There Are 2 Main Kinds or Categories of Bibles

For example, some Bibles are more of a word for word translation from the early copies; (1) a literal translation. Others are more of an interpretation, explanation, or amplifi cation of the early copies; (2) a paraphrase.

CATEGORY #1: Literal [Word for Word]

. New American Standard (this study was written with this version)
. King James
. New King James
. Etc.

CATEGORY #2: Paraphrase [Interpretations]

. Amplified Bibles
. Commentary Bibles
. Simplified Bibles
. Gender-Neutral Bibles
. Etc.

Note: The purpose of this list is to give you a basic and fundamental sense of the two main styles of Bibles, not to present a complete or comprehesive list of Bibles for each category. You must do your own homework. Even more, beware! Some Bibles, like the Revised Standard Version (RSV), were complete literal translations when they were fi rst introduced. But their successors/replacements are not. For example, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), is not a complete literal version. Instead it is a so called “gender-neutral” Bible. As explained on the next page, Gender-neutral Bibles are worse than a paraphrase because they do not translate masculine words, and instead replace them with no-gender replacements. Therefore they are not gender-neutral, but instead are truly “feminine-favored” or “pervert -preferred” Bibles. These translators despise the masculine gender. They refuse to even translate it! Shocking!

How Can You Tell the Difference Between the Two?

(a) What Is the Stated Intent of the Translators?

Many Bibles include at the front the goals of the translators. Some say that their Bible is an “Amplifi ed Bible.” This means that they are explaining it in addition to or in place of translating it. Others say their purpose was to stick to the original text, word for word, as closely as possible and if possible. So read about the goals and intent of the translators.

(b) What Is the Un-Stated Intent of the Translators?

Groups, or individuals who are translators, have differening belief systems that may or may not infl uence their translation work. So consider their affi liations or beliefs if you can. Because of the mistaken belief of certain translators, some Bibles have more of a bias than others that changes the original meaning of certain passages. For example:

New World Translation (JW)

The New World Translation

This Bible was translated by the sect called the “Jehovah’s Witnesses.” They mistakenly believe that the Son of God is not God, and for this reason they do not worship Him. So because of their mistaken belief, they have intentionally mistranslated certain passages to hide/remove the true deity of God’s Son. Here are a few examples:

(a) In John 1:1, most Bibles reveal that God’s Son “was God”, with a capital ‘G’. But the New World Translation says, “was a god”, with a little ‘g’ and with an ‘a’.

(b) In Hebrews 1:8, most Bibles reveal that God the Father talks about His Son being God, saying, “But about the Son He [the Father] says, Thy throne, O God [Son], will last for ever and ever”. But the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible has translated that verse in such a way as to hide or remove the deity of God’s Son. They do not understand how Jesus can be God.

Note: The deity of Jesus Christ is explained carefully in the Bible Study on Christian Worship for True vs. False Worshipers.

The Jehovah’s Witness New World Translation should be avoided altogether because it misrepresents the main character in the Bible, God’s Son.

Gender Neutral Bibles [AKA Gender-Bender or Masculine Emasculated Bibles!]

Another example of biased, and also non-literal, Bibles are what is deceptively called “Gender Neutral” Bibles. In the 1990’s, publishers/ translators/religious groups began to publish what they deceptively call “gender-neutral” Bibles. These Bibles must instead be called masculine neutered or emasculated Bibles, since they remove the male gender from almost all passages, excepting for now most passages about the Father and the Son. Why do they do this? It’s because certain worshipers want a genderless God, a genderless religion. Some do not want to offend the female gender, the feminists or the world, which parts of it do not want a masculine deity. If these false worshipers get their way entirely, they will take away the gender of our Father, our Son, and, the Holy Spirit.

New World Translation (JW)

The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) is an example of a masculine neutered, gender-bender Bible. It and others like it, of which there are several, should be avoided altogether since they do not translate male terms. You cannot trust the thousands and thousands of pronouns in these Bibles. Some even mistranslate gender specific prophecies in the Old Testament about the Christ, blurring or blotting out the meaning altogether. The specifi c problems that these Bibles present will be detailed in the advanced Bible Study on True vs. False Worshipers for Christians Who Want Recognized by the Father, Not Ignored.

Note: The Book of Mormon is not even in the same class as the Bible because it is not even a Bible. It is a totally different story which was fabricated and composed by Joseph Smith in 1830. He claimed to use a seer stone to create it. He was a sorcerer. This book is utterly false.

Conclusion

Some Bibles can more accurately reflect the words of God, and some cannot. The ones that try to add more words or meaning to the passages, explaining them in greater detail than what is in the early copies, are loosely translated, and can tend to refl ect more of what man thinks, and not what God said. They are paraphrases, and cannot and should not be used, for example, as a legal document or will because of the liberties that the translators took while translating it (no legal document, such as person’s a will, should be paraphrased, especially God’s will). Any Bible, whether it’s more of a word for word translation or one that is more loosely translated, can put footnotes and commentaries from men near the words of God.

Therefore, these notes and commentaries need to be carefully tested as to whether they have any merit or value. It seems that the best Bible to have and use is one that is understandable to the reader, and accurately translated; a word for word translation (a literal translation). A more accurate Bible, a potentially more accurate faith of the one reading it. If you want to be a stable follower of God, then you must be aware of the pitfalls of certain Bibles, especially the one(s) that misrepresent who Jesus is or His gospel. Is the Bible reliable? Yes, by far it is reliable. But some translations are better than others.

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