Bible Study Tools: Part 1

The Bible is a complex book that often generates more questions than answers. Thankfully, we’re not left on our own to sort things out. God has given us many tools we can use to build our faith and gain wisdom. In the coming weeks we will look at various study aids, discuss their value, and put together a small library of the best resources.

Today we’ll discuss the first and most important implement in the toolbox: an English text that effectively communicates God’s Word. The book we call the Bible is actually a collection of 66 books that are divided into two parts. The Old Testament was originally written in ancient Hebrew and Aramaic, and the New Testament was written in Koine Greek. These languages have not been in use for centuries, and scholars disagree about everything from word/phrase definitions to the reliability of the various ancient copies of the text. As a result, numerous ways to translate the Scriptures have appeared. Most fall into one of three categories:

• Word-for-word translations (also known as formal equivalency translations) replace the words of the original language with the closest English language equivalents. Examples include the English Standard Version (ESV), New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), New King James Version (NKJV), and the venerable King James Version (KJV).

• Thought-for-thought translations (also known as dynamic equivalency translations) attempt to convey the meaning of the original sentences and phrases. Examples include the New International Version (NIV), New Living Translation (NLT), Today’s English Version (TEV), Contemporary English Version (CEV), and the New Century Version (NCV).

• Idiomatic translations (also known as paraphrases) attempt to convey the meaning of the original text in colloquial language. Examples include The Message (MSG) and The Living Bible (TLB).