of 15 biblical specialists.
Word-for-word and thought-for-thought translations were both used to develop the NIV. NIV offers the best balance of accuracy and readability as a consequence.
The best manuscripts of the Bible’s original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic were used to create this translation.
The Masoretic Hebrew Text of the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia was used to compile the Old Testament. The United Bible Societies and Nestle-Kome Aland’s Greek language edition were also used to build the New Testament.
According to reports, the NIV is one of modern English’s most commonly read Bible translations. In 1978, the entire Bible was released and updated in 1984 and 2011.
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2. New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Most people agree that the New American Standard Bible (NASB) is the most accurate English translation of the Bible.
We consider it one of the best bibles for college students. Only literal translation was used in this translation.
The American Standard Version (ASV) is updated in the New American Standard Bible (NASB), distributed by the Lockman Foundation. The original Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew manuscripts were used to translate the NASB.
The Dead Sea Scrolls and Rudolf Kiffel’s Biblia Hebraica were used to translate the Old Testament. For the 1995 revision, the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia was examined.
The New Testament was translated from Eberhard Nestle’s Novum Testamentum Graece, published in 23rd and 26th editions, respectively, in the 1971 original and 1995 revisions.
The original NASB Bible was entirely published in 1971, and the updated edition followed in 1995.
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3. King James Version (KJV)
The Church of England’s official English translation of the Christian Bible is the King James Version, sometimes referred to as the Authorized Version, so we won’t be wrong if we name it one of the best bibles for college students.
Initially, Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic texts translated the KJV. The Apocrypha books were translated from Greek and Latin manuscripts.
The Old and New Testaments were translated using the Textus Receptus and the Masoretic text, respectively.
The Apocrypha books were translated from the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint. The translators of the King James Version used word-for-word translation (formal equivalence).
The KJV was updated in 1769 after being first published in 1611. The KJV is currently the most widely used Bible translation worldwide.
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4. Revised Standard Version (RSV)
Published in 1952 by the National Council of Churches of Christ, the Revised Standard Version is an authorized modification of the American Standard Version (1901 edition) and is one of the best bibles for college students.
With little assistance from the Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint, the Old Testament was translated from the Stuttgartensia Biblia Hebraica. The Isaiah scroll from the Dead Sea was used for the first time in a Bible translation. The Greek text of the New Testament is known as Novum Testamentum.
The word-for-word translation was used by RSV translators (formal equivalence).
5. Amplified Bible (AMP)
The Amplified Bible, created in collaboration with Zondervan and The Lockman Foundation, is one of the most accessible Bible translations and best bibles for college students. A formal similar Bible translation known as AMP uses in-text amplifications to improve the text’s clarity.
A new version of the American Standard Version is called the Amplified Bible (1901 edition). The entire Bible was first released in 1965 and underwent revisions in 1987 and 2015.
The majority of verses in the Amplified Bible have explanations next to them. For Bible study, this version is excellent.
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6. New Living Translation (NLT)
The New Living Translation was published in 1996 as an update to the Living Bible of 1971. Over 90 evangelical experts from various faiths translated this using “dynamic equivalence” (thought for thought).
When the translators believed it was referring to humans in general, they used gender-neutral phrases like “one” or “person” in place of the word “man.” Many verses depend on the translators’ interpretation as a thought-for-thought translation.
The New Living Translation is among the most readable at a junior-high reading level.
7. Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), released by B & H Publishing Group in 2009, has been updated in the Christian Standard Bible.
The Translation Oversight Committee modified the HCSB text to improve readability and accuracy.
Optimal equivalence, which strikes a compromise between formal equivalence and functional equivalent, was used to build CSB.
The original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic texts created this translation. The Old Testament was drawn from the Stuttgartensia Hebraica (5th edition).
The New Testament was based on the Novum Testamentum Graece (28th edition) and United Bible Societies (5th edition). CSB was first released in 2017 and updated in 2020.
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8. English Standard Version (ESV)
Published by Crossway, the English Standard Version is a literal rendering of the Bible in modern English.
The Revised Standard Version (RSV), translated word for word by a group of more than 100 prominent evangelical scholars and pastors, served as the foundation for the ESV. It’s the second edition.
The Greek New Testament (5th corrected edition) released in 2014 versions of the ESV were translated from the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible, Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (5th edition, 1997), and Novum Testamentum Graece (28th edition, 2012). Published in 2001, the English Standard Version had updates in 2007 and 2011, and 2016.
9. International Standard Version (ISV)
Finished in 2011, the International Standard Version is a fresh English translation of the Bible.
Using both formal and dynamic equivalence, ISV was created (literal-idiomatic).
The Dead Sea Scrolls and other old manuscripts were also considered for constructing the Old Testament, which was based on the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Additionally, the Novum Testamentum Grecia gave rise to the New Testament (27th edition).
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10. Common English Bible (CEB)
Christian Resources Development Corporation (CRDC) has translated the Bible into standard English, and this is one of the best bibles for college students.
The Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament was used to translate the CEB New Testament (27th edition).
And other editions of the traditional Masoretic text, like the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (4th edition) and Biblia Hebraica Quinta, were used to translate the Old Testament (5th edition).
The Göttingen Septuagint, still under construction, and Rahlfs’ Septuagint (2005) were used to translate the Apocrypha. CEB translators used a combination of dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence.
One hundred twenty experts representing twenty-five different denominations worked on this translation.
11. New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The 1989 release of the Revised Standard Version (RSV) by the National Council of Churches is known as the New Revised Standard Version.
Formal equivalence (word-for-word translation) was used to generate the NRSV, with some minor paraphrases, particularly for gender-neutral terminology.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, the Septuagint (Rahlfs), and the Vulgate were used to create the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, from which the Old Testament was created. The New Testament was taken from Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece (27th edition) and The Greek New Testament (3rd revised edition) of United Bible Societies.
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12. God’s Word Translation (GW)
The God’s Word to the Nations Society provided an English translation of the Bible under the name God’s Word translation, and it is one of the best bibles for college students.
The best Hebrew, Aramaic, and koine Greek sources were used to create this translation, which adheres to the “closest natural equivalence” translation concept.
The Old Testament was drawn from the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, and the New Testament was obtained from the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament (27th edition).
The Baker Publishing Group released the translation of God’s Word in 1995.
13. New King James Version (NKJV)
The King James Version of 1769 has been updated as the New King James Version (KJV). The KJV has been altered to make it more transparent and readable.
A group of 130 biblical scholars, pastors, and theologians used word-for-word translation.
(The New Testament was obtained from Textus Receptus, and the Old Testament was derived from Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (4th edition, 1977).
Thomas Nelson released the entire NKJV Bible in 1982. The entire NKJV was created over seven years.
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14. New English Translation (NET)
A preview English Bible translation has not been revised or updated; the New English Translation is an entirely new English Bible translation.
The best Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts currently on hand were used to generate this translation.
25 Biblical academics used dynamic equivalence to construct NET (thought-for-thought translation).
Initially released in 2005, the New English Translation underwent revisions in 2017 and 2019.
15. Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The Holman Christian Standard Bible was published in 2004 after being translated into English in 1999. This is one of the best bibles for college students.
The goal of the HCSB translation committee was to balance formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence. The translators described this harmony as “optimal equivalence.”
The Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Greek 27th edition, the UBS Greek New Testament, and the Stuttgartensia Biblia Hebraica 5th edition served as the foundation for the HCSB.
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What Is a “Study Bible”
You were likely viewing a study Bible if you have ever been astounded by the size of someone else’s Bible. The size of a study Bible can range from large to massive, but they are universally notably heavier, more significant, and thicker than an ordinary Bible.
That’s because a study Bible has a wealth of extra information that an ordinary Bible does not, in addition to the text of Scripture.
Depending on what the resource is for, a given study Bible may have a plethora of features (like the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible), or it may simply have a handful.
The Old and New Testaments are present in every modern Bible, along with a few standard elements in most books.
Most Bibles contain a table of contents, division and chapter headers, page numbers, and other standard features.
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Why Is Translation so Important?
It’s tempting to question oneself, “Which translation do I want to read the Bible in?” when selecting a study Bible. That’s not incorrect, but a more methodical way to approach this choice is to consider which Bible translation you wish to think in.
Where you take notes will be in your study Bible. These pages will be read and reread by you. Even if you don’t memorize the Bible, you will accumulate Bible memories in your study Bible.
Therefore, when selecting a translation, pick the one you feel confident recalling.
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Conclusion
There are reliable Bible translations, but there is no flawless translation of the Bible anywhere. You should choose the ideal translation you believe to be the most accurate.
You can choose two or more Bible versions if you have trouble deciding on one. There are numerous Bible translations available in print and online.
Now that we have listed some of the best bibles for college students, which Bible translation do you prefer to read now that you know some of the more precise ones? Comment below and let us know.
FAQs
Teenagers will most likely read the New Living Translation (NLT) and New International Version (NIV).
There are at least 50 English translations of the entire Bible. However, the answer varies on whether we count changes to earlier translations.
The Christian Standard Bible version provides a highly literal and reliable translation for serious study without sacrificing readability. The Ancient Faith Study Bible allows today’s readers to glean wisdom from some of yesterday’s brightest saints for their modern lives.
The ESV Study Bible is one of the most thorough Bibles available now. It has a lot of notes and helps the beginner will need to get started in understanding the Bible better. It’ll take a bit of a learning curve to use all it offers, but it’ll be worth it in the long run.
The Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) is an English translation of the Bible compiled by the World Bible Translation Center and is the most accessible translation to understand.
What makes studying Bibles different from other Bibles is the amount of additional information and features that are packaged alongside the Scripture text. Study Bibles generally include notes on every page, usually in the side margins or the bottom.
Reference
- worldscholarshub.com – Top 15 Most Accurate Bible Translations
- biblereasons.com – Which Is The Best Bible Translation To Read?
- logos.com – The Best Bible Translations: All You Need to Know & How to Choose
- thenivbible.com – How to Choose the Best Study Bible
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