Bible Translations

2008 Translation Guide
Comparing John 3:16, 17

This translation guide is helpful for comparing different Bible translations side by side and the uses of each.

The Amplified Bible adds explanatory and alternate readings and amplifications within the Bible text to help the reader understand Scripture.

16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.

The Contemporary English Version (CEV) gives the meaning of the text in plain modern speech. It smoothes out rough places and eliminates repetition, making it a good choice for casual reading and devotional use.

16 God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!

The English Standard Version (ESV) is essentially literal and noted for its accuracy and traditional style, while using clear modern language. Good for personal reading, worship and study.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

The Good News Translation (GNT) (Today’s English Version, TEV) seeks to express the ideas in Scripture as they would be expressed if they were being written today in everyday English. Good for reading and understanding the message of the Bible.

16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior.

The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) is a newer translation (2003) in modern English that maintains traditional style and accuracy. Its footnotes are highly regarded. Works well for study, reading, and teaching.

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

The International Children’s Bible (ICB), the first Bible translation for children, uses short, simple sentences that can be read easily by early readers.

16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.

The King James Version (KJV), the all-time bestseller for four centuries, is the choice for those wanting a traditional Bible. It is good for study because of the huge selection of reference works that are available for it. Widely used for memorizing scripture and for worship.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The Message is an innovative translation of the Bible in free, natural language that is often surprising and which grabs the reader’s attention. Good for devotional reading and discussion.

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.

The New American Bible (NAB) is used predominantly by Roman Catholics. Accuracy and ease of reading make it useful for worship, school and Catholic teaching. Its detailed notes and references suit it well for study.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

The New American Standard Bible (NASB), Updated 1995, is highly regarded for its literal accuracy. Great for word study because it pays close attention to the wording and structure of the original Hebrew and Greek and attempts to use words consistently. Good for personal and small group studies.

16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

The New Century Version (NCV) is a modern language translation that emphasizes clear communication. It is good for devotional reading and group study, and useful for outreach and to people new to Bible reading.

16 God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.

The New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) uses language understandable to children and other early readers, with an emphasis on readability. Good for education and outreach to learners and nonreaders.

16 God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world. He sent his Son to save the world through him.

The New International Version (NIV) is a modern English translation that achieves a good balance between accuracy and readability. It is good for reading and individual or group study. Many good Bibles and study resources are available for the NIV.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

The New King James Version (NKJV) maintains the traditional King James style and accuracy while using up-to-date English. Good for devotional use and study. Many good study and application-oriented Bibles use the NKJV.

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The New Living Translation (NLT) was prepared with the goal of making the Bible especially usable for reading aloud in group teaching or worship settings. It presents the meaning of the Bible in common, everyday language.

16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) maintains a traditional Bible style. The NRSV and its predecessor, the Revised Standard Version (RSV), are used by many in mainline Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox churches. They are both accurate and readable, making them good choices for study or devotions.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

The Voice is a dynamic translation that brings the biblical narrative to life, representing a collaboration among scholars, writers, musicians, and other artists. Currently available in the New Testament and Scripture portions, the creative page design is ideal for public reading and group studies with embedded commentary to help the reader understand the culture and context of the biblical story.

16 For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. 17 Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction.

The Today’s New International Version (TNIV) updates the language of the New International Version and provides improvements for today’s generation. It is good for reading, devotions and study.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Spanish Bibles:

The Reina-Valera 1909 (RVR 1909) maintains the traditional Spanish style and accuracy. Used in many traditional denominations. Targeted to believers over 45 years of age. Comparable to the King James Version.

The Reina-Valera 1960 (RVR 1960) maintains the traditional Spanish style and accuracy while using an updated Spanish. Good for devotional use and study. The most common text used in the churches today. Many good study and application-oriented Bibles use the RVR 1960. Comparable to the New King James Version.

The Dios Habla Hoy (DHH) seeks to express the ideas in Scripture as they would be expressed if they were translated into current Spanish today. Good for reading and understanding the message of the Bible. Comparable to the Good News Translation.

The Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI) is a translation from the original languages that combines meaning-based and formal translation, while maintaining a traditional Bible feel. Good for reading and individual or group study. Comparable to the New International Version.

The Nueva Biblia al Dia (NBD) was prepared with the goal of making the Bible especially usable for reading aloud in group teaching or worship settings. It presents the meaning of the Bible in common, everyday language. Comparable to the New Living Translation.