I’m planning to begin reading the Holy Bible in regular basis, which version you can recommend?
I saw Mike use Amplified Holy Bible in the course and I like it as it is more easy to read.
I trust I’m not touching a sensitive topic here, in case, yes, please forgive my ignorance.
I have used an amplified bible before and found it useful to expand upon the meanings of the words in the text.
I think this is good to discuss
I currently use the app for iOS called NeuBible which lets you switch between different translations.
For academic study I use the King James Version, because it has been well-studied. I have found a few examples where the difference between different translations completely changes the meaning of the text. Currently I am using the ESV for everyday reading.
Thanks for this recommendation, I bought the app, and I like it.
I like NASB for reading. For daily “reading” I listen to Daily Audio Bible, the Bible in a year. Each week he switches to a different translation.
Oh, thank you so much, Michael, I’ll try this one as well.
I swap back and forth between CSB and ESV. The CSB seems to be a good balance between natural language but with a bent toward literal translation.
This is a great topic to discuss. I use the You Version Bible App. Lots of different versions to choose from. I like the ESV since it is good for study and really appreciate comparing it to the Message bible since it is more contemporary. The app itself has some great reading plans too
I used the Neu Bible for awhile, but landed on You Version eventually
Thank you, Dennis, for recommending You Version Bible App. I’ll check it out, as well.
I typically prefer a more literal translation, so the RSV is my choice, however, the Psalms are wonderful to read in the Jerusalem Bible (not the New Jerusalem Bible). And as a Scripture scholar once told me, this is why you should learn Greek. That is the best for reading. But sadly I dont think that will happen in this life.
Thank you so much for this information, Stan. The good thing about using an App, I can change and try different versions.
The Rational Bible - Bereishit(Genesis) by Dennis Prager
This is super interesting, Yaakov. I bought the Kindle edition. Thank you.
I actually use several different translations in the course, and I don’t really have a favorite. My everyday Bible is King James, but I also like the readability of the NLT.
The important thing to understand is that no English translation will really do the original message justice. You have to understand 1) the culture, and 2) the original languages to really get the full context. Fortunately, there’s some great digital tools for this like Logos and Accordance that allow you look up the original Greek or Hebrew word in the Strong’s.
Let me give a quick example of why this is important…
There are actually several words in the Bible for what we would call “love”:
So when you read a passage and you see the word “love” in English, it’s worth digging in to understand, “does it mean phileo or agape?”
Now, that doesn’t mean I’m doing deep word studies every day that I read my Bible. But it does mean that I know I’ve got more work to do if I really want to understand what a passage is really saying.
Well said, Mike. Thank you.
Now that I began reading the Holy Bible, your points above help me a lot.
I use the ESV as I think it has good scholarship and integrity in the translation work. It is also very readable. I have used multiple translations and reference other versions to see how they translate certain passages.
When I was in college I took four semesters of Koine Greek, which is what the New Testament was written in originally. As part of those classes, we spent a large amount of time translating the original texts into English and discussed modern day translations and their accuracy as compared to the original. It’s not easy and they all have ups and downs.
The main question comes down to whether or not you want a literal translation (which requires more interpretation on your part) or a translation that does some of that interpretation for you. Thus, this conversation and the preferences everyone has. 
As for me, my daily reading is done in a 1984 NIV translation as I like the balance of literal/interpretation. They’ve altered it over time in ways I don’t care for. So I like to use the older version.
When I do an in-depth study or meet to discuss a specific text, I tend to use an NASB or ESV. Those two seem to be about as literal as I’ve found and let me do the interpretation.
But I also pull out my Greek New Testament when I really want literal and have lots of time.
Hi Joe,
All the suggestions above and most especially, your answer has given me clarity not only which version to read but also how to read the Holy Bible effectively.
Thank you!
Hi Joe, big fan of the NIV as well:) Re: the changes to the version, I didn’t know that they had made changes… anything in particular? Mike
I can’t say I know what the edits are specifically. I just know that revisions are made every few years and the copyright date is updated.
This note is on the niv site, and is the first of several questions and answers there.
What are the differences between the NIV 1984 and the updated NIV in 2011?
All the changes in the updated text are attributable to at least one of the following factors: changes in English, progress in scholarship and concern for clarity. About 95% of the text of the updated NIV remains exactly the same as the 1984 text it replaces, based on the number of word changes.
From my experience the more common changes are to do with gender, i.e. Instead of saying ”he” it says ”they” and makes the verbs and so on plural to match. Frequently they change the word ’brothers’ into the words ’brothers and sisters’ as a way of translating a Greek word ”adelphoi” which can mean siblings in a family (therefore male and female).
That is my impression anyway FWIW