Read Hebrews 4:12-13
But even so, there are so many translations of the Bible, How do I know which one is true? Don’t they contradict each other? If there are so many translations, why should I bother with any of them?
This is a false question based on false assumptions. A brief overview of the translation process will clear the air.
The Bible is translated by teams of experts highly trained in reading Greek and Hebrew, the languages in which the New and Old Testaments were originally written. These teams go back to the originals and do their translations from scratch.
Of course, there are many different translations - NIV, RSV, NRSV, CEV, Good News, ASB, NASB, KJV, NKJV etc . Do these contradict each other and say different things? The short and clear answer is NO!
They are merely translations for different audiences. For example, if you were to tell the story of little red riding hood to a baby you’d use different language than if you were telling a teenager and again different to telling a grandmother. The various translations were written for different audiences and thus use different words and phrases. They say exactly the same thing.
When a translation is about to be made or revised, the team of experts goes back to the original Greek and Hebrew and works from there. Monetary units, concepts and ideas are translated into a language and style that the intended reader will understand.
What you need to do is to find a translation that you can understand. Try out several translations and stick to the one that you are comfortable with.
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