What Bible Do I Need?

That depends on what you’re looking for—accuracy, readability, poetic style, or study depth. There’s no single “best” Bible translation for everyone, but here’s a quick guide to help you find your fit:

• New International Version (NIV): The most popular modern translation. It strikes a balance between accuracy and readability, making it great for everyday reading and study.
• English Standard Version (ESV): A more literal, word-for-word translation. It’s favored by many for in-depth study and theological precision.
• New Living Translation (NLT): Prioritizes readability and clarity. It’s a great choice if you want something that flows like modern English while staying faithful to the meaning.
• King James Version (KJV): A literary classic with majestic language. It’s beloved for its historical significance and poetic style, though the archaic language can be a hurdle for some.
• New American Standard Bible (NASB): Known for being one of the most accurate word-for-word translations. Ideal for serious study.
• The Message (MSG): A paraphrase rather than a translation. It reads like a contemporary story and is great for devotional reading or newcomers to the Bible.

The main point is that your version depends on what you would most like to accomplish, as I stated in the beginning, but most “New” Christians should start with a translation that feels good and is understandable.

When I first became a Christian, I tried reading the KJV and could not understand the context, thus it became boring, and I studied very little. So, I changed to an NIV and NASB which opened my eyes to the Gospel, but as I grew in my relationship with Christ, i picked up the KJV again and found much greater understanding.

To this day, I still use my KJV as my go-to Bible and support it with the NASB, along with my concordance and other study tools. But my goal was to get a deep understanding of context and culture, along with growing my faith. These study tools eventually led me to Seminary, which taught from the KJV. Using the KJV regularly helped much in Seminary, both in learning and understanding.

I am not a KJV only-ist, but I do believe that it is the best for what I needed both at the time and today. I would suggest that you find a Bible that speaks to you but keep other translations and use them as well. Utilizing both a word-for-word and a thought-for- thought translation will exponentially grow your knowledge and understanding more quickly.

But the most important point is that you ARE IN YOUR BIBLE every day!

May God Bless your Journey.

To check out all my books: amazon.com/author/stephenluckett. I would recommend the Path to Salvation Series Book 1: Faith Unlocked as it will give you much information for a new Christian as well as learning some of my story through the trenches of life including drug and alcohol addiction.