What are the different English Bible translations?

from the old testament

• We must pick a translation that communicates the inspired word accurately so that we know how to obey the Bible. As Joshua 1:8 says: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
• The Bible is our guide to godliness, so we must diligently apply its wisdom to our life. Psalm 119:105 says: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
• Proverbs 30:6 warns that we are not to add to the inspired words of Scripture. While simply using a translation that respects the Greek and Hebrew text is fine, we must avoid using translations that sway from the original meaning of the biblical text.

from the new testament

• Paul tells Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Believers are responsible for sharing the truth with unbelievers; to do that, we must be sure that we’re using a reliable translation of God’s word.
• Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” We are to use God’s Word as our offensive weapon against the powers of spiritual darkness. As such, we are responsible for finding a biblically accurate translation.

implications for today

Dozens of English translations of the Bible have been published throughout the history of the church. Almost every one falls into one of three categories: formal equivalence, dynamic equivalence, or functional equivalence.

Formal equivalence translations are more literal than the others. They are a word-for-word translation that closely matches the original languages of the Bible. The KJV, NKJV, ESV, and NASB are examples of formal equivalence translations.

Dynamic equivalence uses thought-for-thought translation that focuses more on communicating in ways that the modern reader can easily understand. The New Living Translation (NLT) is a prime example of this style. The New International Version (NIV) notes that its focus is a balance between formal and dynamic equivalence, an attempt that has been popular among many readers while also attracting criticism from those who promote only formal equivalence translations.

A third translation category of the last century is functional equivalence. This translation type provides the main idea of a passage rather than focusing on translation of words. Often called a paraphrase, the most popular example of this style has been Eugene Peterson's The Message. More recently, The Voice has provided a similar rendering of the Bible from the perspective of artists and storytellers. Critics of these translations point to interpretive bias added into the biblical content (Proverbs 30:6)..

While many quality translations exist, formal translations provide a more direct understanding of the Bible’s original languages. Of greatest importance is to both study and apply the teachings of the Bible to bring glory to its divine author, the Lord Almighty.