I’d like to clear this up once and for all. LARGE PRINT! It’s large print. It’s the best.

I read the King James and have since I was 6 years old, now 61. Always pray before reading your Bible and God will lead you.

As a bilingual Hispanic, your comments are very true, relatable, and helped me appreciate other English translations of the Bible.

I've heard some people say that if you didn't use a King James Bible then you were never truly saved. That's looney.

LOL! I'm right there with you nerding out with my ESV, NIV, KJV and NLT - I thought I was the only one 😊 I truly enjoy reading a verse in one and then going to the other translations and reading how it was translated in those Bibles. When I became a Christian, I received some nastiness from other Christians because I started with the NLT. God knew what he was doing.

Someone once said the best translation is the one that leads you to Christ and helps you grow in knowledge of Him. That has quieted my penchant to zero in on one that is the "best" or "only reliable".

I could go on endlessly about this. I am 77 and have been a Christian since I was 63. I am an active member in my church. I am also a small time creator on the Tube. I use the following in my studies: KJV, NKJV, CSB, NIV, The Emphasized Bible, and a Life Application Bible for Students from the 80's. For references I have the ten volume set of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, Henrietta Mears book "What the Bible is All About" and use the online Blue Letter Bible resource. I need a larger desk... Those who strive to influence others to read only one translation do such a disservice to other believers. People should consider this: in what we call Russia there are over 150 different cultural groups speaking dozens of distinct languages. What translation should they use? Spanish in one form or another is spoken in dozens of countries and they do not all speak Castillian! A person who lives in the Bronx may not be able to speak with someone in the back country of Louisiana. One translation only is vanity on display. I appreciate the loving, tongue in cheek, way you have addressed this. And didn't I see you with Mike Winger a time or two? I agree with your thesis and have subscribed.

Having a Hebrew, Greek, and Chalti dictionary helps too. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance is wonderful!!! An example is the verse "In my Father's house are many mansions, I go to prepare a place for you". John 14:1-3. When we hear the word mansions, we/I think of a huge home with all these fancy fixtures and furnature that costs multi millions of dollars. The word mansions actually means dwelling places. Learning the original words opens a whole new world of understanding. Knowing the history and culture also helps a lot. Just a thought.

I recently introduced my husband to the compare feature on YouVersion. He was delighted! Lost my phone for the duration of the lesson😂. But I always prefer my trusty paper version with a lovely purple faux-leather cover...ESV of course. I have a paper Bible in several different translations. I love comparing while I'm studying.

I'm a missionary ministering in an African language. Only recently has there been a written version of the language. Language is dynamic. There are words that don't have equivalents. I am also ministering to Muslims. You can explain difficult/hot concepts if you avoid the trigger words.

The Message is not a translation, it is a one man paraphrase and , in my humble opinion, can be blasphemous at times.

Good info. I was raised a Jehovah witness and your right. So many changes. So glad I found the real truth.

For just common people, I like the NLT or NIV. I always say that you would start a child with a Children's Bible, not NKJV. So for us common folk who speak plain English and don't have masters degrees in the Bible, we should start with a plain English translation like NLT and NIV. But that's just my opinion.

All I can say is "BEAUTIFUL!!!" I love your teaching. Bible translations is one of my strong points. I was here to throw water at everything you say but you won me over!!! I LOVE it. Thank you very much sister.

In one of Billy Graham’s presentations he mentioned that he was reading from KJV because it was one of the few gifted to him in large print. But he also thought it might shed some light on what these seminarian students on the translation they were using and following along. He always promoted bringing your own Bible and associated translation to everyone coming to hear him speak. I agree be ready to search the scriptures with multiple reputable versions. I personally use the NIV with support from an American Standard Version and then the King James to remember how I originally learned that particular scripture.

I was saved by reading and studing the King James Bible. It is the easiest to read and understand. Therefore, I only ready and study this Bible.

As a Messianic Jewish Rabbi who believes in Yeshua as my Savior I’m asked this question a lot. It’s not that the majority of English translations are wrong it’s that the English language is inadequate, for a good translation. Yes, study multiple translations with a interliteral, that I found to be the best

Melissa, your Spanish example is also a great illustration of how literal-ness of wording doesn't necessarily give us literal-ness of meaning, or thought. We scientific/technical westerners (including us christians) have forgotten that breaking things into their constituent parts breaks things. All the king's horses...

I started reading the King James, 1611, when I was 10. Didn't have a lot of trouble, but then I knew how to use a dictionary

Thank you for your comments about gleaning a deeper meaning by reading a passage in several different translations. I've found that to be SO true over the years -- I'll read a familiar passage in a different translation than what I'm used to, and suddenly something will jump out at me that I had never noticed before, sending me off on a deep dive into something I had never thought to look into. It's SO rewarding!

How can The Passion translation belong in my trash can? That would mean I would have to buy a copy just to throw it out.

Melissa I am getting ready to watch this episode,but last night I watched the one with Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett AWESOME! I enjoy your channel and your humor. Thanks for blessing me with your knowledge.

God said He would preserve His word not our language. The problem begins when someone uses their preferred word and not the word that accurately communicates the idea. The word ( word ) means idea . That is why we use words to communicate ideas. 1. When we accurately communicate the idea 2. The Holy Spirit helps us with wisdom and understanding , and that begins with the fear of The Lord

One of the many Bible translations I have was done by a couple whom the Lord sent to the Eskimos to tell them about Jesus and salvation. After a time the Lord encouraged them to translate the Bible in their language which was much simpler than our English language. (I read it periodically.) They had to come up with words the Eskimos could understand about God. The Eskimos had no equivalent for the word glory for example. So in order to help them understand what was meant by that -- glory was written as -- His shinning greatness. That is just one of many examples.

One thing most people do not realize is their "King James Bible", is not actually the 1611 version of it to begin with. It is a more modern translation of it, even though it doesn't say that it is. I have the King James Bible, along with the Authorized King James Bible, and both of them are quite different from my original copy of the 1611 King James Bible, which is extremely difficult to read because the font that was used in 1611 is no longer used. When I have someone tell me that they only read from the King James Bible, I hand them my copy of the 1611 version and say, "ok, read to me from that one then" then smile when they struggle thorough it.

Loved it!! My first Bible was a KJV in Spanish and the only one i had to study from. Later on, my dad got the Bible translation from Hebrew and Greek into Spanish and taught me how to use it, that was such an eye opener in so many ways... As I got older, and learnt English i was gifted the NIV Bible and i noticed that some passages i understand better in my NIV Bible compared to my spanish KJV Bible and viceversa... it is so exciting!! Bottom line is that they don't contradict each other. When stumbling with something harder, i like to spend more time and see what other truth seekers find, whilst praying over it! Thank you ❤

I prefer the NKJV myself, but im sure God is pleased with whatever version you read and understand.

Appreciate you, Melissa! The original language is key to an accurate Bible translation. May the LORD bless you and keep you! Numbers 6:24-27

Love NASB, but my favorite is the TLV (Tree of Life Version). Translation by Messianic Jews…wow! The clarity and power of the Word is incredible ❤️

I have KJV, CSB, NET, ESV, and (one) NIV; and an Interlinear. The big guns, however, are the NASB and NKJV; I spend most of my time with those. I do not use paraphrases. I teach Sunday school so I want to be as close to the original as possible. I can pull out the Interlinear or a Hebrew/Greek dictionary to get at the meaning of the original language, then teach the class. Your take on the various translation types is spot on, by the way. And the way you present your ideas is great as well. Keep the good work going!

The original King James Version is the one to use for the English translation. All other versions in English have had some verses either eliminated or condensed or changed. Pray to God for wisdom and understanding when reading His Holy Word and listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. Study your Bible. Reading the Bible is like raking leaves, studying is like digging. It takes effort and like digging you get tired and sore but you find gems that raking won’t find. Too many lazy Christian’s want God to just hand stuff to them instead of spending quality time studying the Bible.

One answer to the question "What's the best translation of the Bible?" is "The one that you will read." (I've heard it attributed to Billy Graham, but I don't know if it actually originates from him).

I like the kjv, the private school I attended in 6th-12th grades mandated it. Makes reading classic literature easier for me.

I'd like to share a little parable that I think can be illustrative in this context. When one of my children was learning to ride a bike, we put training wheels on the bike to keep it from tipping over. Then we got the child on there and he merrily went chasing after his brothers. After a fairly short time, I noticed that he wasn't balancing at all- he was intentionally leaning to one side or the other so the training wheels were always in contact with the ground, meaning he wasn't learning to balance without them. Helping him be successful required taking the training wheels off, doing the hard work of helping him figure out what it feels like to be in balance, and then letting him fall (a number of times). I think this applies when choosing a Bible translation. If we choose an easy to read translation, we may build the muscles of regular scripture study and get familiarity with the content. But the goal shouldn't be to avoid more difficult translations because they are in another culture and language. The goal should be to get enough of a groundwork to understand as you become familiar with that culture and language. Learning not only the words of the Bible but also the culture of the ancient Jews has helped me consider my own practices and habits while seeing them with more human eyes- they lived in a world where freedom meant being willing to fight against powerful people that want your stuff or your women. So their rules and what they understood tended to be more harsh. There was possibility of both virtue and corruption in this- it means sometimes the punishment didn't fit the crime, but it also meant that family members didn't question whether or not they were loved- their safety was constantly given primary consideration.

Thank you for such wonderful videos with much needed information and truth. I started watching you when you and Doreen Virtue were making videos together before I finally left the New Age. I finally rededicated myself to Jesus in January 2019 after watching an amazing interview with an Ex-Newager that stabbed my soul with such truth of what I was doing and who I was really working with (Demons instead of Angels). Thank you for all your amazing videos over the years. Your quirky personality and always fighting for the truth of God makes such a wonderful blend of God-Soup. :) May God continue to bless you and your ministry! You have been a blessing to me! Thank you!

I totally agree! I too grew up where we were only allowed to use KING JAMES version. It did just that by setting me up for failure as far as not studying my word . Because , why would I want to read something that totally didn’t make sense to me as a young child and teen. Thankfully I had a solid enough relationship with Christ that kept me connected to Him. However, over the years my eyes have been opened to this very subject and I’m thankful we have an awesome Sunday school teacher who is also our best friend who has helped me understand this topic! I now own more than just the King James Version many of the versions you listed you use. My next goal is to purchase an interlinear Bible!

I keep an ESV and NASB, Sometimes just the differences in the translations are a great lesson :)

Funny. Before you said "Lechito," I thought "Lechito!"

Thanks for a straightforward explanation and wisdom regarding translations! Translation matters. Like many commenters, I grew up on a certain translation (GNT, KJV) and eventually discovered others (NIV, NLT, AMP, ESV). My lovely husband watched many videos to finally decide on an NLT Filament app Bible for me. The app has an audiobook feature, essays, maps, as well as Bible Project vids, but I still read as well as listen, and even read out loud. I appreciate sites or apps like Bible Gateway where you can quickly compare translations. I also like it very much when pastors talk about passages and reveal the original words in Hebrew or Greek as their translation is ultra important. Agape, eros, philia, and storge all mean love, but different kinds of love. So many things to learn, glad to have resources for help. 🙏🏻

We use the NKJV, ESV, CSB, NIV, NET, NLT, NASB, AMP and NCV for our verse mapping. We love to do a comparison and dive deep into specific keywords. We also love the Net Bible because we can go into the Greek and Hebrew. Logos has some pretty amazing search capabilities. I am using ESV for our inductive Bible study. - Rebecca

I enjoy the ESV and the Amplified Bible. Thank you for this teaching. God bless you and your loved ones.

God bless you Melissa,for your videos,that explain this. I have started to read Holy Bible its in large print and KJV. I read 10 pages or so a day, so in 200 days i will finish. 🙏

“But, If the King James makes your brain cells fist fight” I felt this 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Hey Melissa, thank you for your insight. I've been pastoring for 44 years. The last 21 in Franklin, TN. Your love of Scripture makes me so happy!!!! God bless your ministry! Keep running toward the High Calling!!!

Probably the more important thing is to ask which Bibles to stay away from. The Message, and The Passion Translation come to mind. Any others?

Perfect timing! I'm actually looking into different translations to compare and contrast so that I can glean the most from what the bible actually teaches, thanks again!

I bought the Evidence Study Bible - NKJV, because as a former JW, I was terrified at the selections of bibles and wanting to get the real word so I simply went to Ray Comfort. I'm obviously not finished reading it but I am pleased you mentioned NKJV.

I use the kjv. Have for decades. But I always answer the question with ... the One you will actually read on a regular basis

When the NIV committee is consulting a Lesbian/Feminist for their "new and exciting" translation, you know it came from the pit of Hell.

I love to "nerd out" with an interlinear Bible and various translations! 😄

I'm currently in the middle of reading a book by John Barton called, The Word: How we Translate the Bible and Why It Matters. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to take a deep dive into this topic. Thanks, Melissa.

My favorite translations are the NLT and the NET. I have others, including NKJV and NASB (Legacy edition), and two versions of the KJV (one of them is the LDS version from when I was Mormon). My preference is for semantic equivalence whereas others prefer formal equivalent translation (KJV, ESV, NASB).

Thanks for this video i am an ex kjv only and i am now using the KJV because I prefer it plus the church I am now attending but I also read NKJV,ESV,NASB,NIV and NLT.I am glad i am out of kjv onlyism.I enjoy watching all your videos.

Stumbled across your channel and am glad I did. Thank you. Melissa

LOL....I immediately thought "Lechito" while you were telling your story. And that's a cute name for a white kitten 😹

I grew up with the KJV, and it still holds a special place in my heart, but if I'm being honest, I sometimes struggle with whether it's Thy before Thee, except after Ye, or the other way around... In college, one of my classes required us to have the same Bible, so I had to purchase a NIV Study Bible. I hated it at first, but I learned to love the simple way it explained things. We have learned a lot in 400 years, and I don't understand why some people get up in arms over this. Do you see a surgeon who was trained only using medicinal training from 400 years ago? "Looks like we're going to have to bleed you to force the troll from your stomach to cure that headache." Of course not! We appreciate the new discoveries and even pay more for the latest and greatest...unless it comes to our faith. Then we allow our ignorance and pride to pull us into silly arguments that divide the church and turn people away. The best translation is the one that you will read and understand.

I was raised KJV and always found it to possess a certain richness or eloquence of language that I didnt find in other versions , but has since come to realize having a ESV or other bible to compare with is much more rewarding.

Love your videos. Always informative.

I do the same. Sí, también vivo en una ciudad bilingüe. That said knowing enough Hebrew and Greek as well as the customs and culture of the different times covered by scripture helps. Even in North American English a word from Boston may not mean the same as it does in Texas (as God intended ja, ja, ja).

What few (very few) believers know is you have two manuscripts that scholars use. The KJV used the Textus Receptus; the modern versions use the Codices that formed the Greek New Testament by Westcott and Hort. Westcott and Hort were occultists and hated the KJV'Textus Receptus. They also denied the atonement of Christ. Think about that when you read the modern versions. Second, the Codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus are the basis for the modern versions. They were hidden away for over a thousand years, the latter rejected by many scholars in the 1700-1900s. Westcott and Hort manage to fool the new scholars with "older is better" yet they cannot be truly tracked to where they come from. We don't need 150 different translations of the Word of God. You can have great translations but are they from the right manuscripts?

NIV is New International Version not New Interlinear Version

You said things were added to KJV. Could it be things are missing in other translations?

I love nerding out primarily with the KJV, and surround it with the NASB, NRSV, and NLT. Sometimes I'll throw in the NIV, ESV or CSB. I love the Holy Bible and all it's legitimate renderings in Endlish.

I have to say that it is a blessing to be bilingual and reading bibles in both languages because it really helps to get a better understanding of what’s being said in many passage. Then getting older and learning some key Greek and Hebrew words and phrases like “okay I wasn’t sure but I wasn’t wrong either” In hindsight what made the Bible harder to understand for me was not understanding how artificial the world I grew up in is. Even modern language is in many ways artificial.

Love this. Thanks for the breakdown. Your awesome.

While I can appreciate the richness of the KJV & have become familiar with many verses in that version throughout my life, we simply don't use 400+ yr old language such as that anymore. When I find my brain cells fighting (😉) after reading a verse, I haven't accomplished my goal of understanding God through His word, which is what I want. I'm the kind of person who needs layman's terms while as doctrinally pure as possible.

From when I was 21 until my 40's I went through several different versions. KJV was my first, then New KJV, Amplified, Contemporary English Version, and then the New Living Translation (NLT). The NLT has been my favorite Bible for studying and general reading. It made everything so connected. I could easily see the Father's heart for humanity through that translation. It is written in modern day speaking english, but with all the poetical grace that KJV had, BUT much better at bringing clarity to what the Bible is saying.

I tend to read NKJV most of the time, but I do like the ESV as well. I'll read The Message versions of some passages when I want a chuckle. Especially when reading its coverage of the gospels, I get Afterschool Special vibes and picture a lot of the settings as like some modern day suburban American locale. Jesus and the disciples look like bros from a hip non-denominational church, etc. I can't do it for too long because it kind of creeps me out after awhile. But it's humorous in very small, occasional doses.

I recommend the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB), an update to the NASB 1995.

Fantastic video. Thanks for sharing.

When I study, I have every version I own spread out all over the floor so I can compare the translations. However, I usually give the greatest weight to the Gesenius for the Hebrew and Thayer's for the Greek. Blue Letter Bible has those as options in the app and online.

I used to read the NI V but now I read the NLT. I love it so easy to understand

KJV is the real one

The church grew the fasted before there was a compiled New Testament. Most Gentiles were illiterate and had no access to the Old Testament. All that was required was preaching the Gospel, walking by the Spirit, and using a little common sense. That's all that's necessary today. However, having the complete bible is a benefit. But consider that before we had the printed bible, fewer people were taking it out of context.

Thank you for this video. While a bit elementary, it clearly hit the high points of the differences in English translations. Especially helpful for those who have not explored this topic at any depth is the differences in languages and how that affects translations. A special thank you for including Wesley Huff's website. I was not aware of it.

"Nerd out"....LOL. Love it

Love the name Lechito!

😂 KJV-Only people be like 😤😡🤯🌋

My main translations are the New King James, the English Standard Version, and a recent discovery -- the Berean Standard Bible. All have good audiobook versions, and as for the BSB, it's free and in the Public Domain. As an ESV and NKJV listener, I also enjoy the BSB. Good video!

This was excellent, Melissa! Thanks!

The best English translation is the King James Bible. If you're an English-speaker, you should only use KJV. Also, we should not translate the Bible differently because of culture. God inspired it how HE wanted it, stop changing it from knocking on the door to calling from a gate.

Glory to God Almighty ❤️So much happiness $47k weekly returns has been life changing. AWESOME GOD I now have a house and can now afford anything for my family even with my Retirement..

There are translations by just one person that are not bad. Martin Luther translated at least the New Testament completely by himself. There is also an old famous translation German by a teacher called Hermann Menge. Exceptions prove the rule.

I love how you explain things and deliver information. I've been learning Greek over the last year and a half and it's amazing how this root language is extremely gender dependent!

I study from the King James 1611 Authorized version .... 🙂 I would like to say if anyone is interested in understanding why we have so many different versions of The Bible... I would like to suggest search out The textus receptus majority texts verse The minority Alexandrian texts... Once you do then you should see why there are so many versions.... Note Remember just bc something claims to be thee oldest version doesn't make it thee most accurate translation, especially if it has been corrupted....

Melissa, thank you for a video that rings with clarity. As a former follower of the Watchtower (they are not Jehovah’s witnesses) I was a lifelong reader of the New World Translation. While the NWT certainly has an agenda, it is insightful, especially when it comes to verb tenses. However, it is one of those that you should read with caution. My go to now is the Legacy Standard Bible for study (not surprising since it is similar in approach to the NWT in a word for word approach). I have found them to be reliable when it comes to deeper study. For readability, I really have come to appreciate the New Living Translation, which has one of the best translations of Matthew 5:3 when it comes to getting to the meaning of what Jesus was saying. Like everything else human, language has developed a shorthand that would be missed by a non-native speaker. Getting to that shorthand and extracting the intent is one of the most difficult jobs of a translator.

I recommend Dr. Neil R. Lightfoot's book "How We Got the Bible", now in its third edition and published by Baker. It tells how we can be sure the Biblical message has been accurately preserved through the centuries. This book wraps up with a short history of the English language Bible translations.

Great video, The ESV is also my favorite translation. I like to read it alongside the KJV sometimes too. I also like to use Bible apps. I use the literal Bible app and the Bible Gateway app. The Bible Gateway app has a setting in the audio part called dramatized (it doesn't change any words.) It just has different people read the different characters parts, men for the men's parts and women for the women's parts. I love it, it helps keep ur attention more by making it easier to get a picture of what is going on in the story. At least it helps me.

Great video - I use a HCSB. It is the one I write and highlight all my notes in. I have a Legacy, NASB, NIV and a KJV. I also use the NLT from time to time. English is not exact, nor is any other language so it is good to have reliable translations to study from.

Thank you for being so clear and concise

Good video and explanation about the different Bible translations. Enjoyed the blunt honesty (realness) as always. I totally agree how the KJV can be an epic fail for new believers, because I experienced that. I like the NKJV and NASB. I’m a bit skeptical of the NLT. I didn’t like how it read when it came to translating the books of the prophets. It reads past tense (already happened) instead of from the prophets perspective. I do need more translations though for comparison. I will probably get the ESV. Thanks for the video.

Great video but there is one issue with this. You said that the newer translations use the an older translation which is true - which is the codex sinaiticus - however it is an alexandrian translation and it was found as disposed of. You can see when you look at that codex in the british library which i have that it has crossings out and has been overwritten because the person writing it made mistakes and was crossing things out hence it was thrown away. Also alexandria is where the occult grew out of and like you said - if a bible was written to appease other gods it can be considered to be a poor translation and thats what the codex sinaiticus does. The reason why textus receptus is considered more accurate is because it was translated into multiple languages and the 6000 copies in multiple languages despite being newer - all back up each other. So the newer versions are based on an older but poorer translation where things have been deleted to suit a more gnostic watered down version of christianity. That being said the verses that ARE in BOTH the receptus AND the codex sinaiticus can be read generally as being accurately translated in both the newer and the kjv version and nkjv. So the newer versions that have these deletions should be considered as deletions not vice versa.

I love that it’s not about Which translation is best, but which is accurate. I think that’s important especially with so many translations out there.i stick to the literal word for word translations . I started using esv as that’s the translation my church uses. It’s also easier to digest opposed to KJV i’ve come to notice that people who use or say king James version only is the most accurate are cults like Hebrew rights movement, sda etc. A lot of debate and speculation that the Roman Catholic Church try to change the Bible translations idk if that’s true or not but the Lords word will stand forever. As a baby Christian I started with Niv and then went to Csb which I prefer over Niv. Long story 😂❤

When researching scripture to find context and relevancy to life today in an applicable manor I use the amplified version as a reference as it expounds on both the Greek and Hebrew words originally used. Thank you for this important information, Melissa. Perspective is everything.

I like nerding out. The NET Bible dives into great detail in its explanations and footnotes.

Well done Melissa, you nailed it! You deliver the true message with facts & a lot of funny to boot. Personally as a student of God's word, I love the Greek Interlinear. However this has been a journey and just beginning with God's word is a start. Yes avoid the 'passion' & 'the message'.

The Light of Christ in Gods Children have the Spirit of God, so We See and Understand His Word. It’s a Gift of God

Great word Melissa. I read multiole as you suggest. NIV home.

I love how the way you said lechito could also be le Cheeto. Thank you for going into the subject of translations. Lots of Christians or Christian curious people need to know more about this!

I always enjoy your content on any topic. Loving the background.