Why translations differ
The Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, and every English Bible is a translation. Translators balance two goods that pull against each other: staying close to the original wording, and reading naturally in today's English. Some versions lean formal (word for word), some lean readable (thought for thought), and most sit somewhere between. None of the mainstream translations below will mislead you; they are all serious scholarly work.
One practical note for British readers: several translations produced in America are sold here in anglicised editions, with British spelling and punctuation. If “Savior” and “honor” will annoy you, check the cover for “Anglicised” before you buy.
The main options
- NRSV (New Revised Standard Version).The scholar's translation and the one appointed for many Church of England lectionary readings, so it is what you will often hear read aloud in Anglican and Catholic churches. Accurate, dignified, and standard in universities and theological colleges. The 2021 update (NRSVue) refreshed it further. Choose it if you want the version British academia and much of the CofE relies on.
- NIV (New International Version). Probably the most widely used Bible in British evangelical churches, from Anglican to Baptist to independent. It sits nicely between accuracy and readability, and the anglicised edition is easy to find. If your church projects verses on a screen, there is a fair chance they are NIV. A safe first Bible for most people.
- ESV (English Standard Version). A more literal translation with a slightly traditional cadence, popular in conservative evangelical and Reformed circles in the UK. Excellent for close study, where seeing the structure of the original matters; a little stiffer for reading long stretches aloud.
- KJV (King James Version, 1611).The Authorised Version is a monument of the English language, the Bible of Shakespeare's generation, and the source of hundreds of everyday phrases. Its cadences still carry weddings, funerals, carol services and Remembrance Sunday. As a first reading Bible it is hard going, since four centuries have changed the meaning of many words, but every British reader should hear it sometimes.
- Good News Bible (GNB). Written in plain, simple English and long a favourite in British schools, confirmation classes and all age services. If English is not your first language, or you simply want the story without wading, the GNB is friendly and honest. You may outgrow it; that is what it is for.
Also worth knowing
- NLT (New Living Translation). A smooth, contemporary thought for thought version, good for fast reading through whole books.
- The Message. Eugene Peterson's free paraphrase. Vivid and fresh, best used alongside a standard translation rather than instead of one.
Which should you choose?
- Completely new to the Bible: anglicised NIV or Good News Bible.
- Worship in a CofE or Catholic parish: NRSV, so your reading matches what you hear on Sunday.
- Serious study: NRSV or ESV, ideally in a study edition with notes and maps.
- Beauty and heritage: KJV, kept within reach for the passages you already half know.
- Reading with children: Good News Bible or NLT.
A quietly useful tip: find out what your own church reads from and match it. Following along in the same words, week after week, is how Scripture starts to lodge in the memory. And nothing stops you owning two; many British Christians keep a readable version for every day and a KJV for the poetry.
The translation that matters most
Comparing versions can become a hobby that postpones actually reading. Any Bible on this page will give you the Gospels, the Psalms and the story of salvation, faithfully told. The best translation, as the old line goes, is the one you read. Pick one, open Mark or Luke this week, and see our guide on how to read the Bible for a way in.