I concur. If you look at the below chart you will see the English Standard is very close to being a "word for word" translation, yet it is very readable. I stay away from those on the right, with the NIV being as far to the right as I will go. Why? Thought for Thought leads to a lot of literary license, IMHO.
I also like the ESV Study Bible. Lots of tools to help understand what is going on throughout. Contributors come from a variety of conservative denominations and they provide a lot of background to each book.
|
NASB New American Standard Bible (1971; update 1995) AMP Amplified Bible (1965) ESV English Standard Version (2001) RSV Revised Standard Version (1952) KJV King James Version (1611; significantly revised 1769) NKJV New King James Version (1982) HCSB Holman Christian Standard Version (2004) NRSV New Revised Standard Version (1989) NAB New American Bible (Catholic, 1970, 1986 (NT), 1991 (Psalms) NJB New Jerusalem Bible (Catholic, 1986; revision of 1966 Jerusalem Bible) |
NIV New International Version (1984) TNIV Today’s New International Version (NT 2001, OT 2005) NCV New Century Version NLT1 New Living Translation (1st ed. 1996; 2nd ed. 2004) NIrV New International reader’s Version GNT Good News Translation (also Good News Bible) CEV Contemporary English Version Living Living Bible (1950). Paraphrase by Ken Taylor. Liberal treatment of ‘blood.’ Message The Message by Eugene Peterson (1991-2000s) |