A translation needs to be faithful to the original, it needs to be clear in the target language, and above all it must have the confidence of the reader. A specific Bible should also have the introductions, cross-references, indexing, maps and study notes necessary for your purposes. Put it all together, and you will have the ideal Bible for you.

How can translators be faithful to the original? There are two ex-tremes; translators can choose either, or usually something in the middle.

A. Formal equivalence, or literal translation. This is sometimes called word-for-word translation. A translation is formally

equivalent if the words (and prefixes, etc.) are mostly matching between the languages. A translation into an unrelated language cannot be strictly literal. There will be some insertions, deletions and other modifications in order to make the result grammatical (or close to grammatical). Typically, though, a native speaker of (say) English will say it doesn’t sound right. Readers have a harder time understanding it. Some meanings have been lost (e.g., Acts 26:14). Other meanings have been skewed (e.g., Psalm 1:1), so there are new, unintended meanings! Hopefully, though, such changes and losses are infrequent and minor. The bulk of the meaning is trans-ferred, even if it sounds odd or is (at first) hard to understand.

B. Dynamic equivalence, or meaning-for-meaning transla-tion. Dynamic equivalence attempts to understand the

meaning of the original, and to convey that same meaning in the target language. So, if the Apostle Paul were writing this letter to the Romans in, say, British English, how would he have written it? Dynamic Equivalence gives the translation committee more free-dom – a looser leash, if you will – and has the danger that they will unintentionally introduce new meanings. The translators have to understand the original sentence or paragraph and agree on it, and on a way to convey it in normal English. They use various methods to ensure that the meaning remains the same.

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.John 3:16 The Message

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.John 3:16 King James Version

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 New International Version

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.John 3:16 New King James Version

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 New Living Translation

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.John 3:16 Amplified Bible

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.John 3:16 Good News Translation

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 English Standard Version

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