Bible Options for Career-Minded Moms: Let's Talk Translation
“Can you recommend a Bible?”
This is a question I get asked often, and my answer is always yes. I’m happy to help moms get connected to God’s word, and it’s such a blessing that we have so many options to choose from. At the same time, so many options mean that selecting a Bible can be a little overwhelming…especially if reading the Bible is completely new to you.
In my opinion, there’s not a really a one size fits all solution, so let’s break it down into translation, style and personal preference. I’ll also cover Bibles for kids too.
What’s the deal with different Bible translations?
First, let’s make it really clear that God’s word is consistent and flawless (some use the word “inerrant”, which means the same thing). From cover to cover, all books point to one thing: Jesus is the son of God and savior or the world who, when he died, left us with the Holy Spirit. The ideas, concepts, and theology (big word for “the study of God”) do not change from translation to translation. What does change on occasion is how those things are communicated.
For example, if I lived long ago in England and wanted to download my past couple of weeks to a friend, I might say, “It’s been a jolly good fortnight.” But, if I were in America in 2023, I’d say “I’ve had a good couple of weeks.” I’m saying the same thing, but in language that the people I’m speaking to understand.
As another example, if I say to my kids in Spanish, “¿Su cuarto esta limpia, no?” It, literally translated, says, “Your room it is clean, no?” I wouldn’t phrase it that way in English. Instead, I would say, “Is your room clean?” because that’s how the individuals I’m speaking to would best understand it since they don’t speak Spanish.
In both examples, the recipient of the communicated idea understands what I mean in a clear way. The words are different, but the idea pulls through.
This is how Bible translations work.
The books of the Bible were originally written in Hebrew and Greek, then translated. If you read a King James Version of the Bible as an American in 2023, it may be hard to understand because it was written with a style of speech we no longer commonly use. It doesn’t make it wrong, bad or filled with errors. It just means it was drafted with a different audience in mind. Some prefer to read it, and that’s great. It’s not my first go-to.
What Bible translation is right for me?
For today’s working mother, there are two Bible translations I recommend most often:
New International Version (NIV) – The NIV (the New American Standard could fit here too) is more literally translated in common day English that’s easier to understand than older versions of the Bible. This is a great NIV Bible I often buy for others.
The Message – To me, The Message better relays ideas, concepts and more abstract things through paraphrasing. It uses more modern language and reads more like a story that flows well. In other words, it has potential to keep you more interested if you’re easily distracted (oh, hey moms everywhere). Here’s an option that may work for you – it even has a pretty cover!
The image included here showcases a variety of translations on a word-for-word to a paraphrased sliding scale. I find it helpful, and maybe you will too.
Need more Bible guidance?
Check out our posts on style and personal preference (coming soon)!