Question: What is a "simple" way of understanding all of the Bible translations and transliterations that are out there? How do we best choose which version of the Bible to use? Do Christians have any basis to argue that some versions are more accurate?
Response: I'm glad you said
simple, because this is an issue that gets very complex very fast! If you've ever tried to translate a long block of text from a foreign language into English—especially from a very different language such as Greek or Hebrew—you know that you often have to change the way things are phrased in order for it to make sense in English. This is because different languages are structured in different ways. For example, here is what John 3:16 would look like if we translated it in a rigid, word-for-word manner: "Thus for he loved the God the world, so that the Son the unique he sent, in order that all the one who believes into him not he may perish but he may have life eternal." It's perfectly good Greek, but it's nonsense to an English reader!
So how do we handle these differences when we translate? Well, there are two different ways of doing it. The first approach is called
formal equivalence. Here, you would try to keep the structure and wording (the "form") of the original language as much as possible. The cost is that it is more difficult to understand in English and sometimes may confuse the meaning. A second approach is called
functional equivalence. Here, you would change the structure and wording when you translate a passage of scripture so that the English is of high quality, is easier to understand, and (hopefully) does a better job of communicating what the passage means (the "function"). Unfortunately, you may end up losing some of the nuance of the original language, and sometimes you may even misinterpret what the author is saying and may communicate the wrong thought.
In practice, most translations fall somewhere along the spectrum between these two extremes. For example, the NASB is more formally equivalent, while the NLT is more functionally equivalent. Most popular translations, such as the NIV, TNIV, ESV, KJV, and NKJV, fall somewhere in the middle.
As you've probably figured out by now, it's difficult to accuse one translation of being less "accurate" than another. Some translators focus more on accuracy in wording. Others may be more willing to make changes to the wording if it will help the English-speaking reader understand the meaning which the biblical author intended.
So how do we choose which version to use? I would suggest that you choose the most formally equivalent translation that you feel comfortable reading. However, it's a really good idea to look at other translations, including functionally equivalent ones, when you study the Bible. This will help you understand the decisions the translators made a little better, and it will give you more insight into what the scripture is saying. For example, I usually use the ESV, but I often refer to the NIV, NET, or NLT for a "second opinion" on how a passage should be understood.
If you'd like to know more about this issue, Dr. Rodney Decker from Baptist Bible Seminary has a couple of helpful articles. One is a short, "
popular-level discussion," while another is a
more technical discussion of translation theory.
In addition, here are three books that you may find helpful: