Top 5 Easiest to Read Bible Translations

Did you know that the Holy Bible is the most widely read book in the world? 

Here are some other interesting facts about the Bible.

• In the past 50 years, the Bible has sold over 3.9 billion copies. 
• 53% of New Zealanders own a Bible (NZ Bible society – 2022)
• 56% of New Zealanders do not read the Bible at all (NZ Bible society – 2022)
• Only 20% of people have read it from cover to cover (lifewayresearch.com).

The Bible is the most recognisable and famous book that has ever been published. It is also referred to as the word of God, and it holds information within it that can dramatically alter the direction of people’s lives according to God’s perfect way. Which begs the question:

Why don’t more people read the Bible today?

One of the main reasons is because they don’t understand it. And no wonder! All those thee’s and thou’s and whithersoever thou goest’s. If you’re not familiar with them, it can be a nightmare to readeth.

Take this passage in ye olde King James Version as an example – 2 Corinthians 5:1

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

2 Corinthians 5:1 – (KJV)

Yikes! What on earth is a tabernacle and why has it dissolved?

The good news is that some Bible scholars decided to produce translations that are really easy to read. This means you don’t have to be a professor in English in order to wade through them. This is especially helpful if you are reading the Bible for the first time. 

Unfortunately, there are nearly 1,000 different English translations and you’re probably going to ask yourself:

Which Bible translation is best for me?

Here is a list of the top 5 easiest to read versions of the Bible. If you are a beginner, or you know someone who is, these translations would be a great starting point.

1. NLT – New Living Translation – Best overall 
2. NIrV – New International Readers Version – Best for people who have English as a second language
3. GNB – Good News Bible – Best for youth and prisoners
4. CEV – Contemporary English Version – Best for reading out loud
5. ICB – International Children’s Bible – Best for children

NLT – New Living Translation

The NLT maintains a great balance between readability and depth of meaning. It renders the message of the original texts of Scripture into clear, contemporary English. 

With a focus on clarity, The New Living Translation invites readers to go deeper into the biblical text to discover God’s story for their lives and the world. It can be read aloud, read alone or used for more in-depth study. 

It is a fantastic overall translation.

You can also get a Life Application Study Bible which has advice on how to apply the teaching from the Bible to your everyday life. This is the top-selling study Bible for Christians.

Example passage from NLT – 2 Corinthians 5:1

“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.”

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NLT)

Now we see that this passage is talking about death and heaven, rather than dissolving tabernacles.

See here for a good range of NLT Bibles – https://purebooks.nz/c/new-living-translation

NIrV – New International Reader’s Version

This version is designed for people who are just starting to read English e.g. young children and foreign language speakers.

Long sentences are broken down into shorter ones and long words have been changed to simpler words. 

It is one of the simplest Bibles to read. Normally any Bible that focuses on readability will sacrifice depth, but the NIrV does a really good job of maintaining a healthy balance between the two.

Example passage from NIrV – 2 Corinthians 5:1

“We know that the earthly tent we live in will be destroyed. But we have a building made by God. It is a house in heaven that lasts forever. Human hands did not build it.”

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NIrV)

Instead of having one long sentence, this passage is broken down into four short sentences.

See here for NIrV Bibles – https://purebooks.nz/c/new-international-reader-s-version

Most of these are designed for children and include lots of illustrations but there are some available for adults. These would be great for someone who has English as a second language.

GNB – Good News Bible

This is the best selling Bible translation in the UK. The aim of this translation is to present the biblical content and message in standard, everyday, natural English.

It has earned the respect of a wide range of scholars for its accuracy and reliability, and because it is easy to read and understand. It is suitable for people of all ages.

The interactive youth edition is great for youth. It includes a summary at the start of each book of the Bible detailing when it was written, why you should read it and what you need to know about it. It has links to 30 videos (also available in Youtube) unpacking themes found in the Bible as well as hundreds of interactive elements throughout the Bible to inspire you to dig deeper.

If you ever work with ex-prisoners, you’ll find a lot of them own the burgundy copy of the GNB. Some years ago prisons wanted a simple Bible to give away and the GNB was the one they chose. This is a straight forward GNB which focuses on the wording contained inside and has very little extras apart from a dictionary and a few maps. 

Example passage from GNB – 2 Corinthians 5:1

“For we know that when this tent we live in – our body here on earth – is torn down, God will have a house in heaven for us to live in, a home he himself has made, which will last forever.”

2 Corinthians 5:1 (GNB)

A good range of GNB’s are here – https://purebooks.nz/c/good-news-bible

CEV – Contemporary English Version

The translators of the CEV have attempted to retain the spirit of the King James Version while making it understandable for ordinary people.

Their research indicates that more people hear the Bible read aloud than read it for themselves. For this reason, they have produced a translation that an inexperienced reader can read aloud without stumbling, that someone unfamiliar with traditional Biblical terminology can hear without misunderstanding, and that everyone can listen to with enjoyment because the style is lucid and lyrical. Go ahead, try it out. Get someone to read the passage below out loud and listen to how it sounds.

Example passage from CEV – 2 Corinthians 5:1

“Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever.”

2 Corinthians 5:1 (CEV)

See here for CEV Bibles – https://purebooks.nz/c/contemporary-english-version

ICB – International Children’s Bible

This is designed to be faithful to the manuscripts in the original languages, while making the language simple to read and understand. It is predominantly targeted at young children but can be read by anyone who finds it difficult to read. 

Sentences have been kept short and uncomplicated. Modern measurements and geographical locations have been used as much as possible (although you will have to navigate imperial measurements such as feet, yards and inches since this was translated in the USA). Any unfamiliar terms such as shaving a man’s beard to shame him or walking between the halves of a dead animal to seal an agreement are difficult for many readers to understand. So these are clarified either in the text or in a footnote.

Example passage from ICB – 2 Corinthians 5:1

“We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a house for us to live in. It will not be a house made by men. It will be a home in heaven that will last forever.”

2 Corinthians 5:1 (ICB)

This passage has been broken down into four sentences. Also, the word tabernacle has been substituted for the word body.

See here for ICB’s – https://purebooks.nz/c/international-children-s-bible

Conclusion

Knowing which Bible to start with can be confusing. If you don’t understand your Bible, don’t bang your head against it forever hoping it will start to make sense. There are many options available and these five are a great start.

But don’t feel like you have to stick with the same translation your whole life. It is just like learning an instrument. You may change size and quality of your instrument based on how you are progressing. In the same way, you may not stick with one translation of the Bible your whole life. As you grow in your understanding, you may want to upgrade to a translation with more depth.