The Bible for Everyone - Side by Side Comparison

Helping you know how Tom Wright and John Goldingay's new The Bible for Everyone differs from other versions, we've put together a selection of verses in different translations. You'll be able to see what each brings out, and find the version that is right for you. 

John 3:16

The most iconic verse of the whole Bible, this now-aphorism of God’s gift and Christ’s coming is a verse of hope for millions. These different translations each bring out in their own way.

[The Bible For Everyone] “This, you see, is how much God loved the world: enough to give his only, special son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost but should share in the life of God’s new age.”

[CSB] “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

[NLT] “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

[KJV] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

[NIV] "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

[ESV] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Jeremiah 29:11

Bringing comfort for the future, Jeremiah 29:11 inspires readers and features a notable distinction between modern and classical translations. Aside from the KJV, all the verses end with both ‘hope’ and ‘future’, rather than ‘an expected end’ which can be an enigmatic notion to modern readers.

(Also, the KJV’s use of ‘thoughts of peace’, rather than ‘plans’, as used by all the others, is a fascinating starting point for those interested in the KJV’s theology, as well as a boon for Calvinists.)

[The Bible For Everyone] “Because I myself acknowledge the intentions that I’m formulating for you (Yahweh’s declaration), intentions for your well-being and not for bad things, to give you a future, a hope.”

[CSB] “For I know the plans I have for you” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

[NLT] “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

[KJV] “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

[NIV] “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

[ESV] “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Psalm 23:1-2

Whenever the Psalms are mentioned most people think of this pastoral Psalm of God’s protection. Note the uses of ‘want’ and ‘need’ between the translations. Such differences are both a great opening into discussions of the verse, and a route into finding which translation carries a greater resonance with you.

As an aside: Psalm 23 is not named ‘The Lord is My Shepherd’ in The Bible for Everyone, but rather ‘In the Dark of the Canyon’.

[The Bible For Everyone] "My shepherd being Yahweh, I don’t lack; he enables me to lie down in grassy pastures. He leads me to settles waters"

[CSB] “The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need. He lets me lie down in green pastures”

[NLT] “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows;”

[KJV] “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures”

[NIV] “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures”

[ESV] “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.”

Romans 12:12

The shortest verses can be as illuminating as the long, and stirring yet laconic verse of Romans 12:12 shows just that. Each translation contains several subtle changes that characterise the differences these translations embody.

[The Bible For Everyone] "Celebrate your hope; be patient in suffering; give constant energy to prayer;"

[CSB] “Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.”

[NLT] “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”

[KJV] “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”

[NIV] “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

[ESV] “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Genesis 1:1

Ending with the beginning, the very first verse of the Bible is a poignant reminder that whatever the translation, there is only one ever message of God’s power and love for humanity that prevails throughout. There is one book, one story, and one God: the words may change but the message always remains.

[The Bible For Everyone] "At the beginning of God’s creating the heavens and the earth,"

[CSB] “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

[NLT] “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

[KJV] “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

[NIV] “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

[ESV] “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”