Picking the right translation

So how do you pick the right translation? The answer is simple. The right translation is the translation that is right for you!

If you want to read the bible in the old King James Version because you love the language, go for it! If you don't want to read a translation but a paraphrase (this more or less a retelling) just do it! If you want to read the bible in a translation that emphasizes gender-neutrality, just go ahead.

In other words: don't let anyone tell you that there is only one right translation. Try out a few different translations and see what version you are most comfortable with. Remember, reading the whole bible in a year involves daily readings of a few chapters at a time, it's not like in church, reading a few lines here and there. So it might be smart to choose a translation that you actually like, not one you feel you should like. But it's up to you.

My only caveat would be this: pick a translation that you actually understand. You probably won't get much from reading a bible book (or any other book for that matter) in a language you're not fluent in. So if you feel honour-bound to read the bible in the King James version but have trouble understanding it all, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Good luck choosing a translation that is right for you.