KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESV... Which Bible Should We Read?

There are many different Bible translations in English, such as the KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESV, NASB, NLT, and others. In the past, many English-speaking Christians read the KJV. These days, many people read translations such as the NIV, ESV, NKJV, or NASB. In our case, we continue to read the KJV, which we have used for a long time. Therefore, the Bible verses quoted on this website are from the KJV. The KJV does contain some older English words and expressions, but because the internet has developed so much, if we search for the meaning of words we do not know, we can understand them quickly. So it does not seem to be a major problem to read the KJV.

 

From time to time, people ask which Bible translation they should read. Some also ask whether they must read the Bible in the “original languages,” namely Hebrew and Greek.

 

However, as we read the Bible, we can easily realize that simply understanding the meaning of the letters written in Scripture does not mean that we understand the will of God. This is because the Bible was written by the inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16), and therefore we cannot fully know the will of God merely by understanding the context and words of the Bible.

 

For example, if we look only at the passage below from Joel, we may easily understand it to mean that whoever calls upon “the name of the LORD” shall be saved.

 

Joel 2:31-32, ASV “31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh. 32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered...”

 

But in fact, through the following passages, we can see that this was a prophecy given through the prophet Joel beforehand, teaching that whoever calls upon “the name of Jesus” shall be saved.

 

Acts 2:20-21, 36 “20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come. 21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Romans 10:9, 12-13 “9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus... 12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

 

As these passages show, when the Holy Ghost came upon the disciples of Jesus on the day of Pentecost, He caused them to quote the passage from Joel in the languages of many nations and to proclaim that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord, that is, the name of Jesus, shall be saved. Later, through the apostle Paul, God also caused it to be proclaimed that Jesus is our Lord, that this one Lord is Lord over all, and that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord, that is, the name of Jesus, shall be saved. Also, by saying that there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, God clearly taught us that only the name of Jesus is the name of salvation given to mankind.

 

In this way, we can see that the Word of God is understood as Scripture is connected with Scripture, revealing the perfect will of God. It is not something we can understand merely by knowing the meaning of individual words.

 

The Bible also tells us that the people who died in the wilderness long ago were the people of Israel. In other words, they did not die because their language was different or because they did not know the meanings of the words. The Israelites at that time used Hebrew, so they were people who directly used what we today call the “original language.”

 

Hebrews 3:15-19 “15While it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. 17But with whom was He grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? 19So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

 

Through this passage, Scripture teaches us that the Israelites perished in the wilderness not because they could not understand the voice of God, but because, even after hearing the Word of God, they did not believe and did not obey. The following passage also teaches the same thing:

 

Ezekiel 3:4-7 “4And He said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with My words unto them. 5For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel; 6Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. 7But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto Me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.”

 

As this passage shows, the house of Israel did not refuse to hear the Word of God because the language was different or difficult. Rather, fundamentally, they did not have a heart that wanted to listen to the Word of God. Likewise, those who crucified and killed Jesus were also Jews who used the “same language” at that time.

 

Through these passages, we can understand that even if someone hears the Word in the original language, that does not mean he will understand and believe everything. In other words, what matters most is not which Bible translation one reads, including even the Bible in the original languages, but with what kind of heart we read and hear the Bible. This is because the Israelites, who used the original language, saw and heard the Word of God, yet did not believe and did not obey. Therefore, we must believe from the heart that the Word of God is better than thousands of gold and silver (Psalm 119:72), and we must understand that it is important to have an attitude of “earnestly seeking Jesus” in the Scriptures. Then Jesus will surely meet us and cause us to understand the truth rightly.

 

Proverbs 2:1-9 “1My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints. 9Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.”

Proverbs 8:17 “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.”

Matthew 7:7-11 “7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?”

 

As these passages show, if we desire to seek Jesus earnestly, we can meet Him. In other words, no matter which Bible translation we read, if we earnestly desire to meet Jesus, He will teach us about Himself. Therefore, if it is truly the Bible, we can find Jesus in it. This is because the Bible is the book that testifies only of Jesus.

 

John 5:38-40 “38And ye have not His word abiding in you: for whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not. 39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. 40And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life.”

 

Through this passage, we can know that the true Bible is the book that testifies only of Jesus. And if, because we love Jesus, we seek Jesus in the Scriptures and desire to exalt only the name of Jesus, then Jesus will give us perfect wisdom.

 

Micah 6:9 “The LORD’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see Thy name...”

 

Therefore, no matter which Bible translation we read, we must not read the Bible with ourselves or man at the center. Rather, when we compare Scripture with Scripture (Isaiah 34:16), seeking only Jesus and desiring to glory only in the name of Jesus, then Jesus, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:2-3), will “give” us the perfect wisdom of heaven (Matthew 13:11).

 

Therefore, no matter which Bible translation we read, what matters is our earnest heart, our loving heart, that desires to find Jesus in it. If our hearts are truly this way, Jesus will surely enable us to discern the truth rightly.

 

Truly, it is important that we make “only Jesus” the standard for all our judgment and discernment.