Which translation is the best?

[JSM17]

There are so many translations, many are written because of a groups beliefs. You have certain groups from times past that have not been able to prove their doctrine through the standard versions so they will create one for themselves.

So the question today is which one is the best? Assuming that we can agree that there are no inspired translators that man is fallable and will find a way to force his bias into the work of translating scripture. After all of that which one is the best?

[sledford]

You raise a topic that is very near to my heart. I will preface my remarks that I don't think there is a "best" translation that folks should use. But, I do think there are some "better" ones than others which gets to the real heart of the matter: to be a Bible student requires one be also committed to seeking the clarity that God's Word guarantees:

Heb 4:12 For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Please note that I used the word "clarity" and not "easy". The principles exercised in many "modern" translations of the past 20 years have started from making the Bible easier to read and in the process making it much less clear what it really means. This is done with translating philosophies such as Dynamic Equivalence in versions such as the NIV where the authors instead of translating the words instead interpret the "thought", a very scary prospect to my thinking! How can any man stand in judgment of the original words penned to seek to clarify the "true meaning" and translate that!

Also, many modern translations are in what I call a "race to the bottom" in seeking to make a version that is readable by everyone (least common denominator as called in some circles) and in the process adopting newspaper-esque techniques which sensationalize parts or reduce the words and thoughts into sound bites. Bear in mind that the Word is revealed by God and written as it is for a reason:

Mat 13:10 And the disciples said to Him, Why do You speak to them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
Mat 13:12 For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. But whoever does not have, from him shall be taken away even that which he has.
Mat 13:13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not; nor do they understand.

Referring back to the original quote in Hebrews, the purpose of Gods Word is to be "a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." That's no simple or small task! Which leads me to a question I ask myself and sometimes ask others: is your translation a "dulled sword" blunted by interpretation and assumption by others? Has it been "reduced" in an effort to make it easy to read and in the process removing the REAL thoughts expressed only in the original way it was said, and thereby no longer discerning a person's thoughts and intents?

This is not to say it requires a theological degree to understand the Bible. Every person can read and understand the Truth revealed in the Bible IF that's what they want to get out of it. But, recall again why Jesus said he taught in parables, not everyone is really seeking the Truth but some seek to stand hypocritically self-justified. To understand the Bible is a life-long journey that requires dedication in LIVING and LEARNING it. To learn it requires improving skills in reading and understanding it. Rather than "simplify" and make it "easy" through translation, the committed follower of Jesus should roll up their sleeves and seek to learn the pure Truth of the Word by whatever means possible.

[childofgod93]

I would say the King James Version, the New King James Version.

If you can stand all the ye's,thou's, and thee's, the King James is what you need.

But the New King James is almost exactly equal.

[Lucym11]

When you say "translation" are you meaning "interpretation"?