How to Choose a Bible Translation Without Compromising Doctrine
Few questions generate more conversation among Christians than Bible translations. Which one is best? Which one is most accurate? Which one should everyone be using?
Before answering any of that, it helps to step back and ask a better question. What is a translation actually trying to do?
Most debates about Bible translations start with preferences instead of principles. Some people value readability. Others prioritize precision. Many are shaped by the Bible they first encountered in their faith journey. All of that is understandable. But if we start there, we miss the foundation that should guide the conversation.
This article is not an attempt to declare a single correct English Bible. It is a framework. What follows reflects my own convictions, formed through study, prayer, and conversation, and I would encourage every reader to seek guidance from a trusted pastor and to approach Scripture with humility before God.
Inspiration and Authority Begin With the Original Text
Christians have historically affirmed that Scripture is inspired in its original writings. God spoke through human authors in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
No translation is inspired in the same sense as the original text. English Bibles are careful, scholarly efforts to render inspired Scripture into another language. That distinction matters. It guards us from treating any single translation as flawless or above evaluation.
At the same time, faithful translations truly communicate the Word of God. They are not lesser Scripture. They are Scripture faithfully translated so that God’s Word can be read, taught, and obeyed.
Doctrine Cannot Be Sacrificed for Accessibility
Every translation makes choices. Languages do not align perfectly. Word order, idioms, and grammar all require judgment calls.
But there is a clear boundary.
Readability and accessibility are good goals, but they are never primary goals. Faithfulness to meaning comes first. A translation may explain something more clearly, but it should never soften, obscure, or reshape essential doctrine. When clarity competes with accuracy, accuracy must win.
The Purpose of Translation Is Access to the Word
Translation exists for access.
Historically, access unfolds in layers.
First, access to Scripture in one’s own language. Most believers do not read biblical Hebrew or Greek. Translation makes Scripture available.
Second, access within a dialect or reading level. Even within the same language, people process meaning differently. Sentence structure and vocabulary affect understanding.
Third, access relative to purpose. Reading devotionally, studying deeply, teaching publicly, and memorizing Scripture are different activities. Different goals justify different translation approaches.
This is where translation philosophy becomes important.
Every Faithful Translation Must Clearly Communicate Core Christian Doctrine
While translations may differ in style and structure, certain doctrinal anchors must remain unmistakable. If a translation fails to communicate these clearly, it fails at the most fundamental level.
At a minimum, a faithful Christian Bible translation must preserve and clearly convey:
The omnipotence of God. God is all powerful, sovereign over creation, history, and redemption.
The omnipresence and transcendence of God. He is not confined by space or time, distinct from creation yet fully present and active within it.
The triune nature of God. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God, three persons. This reality is woven throughout Scripture and must not be blurred by translation choices.
The full divinity and true humanity of Jesus Christ. Jesus is not merely a teacher or prophet. He is God incarnate, fully divine and fully human.
The lordship of Christ. Jesus is not only Savior but Lord. His authority and kingship must not be diluted.
Salvation by grace through faith. Salvation is God’s work from beginning to end, grounded in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
These doctrines are not secondary. They are the framework within which the entire biblical story holds together. Differences in sentence flow or vocabulary are acceptable. Doctrinal distortion is not.
How Translations Carry Meaning Across Languages
Most English Bible translations fall along a spectrum rather than into rigid categories.
Word-for-Word
These translations aim to remain close to the structure and wording of the original languages. They preserve theological nuance and are well suited for study and teaching, though they can feel less natural in modern English.
Examples include the English Standard Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the King James Version.
Thought-for-Thought
These focus on communicating meaning rather than mirroring exact wording. They often read more smoothly but involve more interpretive decisions by translators.
The most common example is the New International Version, which aims to balance accuracy with readability.
Paraphrase and Highly Dynamic Translation
These prioritize contemporary expression and ease of reading. They can be helpful devotionally but should not be relied on for precision or doctrinal depth.
The New Living Translation often sits near this end of the spectrum and can be useful as a supplement rather than a primary study Bible.
Choosing Based on What You Are Looking For
There is no single translation that serves every purpose equally well.
For doctrinal study, more literal translations are often best.
For sustained reading, balanced translations can help with comprehension.
For new readers, accessibility matters, but it must remain anchored in faithfulness.
Many believers benefit from using more than one translation, allowing clarity and precision to inform one another rather than compete.
A Final Pastoral Word
No translation replaces prayer.
No translation replaces the work of the Holy Spirit.
No translation replaces guidance from faithful pastors and teachers.
Scripture was not given to create camps around English wording. It was given to reveal God, proclaim Christ, convict hearts, and shape lives.
Translations are tools.
The Word itself is the authority.
Breakwater Blessings 
Leave a comment