List of Bible Versions Available Here:

American Standard Version (ASV)

The American Standard Version is a revised version of the King James Version (KJV). It was revised in 1885 before the American Revision Committee re-edited and published it in 1901. Like the KJV, many consider the ASV as a literal translation of the original Scripture, though it uses more modern English terms for words that are no longer in use. It also adopts capitalizing pronouns when referring to divinity e.g. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son”.

Bible in Basic English (BBE)

The BBE is translated by Professor Samuel Henry Hook, who translated using Basic English, a simplified subset of regular English. Professor S.H Hook states that this Bible version is to allow those with limited education or those whose English is not their first language a chance to learn the Bible.

Darby English Bible (DEB)

First published in 1980, the Darby English Bible was translated by John Nelson Darby, an Anglo-Irish Bible teacher. Darby’s intention for this Bible version was to provide a modern translation of the Bible for those who had no access or prior training or knowledge to understand the ancient languages used in the Bible. He also highlights that this Bible version is meant for individual study and reading, and not for congregational use.

King James Version (KJV)

The KJV, also known as the King James Bible (KJB) is currently the world’s most well-known Bible translation and it’s also the Bible version that most Americans use. The KJV was first commissioned by England’s King James I and was published in 1601 when the English-speaking Protestants accepted the KJV as their standard version of the English-translated Bible Because it uses seventeenth-century English where its majestic style and prose rhythm, this bible version also has a marked influence on English Literature.

Webster Bible

The Webster Bible was translated by Noah Webster in 1833, is a revised Bible version of the KJV, although the changes are rather minor and almost indistinguishable. This version focuses mainly on replacing archaic such as “wherefore” with “why”, as well as making simple grammatical revisions. Webster also introduced euphemisms to remove words that may be deemed derogatory or offensive such as replacing “whore” with “lewd women”.

World English Bible (WEB)

Another revised version of the ASV, the WEB was first published in 2000. Unlike many of the other translations, this version is a Public Domain (no copyright) 21st century English translation of the whole Bible. The intention behind the WEB is to have a Bible that does not use archaic English and does not use simplified English like the BBE. Currently, the World English Bible organization is editing the WEB to improve accuracy and readability.

Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)

The YLT was translated by Robert Young in 1898. Many consider this version one of the most literal translations of the Bible. It preserves the tenses and words used in the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts.

Why Are There So Many Bible Versions in the World?

You may wonder why there are so many bible versions. One of the main reasons is because of the sheer number of manuscripts that makes up this holy book. Currently, there are over 5,800 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament and over 10,000 Hebrew Old Testament alone. As time passes, people began translating the Bible into various languages and eventually, published more versions of the Bible.

Other reason includes the type of translation method and philosophy used and the intention behind each Bible version. When authors use a different translation method, you get very different Bible versions. That is why the King James Version (KJV) differs greatly from New International Version (NIV). And when we consider the authors’ intentions, we also understand why authors translate versions like Bible Basic English (BBE) and Darby English Bible (DEB) for specific groups of people.

What Are The Different Versions of the Bible?

The different versions of the Bible depend on the type of translation used – Literal Translation, Dynamic Equivalent, or Free Translation.

Literal Translation: uses the formal equivalence translation philosophy which aims to preserve the words, phrases, and tenses used in the original manuscript. While some argue that it retains authenticity, the use of archaic words can make it difficult for us to understand. Examples of such versions of the Bible include the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), and many others.

Dynamic Equivalent: uses thought-for-thought translation philosophy and its goal is to maintain historical distance while using modern English to help us understand the texts better. Examples include New Living Translation (NLT) and New International Version (NIV)

Free Translation (paraphrasing): it translates all ideas from the original text but is heavily paraphrased so as to remove historical distance. While it is easy to read, some argue that these Bible versions may not be the most precise. Examples include The Living Bible ( TLB) and The Amplified Bible.

How Many Versions of the Bible Are There?

In this list of Bible versions, there are currently 104 completed Bible versions. If we include partial versions and incomplete translations, there are approximately 150 different versions of the Bible.

How Many Versions of the Bible Are There in English?

We believe that there are currently about 50 main versions of the Bible in English. But if we count all the revisions from the first English translation, there are more than 100 versions in English.