Have you ever been perplexed by the great number of English Bible versions? Have you wondered which one you should choose as your primary study Bible?


In the span of just a few generations more than a hundred English Bible versions have become available. The King James Version (KJV), the Revised Standard Version (RSV), Today's English Version (TEV), New English Bible (NEB), Jerusalem Bible (JB), New American Standard Bible (NASB), and the New International Version (NIV) are just a few of the most popular ones in use today.

Each version has strong points and weak points. No version is perfect. But this does not mean that our choice of a study Bible is not important. The Bible is God's chosen medium of communicating with man, and we should use the best version we can find for studying the deep truths of His Word. But which version is most reliable and how can we identify it?

Many scholars evaluate Bible versions following a naturalistic method. We, however, will use a faith-oriented approach that also takes into consideration scholarly evidence. We will compare various versions to the biblical description of the inspired Word of God. The version that best fits this description will be our Bible of choice.

The Word of God is described in several places in the Scriptures. Romans 10:17 provides us with the first notable characteristic. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The inspired Word of God establishes and builds our faith. It is our firm foundation, and as we sincerely study it, our confidence in God and His Word will grow. "God is not the author of confusion." 1 Corinthians 14:33. He is, however, the "author and finisher of our faith" Hebrews 12:2; thus a characteristic of His Word is that it builds our faith.

A second characteristic can be found in
2 Timothy 3:16: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." From this, it is clear that the sacred Word gives a pure account of doctrine and instruction for one's life. It is not adulterated by man's opinions or teachings.

The last characteristic of the Word of God that we will review is found in 1 Peter 1:23: "The word of God ... liveth and abideth for ever." The Scriptures were given by inspiration of God and have been preserved for use by God's people in every age. They have not been hidden away from mankind but have been a visible, convicting, living part of the Christian church. Not only have they abided in the hearts of men, but faithful copies of the Scriptures have been passed on from one generation to another.

Time and again both Jesus and Paul affirmed the accuracy of the Scriptures by widely quoting from them. Never did they warn that the Word would be corrupted or lost. Instead Jesus declared, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33. Even during the Dark Ages, the Holy Scriptures were not lost. (Revelation 11:3,4 tell us that during the 1,260 years of papal supremacy, the two witnesses, the Old and New Testaments, still prophesied powerfully.)

Psalm 12:6, 7 says, "The words of the Lord are pure words. ... Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." We can clearly see that the Scriptures have been divinely preserved right down to our generation.

In summary, the Bible describes the Word of God as having the following characteristics:

1. It builds our faith and does not cause confusion or doubt.
2. It is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.
3. It has been divinely preserved and has had an active role within the church throughout every age.
Having set forth these characteristics
from Scripture, let us compare the various Bible versions to them.

The Word of God Builds Faith
The first characteristic of the inspired Word of God is that it builds our faith. To one extent or another this is true of every Bible version. Through the aid of the Holy Spirit, points essential to salvation are brought home, and many people can relate their conversions to one Bible version or another. But there is still a broader aspect of this subject that should be examined.

What general effect has the proliferation of Bible versions had on people's faith in the Word of God?
Of course this is something that cannot be precisely measured, for there are many factors that influence society. However, we can generally observe the difference between people's attitude toward the Bible today compared to their attitudes when there was only one accepted version.

When the KJV was the primary Bible used, ministers strongly preached from it and laity eagerly committed its words to memory. As a sacred book, it was highly respected. Faith in God and the authority of His Word were paramount.

Today, however, there is quite a different outlook. Faith in God and the Scriptures is at an all-time low. Many people have lost their respect for the Scriptures. Ministers no longer preach the Word, but instead deliver philosophical sermons on the general 'message' of Scriptures. And rarely do laity commit Bible texts to memory. An epidemic of ignorance concerning the most basic Bible content is plaguing even church-going youth.1

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There are so many versions of the bible available today. Which one do you choose? Are they all the same? Does it really matter?

• King James Version
• Revised Standard Version
• New English Bible
• Jerusalem Bible
• New English Bible
• New American Standard Bible
• New International Version

"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17






The apostles followed Jesus' example when they continually quoted from the scriptures.

Through the aid of the Holy Spirit, points essential to salvation are brought home, and many people can relate their conversions to one Bible version or another.

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..."
Hosea 4:6