The first tool you need is a good Bible.  But there are so many to choose from.  How do you know which one is right for you?

A note on different translations

If you’re not reading the Bible in the original Greek and Hebrew, you’re using a translation.  And the purpose of a translation is to make the original meaning come alive for you.  So pick a translation that is accurate and also makes sense to you when you read it.

Here are three of our favorite English translations at Crossroads:

• The New International Version (NIV): A great balance of word for word accuracy and readability.  This is the most quoted translation at Crossroads.
• The English Standard Version (ESV): A translation that emphasizes word for word accuracy.  This version is closer to the original sentence structure.
• The New Living Translation (NLT): One of the most readable Bibles out there.  This translation has a knack for translating difficult passages into plain English.

A word about the King James Version (KJV)

One of the most popular translations in history is the King James Version, originally produced in 1611.  This is a very poetic translation that emphasized word for word accuracy in its day.  It’s a great choice if you connect with the traditional language.  However, this translation can be difficult for many people to understand.  And the KJV and New KJV (NKJV) are no longer the most accurate versions.  They are based on the best manuscripts scholars had in 1611.  Many manuscript discoveries since then have gotten us closer to the original writings of the Bible.  New translations like the NIV, ESV and NLT use the latest manuscript discoveries that are closer to the originals and therefore more accurate.  The differences are small, but could be significant to your understanding of the text.  The NKJV does not fix this problem.  It updates some of the language but continues to use the less accurate manuscripts the original KJV is based on.  The KJV and NKJV are still great Bibles.  If these translations help you connect with God they're still a great choice for your devotional reading.  But when studying a passage in depth, just be sure to double check the reading in one of the modern translations.