The Christian Booksellers Association recently released its list of the top ten selling Bible translations for December 2014. The CBA actually provides two lists: one by dollar sales; and the other by unit sales.
Top Ten Translations Based on Dollar Sales
- New International Version
- King James Version
- New King James Version
- New Living Translation
- English Standard Version
- Holman Christian Standard Bible
- The Voice
- New American Standard
- Reina Valera 1960
- New International Reader’s Version
Top Ten Translations Based on Unit Sales
- New International Version
- The Voice
- King James Version
- English Standard Version
- New King James Version
- New Living Translation
- Holman Christian Standard Bible
- Reina Valera 1960
- Nueva Version Internacional (Spanish)
- New International Reader’s Version
What is your preferred Bible translation? What do you think about these two lists? Let me hear from you.
Posted on December 10, 2014
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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175 Comments
Hi Dr. Rainer! I love using the HCSB. It’s a wonderful balance between accuracy and ease of reading. I am curious if there is a Translation Oversight Committee who is responsible for keeping track of updates in biblical scholarship and use of English language (similiar to what the NIV has- CBT, or how the ESV has a oversight team of scholars). Also will there be editions that will benefit those of us who study the original languages- things like diglots that have Hebrew on one side and the other has English (same with the GNT).
Thanks, Benjamin. There is indeed a translation committee working on a complete update. Stay tuned . . .
I love the ESV. It is a little more difficult to read than the NIV. I normally preach from the NKJV. The ESV is so eloquent that one can hardly tell the difference between the two. I was skeptical of the HCSB at first due to all the uses of the name “Yahweh” in the Old Testament. However, after researching the usage of the divine name and the great readability of the HCSB, I highly recommend it. It is extremely readable and very accurate. I love the NLT, too. It is fantastic as a devotional Bible. As a pastor, I normally give a NLT to a new believer due to its readability. I like the NIV 2011. But, I tend to stay away from it in papers, articles, and messages due to the controversy surrounding the translation. Thus, the ESV, HCSB, NLT, NKJV, and the NIV are my top five translations right now. Blessings to you Mr. Rainer and keep up the good work.
You may also like the NJB (New Jerusalem Bible) which was one of the first Bibles to use Yahweh wherever the Tetragram would appear (translated as Lord in most Bibles). It also includes Elyon and El Shaddai without translation, giving more clarity to the use of divine names in scripture. It is also a very poetic and well written Bible (Brits are good at this, as they proved with the KJV!!), while the HCSB translation is quite bland and plebeian…
An added benefit is the inclusion of the apocryphal/deuterocanonical books (the ancient canon) of the Greek Septuagint Bible (which was the Bible used by the first Christians and the New Testament writers). Unfortunately, not all Bible translations include these great writings and the only translation which may beat the NJB on these books is the KJV (which used to always included them in all editions). Hope this helps!!
I think it is interesting how I find more and more pastors primarily preaching from and distributing the New Living Translation. Even Chuck Swindoll’s church website states, “Because of its readability, Dr. Swindoll is currently teaching from the New Living Translation” While we are blessed to have so many Bible translations it is a little difficult to tell your church to use one specific Bible translation – especially since they keep updating the text. People are carrying around 2001, 2007 and 2011 printed editions of the English Standard Version. And now the Gideons are reported to be giving away their own hybrid translation of the ESV. People also have printed editions of the 1996, 2004, 2007 and 2013 text editions of the New Living Translation . You can easily tell the difference between the first edition of the NLT (1996) and the second edition (2004, 2007, 2013) by the logo: first edition is a square logo and the second editions have a diamond logo. In my opinion the most effective and best value New Testament for evangelism and for new Christians is the NLT New Believers New Testament. And for growing Christians the Life Application Bible is very helpful. It would be interesting to see survey results showing what Bible version pastors are preaching from in 2015 and what states they are from.
I loved the HCSB since it was first published. However I have bounced around from the NIV 2011, ESV, and NLT. In my studies I use at least 5 translations HCSB, NIV, NASB, NLT, ESV. But I needed to commit to a primary translation, so it came down to the NIV or HCSB. My friend Rick Mansfield years ago had wrote a great a review about the HCSB. I contacted him recently to see if he still felt the same way, he he said yes. Rick is well learned in Greek and Hebrew and teaches them as well. Just mention that on case your wondering.
I needed to commit to a primary for the purpose of consistency and memorization of Scriptures. I grew up reading the NKJV and have many verses memorized in that translation. I noticed that I wasn’t memorizing verses like I use to.
I chose the HCSB, haven’t regretted it at all. To be honest it’s been rather liberating, and stress free. I don’t have to think about what translation I should use. I just pick me my HCSB and start reading.
For study I prefer the NASV for N.T. For the O.T. I prefer the RSV. I generally begin with the Greek for N.T. I go through the Hebrew when preaching from the O.T. but rarely do a full translation.
For pulpit use I primarily use the RSV. It is close enough to the KJV and similar translations that it is not a impediment to those in the congregation who want to follow along. When preaching from the N.T. I will occasionally use the NASV.
In working with children and youth, I use the NIV. This is not because in my opinion the NIV is a superior translation. It is good, but not superior. However, the vast majority of useful material available for children and youth is based on the NIV. There is no point in reinventing the wheel by refusing to use material simply because the translation used is not my personal preference. It is much more important that children and youth be engaged in study of God’s Word.
Reality is that poor reading skills are a major challenge for teaching the Bible to children and youth as well as adults. There are many who simply cannot read the Bible with comprehension when a translation such as the KJV, NKJV, etc. is used. This is true even as I use the RSV and NASV. I can see a time coming when translations such as The Living Bible, The Message and The Voice will be used simply because they are more effective.
I typically use The Voice and the ESV. The reason I like The Voice is because it uses modern language in a creative and helpful way to faithfully communicate the story of God. I like the ESV because it offers a more readable word-for-word translation. Between these two translations and Bibleworks, I am able to dig deep.
That said, there are those who argue that The Voice and other similar works should not be called translations. I disagree. My opinion is that when we understand all that goes into making an accurate and communicable translation, then we will approach each work with a much more humble attitude. I hope that more and more people will join this revival of renewed interest regarding the art of Bible translation to know how much has gone into getting the story of God into the hands of millions around the globe in their native language(s).
I use many different translations when preaching, but prefer the NKJV, NLT. and Amplified Bibles. I do like the HCSB and believe that it is a very good addition. I especially liked the George Guthrie Chronilogical Bible “Reading God’s Story”
One of the characteristics of The Voice that I really like is how they chose to translate God’s name YAHWEH not as “LORD” but as “The Eternal” or “The Eternal One.” At first reading it almost sounded like some sort of New Age translation but it is indeed a true representation of the richness of The Name. After all, who or what else can truly be called “The Eternal One” but God? In the NT “Christos” is not transliterated as “Christ” but translated as “The Anointed One.” Once again, a nice rendering.
My only small gripe is it seems at times that the translators tried a bit too hard; maybe getting too wordy to try and bring out the meaning of the text but not being very helpful in the end. The comments sprinkled throughout are generally useful.
All in all I have enjoyed both the scholarship and artistic expression that the translation strives for.