What translation of the Bible should I be reading? There are a lot to choose from — which one is the best?
If you want to sit down specifically to pray and meditate on scripture, I recommend you use whatever translation you have on hand that is familiar, comforting, and appealing to you. If you love the rhythm and verse of the King James Bible “The Lord is my shepherd/I shall not want/He maketh me lie down in green pastures/He leadeth me beside the still waters” then by all means, pray with that translation. However, if you want to study as well as reflect on the Bible, then you should choose one of the most widely accepted translations such as the New American Bible (NAB) or the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). The former is the one we hear read at Catholic churches in the United States, the latter is the official translation used by Canadian Catholic churches. Both are solidly researched and translated by a committee of well-respected scholars and are used in many Scripture classes around the English speaking world.
