Modern Critical Text Bibles

Based on many hours of investigation over several years, including reviews of over 25 differernt English language versions, I have established Five Requirements which Modern Translations must meet before I will recommend them:

• Literal Translation Style vs Dynamic Equivalent Translation Style
  - more - Literal vs Dynamic
• Inclusion of 'Questioned' Passages vs Omission
  - more - Inclusion/Exclusion
• Original or Gender Accurate vs Gender Neutral/Gender Inclusive
  - more - The Colorado Springs Guideline (for Gender Accurate translation)
• Bias-free Translation
  - more - Denominational Bias
• Excellent Quality - or else, why would I recommend it?

Recommended:

• Info and Review - The New American Standard Bible (NASB)
• Info and Review - The English Standard Version (ESV)

Conditionally Recommended:

• Info and Review - The American Standard Version (ASV 1901) - Primarily for Old Testament
• Info and Review - The New English Translation (NET) - As a reference for translation notes

Not Recommended:

• New International Version (NIV) - Dynamic Equivalent, 7th Grade Reading Level, Gender Neutral (degree varies by version). Published in 1978, 1984, my original review was "...Not as reliable of a work as it should be...too many individual verses with "spot" problems...has too many passages with irregular translations or unqualiftied deviations"

  In 2011 the NIV went to a fully gender-inclusive format and both the 2011 NIV and the derived TNIV version were both formally rejected by the Southern Baptist Convention and pulled from Lifeway stores. Over 450,000,000 NIV Bibles have been sold.

• Christian Standard Bible (CSB) - Dynamic Equivalent, 7th Grade Reading Level, At least partially Gender Neutral.

  Originally published in 1999, 2010 as the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), revised in 2017 as the CSB.Over 20,000,000 CSB Bibles have been sold.

• New Living Translation (NLT) - Dynamic Equivalent, "Middle-School" Reading Level, At least partially Gender Neutral.

  Started as a project to revise The Living Bible, but instead became of fresh translation using the critical texts. Published in 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015.

• New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Integrated Catholic or Orthodox Apocrypha editions, Gender Inclusive, Formal equivalence, High School reading level.
  
  
• The Message Extremely loose Paraphrase using inappropriate uses of "hell" such as "hell-raisers" (Judges 19, 20, Proverbs 1), "hellhound" (2 Samuel 16), and "hell breaks loose" (Psalm 31,32), as well as using very bad paraphrases like Psalm 27:1, "Light, space, zest-that's GOD!..." (vs "Jehovah is my light and my salvation..." - ASV). - See table for more examples.

• And any others which are non-literal translations, do not respect original language gender, which use English language words or phrases considered vulgar, are liberaly or denominationaly biased, and/or are of poor or inconsistant accuracy.

Denominational Bias:

• Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB, D-R, or DRV) - Catholic
• Confraternity Bible (CB) - Catholic
• Jerusalem Bible (JB or TJB) - Catholic
• New American Bible (NAB) - Catholic
  
  
• Orthodox Study Bible (Based on LXX & NKJV) - Orthodox
• New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS) - Orthodox
  
  
• New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT) - Jehovah's Witness
  
  
• Joseph Smith Translation (JST) - Modified KJV, published 1867 - Latter-day Saints (Mormon)
  
  
• Clear Word Bible (CWB) - Seventh-day Adventist