10 Easiest Version of The Bible to Read

It is often a hot topic among Christians as to which Bible is the best to read and understand. Many people, however, consider the New Living Translation (NLT) to be one of the best Bible translations to read and understand because it is both simple to understand and easy to read. As a result, this translation represents an accurate thought-for-thought translation of the original languages of the Bible, which is widely accepted by both scholars and laypeople alike.

As with other Bible translations, there are several others that are equally easy to read and understand, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses, but not every Bible translation is easy to read. The purpose of this article is to help you determine which version of the Bible will be the easiest for you to read.

New Living Translation (NLT)

A 6th-grade reading level is the target of the NLT. The reading level of this book is not the lowest on the list, but for most people, it is the best choice in the long run. In my opinion, the NLT strikes a good balance between being literal and being easy to read, and some people have referred to it as a thought-for-thought translation. Although it is not a word-for-word translation, which the ESV is closer to, it is still a good choice if you are looking for something to study the Bible in depth.

The NLT Bible is best for: The NLT Bible is a good translation for most people who are looking for a Bible that is easy to read and is easy for them to understand. It’s a great translation for reading and is good enough for in-depth Bible Study.

What is a good Bible for starters? For most people who are just starting out with their Bible study, the New Living Translation (NLT) is a good choice. A great deal of care has been put into making it both readable and accurate to the original text of the Bible.

English Standard Version (ESV)

ESV aims for 8th to 10th grade reading levels. Even though it isn’t as easy to read as the NLT, which we just looked at, it is still clear and easy to understand. As a result of it being near-word-for-word, the ESV is becoming a very popular translation because of its clarity and readability. 

The ESV Bible is best for: People looking for a Bible that is both easy to read, and at the same time still clear enough for serious study of God’s Word, will find the ESV to be a good choice. 

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

CEV aims for 5th grade reading level. The reading level of this book is the lowest of my top three. It would be fair to say that the CEV translation is not as well known as some of the other translations, but for some people, it may be an excellent choice. There is no need to worry about it being based on the original text of the Bible, which is why it is recommended here.

It has been said that the CEV is the easiest bible to read from a perspective of reading level.

There are many children’s bibles on the market that are paraphrases or storybooks that are based on the Bible. Despite the fact that these are marketed as Bibles, these are actually stories based on the Bible, not translations of the original text, which is what they are supposed to be.

The CEV Bible is best for: It is a good choice for a Children’s Reading Bible to use the CEV version. Basically, it is a full text of the Bible based on the original text, but it is written at a lower reading level than the original. In addition, it is a good choice for those who are learning English as a second language, as it is an accessible course.

Reading Level of Bible Translations

Table of the Most Popular Bible Translations Reading Levels

A few things to note about this table:

The King James Version (KJV) is one of the best versions of the Bible for its historical value and poetic language. The reason that it isn’t included on my recommended list of easy-to-read versions is that it uses Elizabethan English that dates back to the 1600’s.

In some cases, the reading levels have a range due to the fact that different publishers and groups have different standards for measuring them.

The 10th on the list is the Message, a paraphrased version of the Bible, which is intended to be read, not to be used as a study bible, and is meant to be read as a paraphrase. Like the other translations on this list, most paraphrases are influenced only by one person and not by a group of language experts as the other translations are.

In my opinion, paraphrases of the Bible are not recommended for starters. As a rule of thumb, paraphrases tend to flow more smoothly in English than the original text. A translator’s biases can also be brought into the process by one individual rather than by a team of translators.

It is important to note that this does not mean that paraphrased Bibles do not have a place in devotional reading Bibles. The purpose of paraphrases is to enhance your understanding of the Bible, not to be relied on as your main Bible text. For people who are just starting out, there is usually only one version of the Bible in their possession, so I wouldn’t recommend using a paraphrase to be the only Bible they use.

Which Bible Version Is Most Easy and Accurate to Comprehend?

In today’s world, there are a lot of translations and versions available, so how do you decide which one to choose? Is it safe to trust any? Since there are a lot of opinions and choices out there, I would like to explain why I recommend the NLT, ESV, and CEV despite the fact that there are so many options. By making an informed decision, you will be able to make a decision that you feel comfortable with.

The two major approaches to translating the Bible from the original text can be very helpful if you are unfamiliar with them. 

It is said that the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, with a little bit of Aramaic thrown in here and there.

It has been proposed that word-for-word translation and thought-for-thought translation are the two main approaches to translating the Bible.

Basically, word-for-word translations try to stick as closely as possible to the original languages with as many words as possible. Translations based on the thought-for-thought philosophy tend to be much clearer and allow for a better expression of the Bible in modern English. The fact that they aren’t accurate does not mean that they aren’t accurate. It’s just a different emphasis and approach when it comes to translating.

An ESV translation, for example, is more word-for-word than other translations. The NLT and CEV are both thought-for-thought translations. On the extreme right of that spectrum would be paraphrases such as the Message that are considered to be literal. An example of a paraphrase is when the meaning of a text is expressed with words that are not in the original text.

I am sure there is much more to be said about Bible versions and translations, but that is the essence of what needs to be said.

What is the most accurate and easy to understand version of the Bible? The word-for-word versions are considered to be more accurate, and the thought-for-thought versions are typically considered easier to comprehend. As you can see, that’s where the conflict is. As far as accuracy is concerned, the ESV can be considered slightly more accurate since it tends to be a more word-for-word translation. The NLT is also considered to be easier to read by many people since it is translated thought-for-thought, which makes it easier to understand.

The ESV would be my choice if I had to choose just one, since most people don’t argue about its accuracy, and yet it remains clear and easy to read even in its current form. It is for this reason that the ESV is gaining popularity as the bible of choice for many people who wish to study the Bible in depth. 

Compared to the different translations, you will probably find that most of the wordings are similar when you compare them. Most of the time, the meaning is the same. It should be noted that there are some places where translators disagree. In general, it is safer to have a team of language experts working together rather than relying solely on the paraphrase of one person.

The last thing I would like to mention regards the NLT and the CEV is that there is one thing I need to clarify. Both of them seem to lean towards gender-neutral language at some points in their writing. A more literal translation of the original Hebrew text is found in Genesis 1:27, in which God created humans, whereas word-for-word translations like the English Standard Version (ESV) will state that God created man – which is the literal translation of the original Hebrew text.

In my opinion, the NLT and CEV are not as far leaning as some other translations such as the NIrV (which is not included in my top 3 list here). As a result, I do not recommend the NIrV for this particular application.

I believe that most of the gender-neutral leanings in both the CEV and NLT are more due to English usage reasons than any gender-neutral leanings in translations like the NIrV and NIV. As a result, it isn’t a deal breaker for me, so it doesn’t matter to me. It is true that I have my own convictions about God’s Word, but I can also see that it is more natural for people to say that “God created humans,” as opposed to saying that “God created man” in English.

Obviously, for serious Bible study, I recommend the ESV translation or any other translation that is more word-for-word, so this is not a problem, but for a reading Bible, it is something that I wanted to bring up so that you are aware of it. 

In general, there is a lot more that can be said about Bible translations in general. There is no doubt that this is a lot of information for most people, but I think that is probably more than they need.

FAQ

What Bible is easiest to read?

Usually, people want to know what is the easiest version of the Bible to read, but after conducting extensive research, you will be able to find this out for yourself. Choosing a Bible that is easy to read depends on what you like and what you need it for, as well as what you need it for.

Study Bibles are something you may want to consider getting. Maps, concordances, study notes, charts, and commentary are all included in study Bibles.

This helps to elaborate the knowledge that a reader will gain from reading each text by providing these features. The New International Version (NIV), the English Standard Version (ESV), the New King James Version (NKJV), and the King James Version (KJV) are some of the translations that are also Study Bibles.

The best way to learn more about your Bible is to study in depth from different reliable sources when you read it. If you want to know what some texts mean, you can also search for their meaning online, but remember to always go back to God’s word so that the wrong answers can be filtered out from the right ones.

What is a good Bible for a beginner?

Beginners are advised to read the Bible in a smooth language that is easy to understand, as this will make reading easier for them. As many new believers are just getting their feet wet with Christianity, the last thing they need is a Bible version that is filled with ambiguity and makes them feel confused.

It is important to note that there are various levels of understanding among beginners. It is therefore crucial that they are guided to read the version of the Bible that is the easiest for them to understand, based on the level of their understanding of English or any other language they understand and speak.

Is NIV Bible good for beginners?

In order to study the Bible for the first time, someone who is new to God’s word does not require a text that is complex or vague. In order to avoid losing interest in their intimate walk with God, it is important that they select the easiest Bible version to read so they do not lose interest in their intimate walk with God as a result.

It is recommended that beginners use the New International Version of the Bible (NIV) as one of the Bible versions. By reading the New International Version of the Bible, the reader is able to do a deeper study of the Scriptures.

It has been said by a number of people that NIV is the most readable English Bible in the world because it accurately changes the original texts of the Bible into modern-day English. Interestingly, the New International Version of the Bible is continually being updated to meet readers’ needs to ensure that it is relevant to their needs.

How do I choose a Bible version?

When it comes to selecting a Bible version, you should take your time because it has a significant impact on the speed of your spiritual growth. Due to this reason, you should be careful when selecting a Bible version since you need to make sure it fits your needs and that it is appropriate for your situation.

The first step is to choose a version of the Bible that is easy to read and understand. Make sure that as you translate them, you do not stray from what is intended by the original texts. Alternatively, you can seek the guidance of someone who has experience in the field to take the selection process a little easier for you.

You can also create a list of popular Bible versions that people use and compare the texts of those versions. Choosing from a large number of options can be overwhelming, but it is important to do your research before making your final decision. As a Christian, it is not sufficient to use only one Bible Version in order to follow God. If you wish, you can have a primary version and a secondary version for reference purposes.

Conclusion

As a result of this study, I believe that the most popular Bible translations are good and you will be able to understand what God’s Word says. My recommendation would be to use the three versions: the ESV, the NLT, and the CEV. Regardless of which route you decide to take, be sure to ask Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth (John 16:13).

I believe it is usually because of a desire to gain clarity as they digest the word of God that people ask questions like what is the easiest version of the Bible to read. Make sure you have enough information about the features of any Bible translation before you purchase it.

It would also be a good idea to ask spiritual friends who you trust for recommendations on which Bible version would be the most beneficial for you. You should also not be relying on only one Bible version for your spiritual growth, but rather be ready to have more than one Bible version on hand at all times in order to draw ideas from a wide array of translations.