Here’s your daily verse calendar for the month of March! Click each link below to read the verse in your preferred translation — or download an image (or PDF) of all verse references.
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“Look at the Book” is Bible Gateway’s series of short blog posts and infographics introducing you to the books of the Bible. The Gospel of Mark is the shortest and almost certainly the earliest of the four gospels.
Scroll to the bottom if you’d prefer to see (and save) this article as an infographic. You’ll also find a handy 30-day reading guide. Or, for a challenge, you can do it in one week using the 7-day reading guide below.
Summary
Mark targeted a Gentile audience, especially a Roman one. Mark is the gospel of action; the frequent use of “immediately” and “then” keeps his narrative moving rapidly along. Mark’s fast-paced approach would especially appeal to the practical, action oriented Romans.
Category: Gospels
Theme: Identity
Timeline: Approx. 55 AD by John Mark, Peter’s interpreter
Key Verse
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:45 (NIV)
God’s Human Side
Mark shows the humanity of Christ more clearly than any of the other evangelists, emphasizing Christ’s human emotions, His human limitations, and other small details that highlight the human side of the Son of God.
Mark sustains a fast-paced plot not only by compactness but also by using words suggesting the next event happened right away, “immediately” and “quickly,” some forty times. More than that, over half of the Gospel is about the last week of Jesus’s life.
“Gospel,” euangelion, means “good news.” In secular Greek, euangelion referred to a good report about an important event.
Access the rest of the series. Browse Bible studies for each book of the Bible. Or right-click on the infographic below to download and save the image for your reference.
Note: This is part two of a two-part series on the Antilegomena, or “disputed” books of the Bible. This article examines the books that the rabbis and church fathers narrowly rejected from inclusion in the Old and New Testaments, respectively. Part One looks at the books that rabbinic and church authorities narrowly approved.
Think about your spiritual library for a minute — all your favorite theological and inspirational books, in any genre — the ones that have had the greatest influence on your faith, your ethics, the way you see the world (outside of the Bible, of course).
If you were going to make a list of the most profound and important selections — ones that should be read by every Christian (or even every person) — what would you pick? (I might have Augustine’s Confessions and Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling on mine, for example.)
Now, imagine you and everyone in your church had to share your lists with one another — and you all had to reach an agreement. Probably you would have some overlap. Others that are deeply meaningful to them might seem unimportant or even nonsense to you, and vice versa. (Did either of my picks make your list?) What criteria do you use to narrow it down? How do you determine what’s going to be most universally valuable?
These are the sorts of questions that the compilers of the Biblical canons had to reckon with.
Of course, this is an imperfect analogy: at the end of the day, all of our picks above were written by people, regardless of how wise or saintly — not by the Holy Spirit. The stakes were considerably higher for the canons: they had to determine what was genuinely divine revelation, not merely what was spiritually edifying.
But you see the problem: How do you collectively determine what belongs in the Bible’s library of sacred Scripture (even if it might be controversial), and what doesn’t (even if it might be widely loved)?
Fortunately, the people who made these decisions didn’t have to do it alone. For the most part, it was an organic process guided by the Holy Spirit. But even so, the Spirit is not always easy to discern, and there were certainly some disagreements along the way.
We’ve talked about the books that almost weren’t included in canon because their authenticity or spiritual benefit was in doubt. Now let’s take a look at the books that nearly were included — books that were popular, spiritually beneficial, maybe even somewhat inspired — but were ultimately determined unfit for canon.
It’s important to note that — for the most part — these are not considered heretical books. We’re not talking “gnostic gospels” or Marcionite commentaries. There is some questionable doctrine to be found in the antilegomena, to be sure. But they are generally orthodox works, and many of them are still read and revered even today. They were simply determined to be written by regular (if wise) people, not inspired by the Spirit, and are therefore subject to human flaws and foibles.
Books That Almost Made It Into the Old Testament
There were in fact many, many books that the rabbis rejected from the Hebrew canon, most of which are now lost to us. But there were still a few close exclusions that still managed to resonate throughout the early centuries of the church.
Apocrypha/Deuterocanon
The most important of the Old Testament “antilegomena” basically come down to the Deuterocanon. These books were, of course, included in all Christian Bibles up until the Reformation, and are still found in Orthodox, Catholic, and some Protestant Bibles (mainly Anglican). Most Protestants and Jews today do not consider them Scripture, though.
The Deuterocanonical books are a collection of writings from the Intertestamental Period — that is, the period between the finalizing of the Hebrew Old Testament and the New Testament (roughly 400-100 BC, with a few approaching the time of Christ).
Most were written in Greek, with a few in Aramaic. Because of this, they became popular in the Greek-speaking Jewish diaspora throughout the Roman empire, and were included in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament that also became the de facto Old Testament version for most Christians until Jerome’s Latin Vulgate in the 4th century AD (and remains the default version in most Eastern Orthodox churches).
Other than the Apocrypha, the book that was most narrowly rejected from the Old Testament is probably the Book of Enoch (technically 1 Enoch, as there are two other books bearing his name as well).
Enoch was written sometime between 300 and 100 BC, probably (like Daniel) in a combination of Hebrew and Aramaic. But the rabbis quickly dismissed it as heretical because it contains material that contradicts the Torah, yet wasn’t old enough (like Ezekiel) to have established its prophetic credentials.
The rabbis’ concerns weren’t unfounded. Enoch has indeed often been used in heretical contexts, particularly among gnostic groups who came to see angels as part of the fallen world order created by an evil demigod rather than the Lord of Heaven.
Nevertheless, as mentioned in Part I, the book achieved wide popularity and influence by New Testament times, and was even referenced several times by the apostles (e.g., in Jude and 2 Peter). It was also instrumental in the development of the doctrine of Satan as the prince of the fallen angels (which is hinted at but never explicitly said in the Bible itself).
Books That Almost Made It Into the New Testament
There is a long list of books that were at one point considered Scripture by some early Christians. Most were either determined to be spurious or, as I’ve written elsewhere, simply weren’t widely accepted and fell out of favor by the time canon became more consistently established. A few, however, remained widely regarded as “spiritually edifying” and perhaps even inspired, but were not sufficiently apostolic to warrant inclusion in Scripture.
Gospel of the Hebrews
One of the last books to be rejected from the New Testament (Eusebius names it alongside Revelation), this gospel is lost to us except in quotations from church fathers. It appears to focus to some extent on pre-incarnation matters, including suggesting that the Holy Spirit is Jesus’s Divine Mother.
Acts of Paul (and Thecla)
Essentially a sequel to Acts, this book details the rest of Paul’s missionary work, including his martyrdom by beheading, as well as the acts of Thecla, a widely venerated early saint who allegedly baptized herself at what she expected to be her martyrdom before being saved by multiple miracles (one of which involved the divine electrocution of a pack of man-eating seals — seriously, look it up).
The Acts of Paul (sometimes called “Acts of Paul and Thecla,” a testament to the latter’s appeal) was a highly popular book throughout the early church but never caught on strongly with church authorities. Much of the book has been preserved and translated into English, though with considerable lacunae (gaps) in the available manuscripts.
Shepherd of Hermas
Dense with visions, commandments, parables, and allegories,the Shepherd was quoted as an authority by many of the fathers and was even included in some early Bibles.
Despite having a very strong influence on the developing church’s moral theology, it also promotes a low Christology of Jesus as a mortal man adopted into divinity, and thus fell out of favor after the Council of Nicaea anathematized that view in 325 AD.
Nevertheless, it retained an important place in church history, and is relatively easy to find even today.
Apocalypse of Peter
Like the Apocalypse of John (aka Revelation), Peter’s Revelation provides visions and predictions of Christ’s Second Coming, the rewards of the righteous in heaven, and the torments of the wicked in hell. It was actually accepted as Scripture in some circles before Hebrews, James, and 2 Peter.
Though it was controversial for many of the same reasons as John’s Revelation, it appears to have been ultimately rejected because it suggested both that the holy in heaven could rescue the damned from hell with their prayers, and that in the end all souls might be restored in such a manner (a widespread though hotly contested view in the early church that was formally rejected at the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 AD).
Epistle of Barnabas
Ascribed throughout the early church to the Barnabas mentioned in Acts (e.g., Ac. 4:36), this treatise (not actually an epistle) enjoyed almost universal acceptance as authentic and authoritative in the early church.
Barnabas argues that the Jews had misinterpreted their Scriptures — a common argument among early Christians, which in its more extreme articulation was ultimately condemned as a heresy. It also divides between a “Way of Light” and “Way of Darkness,” with explicit descriptions of each path. (The Didache, below, contains the same material almost verbatim, and it’s difficult to tell which one is earlier.)
The book was most likely rejected as Scripture because (even if it was authentic, which some had begun to doubt) it was not by one of the original apostles.
1 & 2 Clement
These two letters were recognized fairly early as not being by the same author, and indeed the second is not even a letter, but the name stuck anyway.
1 Clement, written by Bishop Clement of Rome in the first century AD, addresses divisions in the church in Corinth, much as Paul had done a generation or so earlier.
2 Clement is an exhortation to repentance, probably deriving from a community of converted pagans — judging by its self-reproach for “worshipping stones and pieces of wood … made by humans.”
Probably the earliest known Christian text not included in the New Testament, 1 Clement was and remains well-loved and respected, but was not included in canon simply because it is not by an apostle.
Didache
Also known as “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles,” the Didache is the earliest known Christian catechism, most likely dating from the late first century.
Though brief, it is remarkably comprehensive, providing first an ethical guide in the form of the “Two Ways” virtue-and-vice lists also found in the Epistle of Barnabas; then ritual instructions for sacraments such as baptism, prayer, and Eucharist; and finally some advice on church organization.
The Didache was influential and often cited among the church fathers (and continues to garner appreciation today, especially among Orthodox and Catholics), but few considered divinely inspired Scripture.
Conclusion: The Closing of Canon
In our opening thought experiment I asked what the core criteria would be for making the final call on our canon of spiritual texts.
Ultimately, the church fathers’ primary criterion ended up being a simple one: how reliably could the book in question be connected to one of the original apostles?
This very sensible, conservative approach allowed them to sidestep the worst of the controversy. Writings like 1 Clement, the Didache, or even the Epistle of Barnabas could still be accepted, read, and appreciated — just like our own list of “spiritual classics” — while acknowledging they are not divine revelation.
What then are we to make of all this? I’d suggest two things.
First, as I said in Part I, is simply how deeply God desires to be in conversation and relationship with us. The Holy Spirit didn’t just plop a finished Bible in our laps, but revealed it gradually, through many hands and voices, over many centuries. More than that, the Spirit is present in Scripture not merely as lightning in a bottle — not only through the course of composing all these books — but also of compiling them. And of course, even today, as readers, the Spirit is with us, guiding us through God’s Word into deeper relationship with the very Word through whom it was written, Jesus Christ.
Second, Scripture is closed (if still somewhat disputed between denominations, particularly with regards to Deuterocanon) — but engagement is not. The Bible is there not just to look upon and appreciate but to mutually interact with. What is engagement if not close relationship — and what is close relationship if not the whole complexity of experiences you might have with someone you love?
I like to think that, through this whole process of canonization, God was saying, hey, it’s OK to have favorites and least favorites in my Book — and favorite non-scripture books that help you connect with and make sense of Scripture — and those might change over time. But ultimately the Bible is the Bible, and as long as you continue to return to it, it will continue to be a lamp to your feet and light for your path.
Catch up on Part I of the Antilegomena, “Books That Almost Made It Into the Bible.” If you want to learn more about the history and content of the books that did make it into the Bible — and how they relate to extrabiblical texts — you can try Bible Gateway Plus free and get access to dozens of top resources for studying the Bible and deepening your relationship with God’s Word.
If you’re new to Bible reading — or even if you’re not — you might feel completely bewildered by the array of Bible versions, translations, and editions available today.
Whether you’re browsing the Bible section at your local bookstore or comparing Bible Gateway’s own library (which features dozens of English translations, let alone the huge variety of other languages), you might feel overwhelmed by the alphabet soup of abbreviations in front of you.
You’re not alone — Bible decision fatigue is real. In fact, it’s not uncommon for shoppers to leave stores empty handed rather than risk buying the “wrong” Bible version.
Here’s the good news: with very few exceptions, there is no “wrong” version of the Good News. But depending on what you’re looking for, there are better or worse places for you to start.
This guide will help you sort through the major Bible versions available today and make a choice that suits your personal circumstances. You’ll also learn a bit about the different translation types, or philosophies, and a crash course in their histories. When you’re done, you’ll have no trouble telling your NIV from your ESV, your NRSVUE from your NABRE, and your KJV from your NKJV.
Why Are There So Many Bible Versions?
Why are there so many Bible versions, anyway? How different can they really be?
If you’ve ever compared a few translations side by side, you know the answer: they can differ greatly. Sometimes it’s hard to believe both passages come from the same source text!
The books of the Bible were written over hundreds of years in various locations around the Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East. Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew (with a few passages in Aramaic) centuries before the birth of Jesus, while the latest books in the New Testament were written in Greek decades after his death and resurrection.
Needless to say, a lot has changed in the world since then. Rendering words written thousands of years ago and thousands of miles away — in very different languages and contexts than our own — intelligible to a modern English reader is an enormous challenge.
There are a lot of good reasons for the variety of different ways an original passage from the Bible can be translated. Here are just a few of them:
No One-to-One Correlation
Words in one language seldom have exact matches in other languages. There are often shades of meaning lost in translation — all the more so when separated by thousands of years.
Common examples include the Hebrew word ruach — which can be translated either “breath” or “wind” — and of course the Greek logos, which can variously mean “word,” “reason,” “thought,” or “speech.”
No Punctuation
Unlike modern English, most ancient languages have little to no punctuation to clarify where one phrase or sentence ends and another begins. To make matters worse, early Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts used all capital letters, and often didn’t include spaces between words. Hebrew didn’t even include vowels!
IMAGINETRYINGTOTRANSLATETHISSENTENCEWITHNOVOWELSIFITWASNTYOURNATIVELANGUAGE. Now imagine trying to do that for hundreds of pages (not to mention backwards: Hebrew is written right-to-left)!
Idioms
One of the greatest challenges trying to translate texts across languages and cultures is figuring out what to do with idioms, or common cultural phrases that mean something very different from what they appear to in the literal sense.
Do you convert them to the target language as closely as possible, so readers know exactly what images the original writers used, even if they don’t understand what was originally meant by them? Or do you try to get the point across by adjusting the words to something more meaningful to us today?
Imagine someone in Thailand — or for that matter, on Mars — two or three thousand years from now trying to make sense of phrases like “break a leg” or “throw the baby out with the bathwater” and you can start to get a sense of the problem.
These sorts of phrases abound in both Hebrew and Greek. Many of them have now entered our own lexicon — so much so that we don’t even realize they’re from the Bible — but others, like the many uses of covering or uncovering one’s feet — remain contested.
Times, Genres, and Styles
The books of the Bible were written by many hands over hundreds of years. Some books were carefully crafted by scholars, while others are the live-spoken testimony of holy men and women. Some of them are histories, some are poetry, some are letters, or collections of sayings, or prophecies. Often a single book will include several of these genres within it.
The fact that God chose so many hands to write his Word is part of what makes reading the Bible such a vibrant, dynamic, and engaging experience. When translating such a wonderful variety of voices, it’s possible to purposely or accidentally smooth them all out into a single, more consistent one.
There are reasons to do so — such as helping to highlight the thematic and narrative throughlines of the entirety of Scripture. But you also run the risk of losing the freshness and particular feeling of the individuals God selected and inspired to deliver his message.
Types of Bible Translation
Different translators intentionally approach all these problems differently — but all with the same goal of trying to make God’s Word clear and accessible in our own words.
To better understand what separates different Bible versions from one another, you first need to understand the fundamental translation philosophies behind them. Each translation style brings its unique lens to scripture, influencing how passages are interpreted and applied.
Formal Equivalence (Word-for-Word)
Formal equivalence prioritizes achieving word-for-word accuracy, focusing on a meticulous and precise translation of the original text’s exact words as closely as possible into the target language. This approach preserves idioms, even if we lose their intended meaning.
Examples: The KJV and NKJV, ESV, NRSVUE, NASB, CSB, and NABRE versions are all different approaches to formal equivalence translation — some more stringently literal than others.
Functional Equivalence (Thought-for-Thought)
Functional equivalence — also called dynamic equivalence or thought-for-thought translation — focuses on conveying the meaning of thoughts or ideas rather than a direct word-for-word translation, aiming to preserve the original writers’ intent and context. Here, idioms will be translated in a way that makes their intended meaning clear, even if it means losing the actual Hebrew or Greek phrase.
Examples: The NIV is among the most balanced translations available, but tends slightly more toward functional than formal equivalence. The NLT, CEB, and NIrV are more strongly thought-for-thought approaches.
Paraphrase
As the name suggests, paraphrases rephrase and restructure sentences from the original text to enhance clarity and accessibility for a modern audience. In other words, paraphrases fall on the far end of the thought-for-thought spectrum. While some paraphrases are well-loved and respected, they can be controversial, because they stray distantly from the original language of the Bible.
Examples: The Message and the Living Bible are paraphrased versions of the Bible. The Amplified Bible is, too, although it is unique in being a word-for-word paraphrase, where it provides multiple meanings of many words to help illustrate their various meanings.
Top Bible Versions Today
The most popular English versions of the Bible today include the New International Version (NIV), King James Version (KJV) and New King James Version (NKJV), the English Standard Version (ESV), the New Living Translation (NLT), the New Revised Standard Version (NRSVUE), and several others.
NIV (New International Version)
Summary: The most popular modern version of the Bible, known for its excellent and broadly accessible balance of accuracy and readability.
Year released: 1978 (Revised 2011)
Reading level: 7 (Relatively easy)
Translation team/sponsor: 100+ evangelical Bible scholars for Biblica (licensed to Zondervan in the U.S.)
The NIV’s deft balance of accuracy and readability has established it as the most popular modern Bible version. More than 100 international scholars labored for over a decade to capture the original meaning of each passage without sacrificing accessibility, beginning in the 1960s and finally publishing the finished version in 1978.
One of the most balanced translations available, the NIV leans just slightly toward a functional equivalence compared to other top translations. It should appeal to a wide variety of readers across ages, reading levels, and denominations.
Readers looking for a closer word-for-word translation, however, might be happier with the ESV or NRSVUE, while those looking for a more traditional feel should stick with the KJV or NKJV.
Sample passage: I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NIV)
KJV (King James Version)
Summary: The enduring and influential classic that set the bar for English Bible translations. Best for traditional worship settings and historical or literary-minded readers.
Year released: 1611
Reading level: 12 (Very challenging)
Translation team/sponsor: 47 Anglican scholars and clergy for King James I of England
One of the most popular books in the world for hundreds of years, the King James Version needs little introduction. Commissioned (or “authorized”) by King James I of England in 1604, undertaken by a team of 47 scholars, and released in 1611, the KJV became the definitive Bible version in the English-speaking world until at least the mid-twentieth century. It is directly responsible for hundreds of English terms and phrases that we use every day — often without realizing their Biblical origin.
The KJV initially took a formal equivalence approach, though (because it was intended to be read aloud in services) it paid special attention to the beauty and elegance of the language. That effort still bears fruit today.
On the other hand, our language has changed a lot since 1611, and some of the phrasing and sentence structure can be confusing to modern readers. We no longer use “thee” and “thou” as informal pronouns, for example, which makes them paradoxically sound more formal.
In addition, 400 years of Bible scholarship has enabled us to see areas where the KJV translators had less access to the resources we have today, and had to make some occasionally puzzling guesses. (My personal favorite is from Numbers 23:22, God “hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.” Today most translations use “wild ox.”)
Sample passage: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (KJV)
NKJV (New King James Version)
Summary: An update to the KJV that preserves its literary majesty while modernizing archaic words and phrases.
Year released: 1982
Reading level: 9 (Medium)
Translation team/sponsor: 130 scholars, clergy, and lay Christians for Thomas Nelson Publishers
The NKJV is an update and modernization of the KJV by 130 Bible scholars. It was commissioned in 1975 and released in 1982, with the goal of retaining the same formal equivalence and literary majesty of the original KJV while eliminating archaic, obsolete, or inaccurate terms and phrases (so, no more unicorns).
The NKJV serves as the perfect bridge between the traditional feel of the KJV and the accessibility of modern translations like the NIV.
Sample passage: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NKJV)
NRSVue (New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition)
Summary: A forward-thinking but academically rigorous translation that emphasizes gender inclusiveness. A favorite of scholars and academics, Catholics (NRSV-CE), and inclusive faith communities.
Year released: 1989 (Rev. 2021)
Reading level: 10 (Somewhat challenging)
Translation team/sponsor: 50+ scholars from Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish backgrounds for the National Council of Churches USA
First published in 1989 and then updated in 2021, the NRSV (now NRSVue) was developed by a team of about 30 translators from Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, and (for the Old Testament) Jewish backgrounds. It was based on the RSV translation of 1952, itself an update of the ASV from 1901, using a predominantly formal equivalence and taking into account the latest scholarship of Biblical times and manuscripts.
Among its distinguishing developments, the NRSVue is known for using gender-inclusive translations such as “person” instead of “man” and “brothers and sisters” instead of “brothers” where the context supports or allows it. The translators argue that it better reflects the original meaning in languages where plural masculine pronouns (e.g., ἀδελφοὶ/adelphoi) were used for groups that included both men and women — especially where the text makes clear that women were, in fact, present, such as Acts 18:26-27 or 1 Corinthians 1:11.
While it remains a controversial choice among those who feel it is an insufficiently literal translation, other versions such as the NIV, CSB, and NASB have since adopted the same practice as better reflecting both modern usage and the original authors’ intentions.
The NRSV is also, in the edited and expanded Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE), one of the few complete Bible translations approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for private use and study.
Sample passage: What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NRSVue)
ESV (English Standard Version)
Summary: A straightforward translation that adheres to an “essentially literal” word-for-word approach. A favorite of scholarly evangelicals preferring traditional gendered terminology.
Year released: 2001 (Revised 2016)
Reading level: 10 (Somewhat challenging)
Translation team/sponsor: 100+ evangelical scholars and pastors for Crossway
The ESV translation was conducted in the late 1990s by about 100 evangelical scholars and published in 2001, partly in response to the NRSV. Like the NRSV, the ESV is an update of the RSV and aims as closely as possible for word-for-word accuracy while remaining readable.
The translators sought to go beyond the NRSV and what they perceived as some liberties it took with interpretation, particularly its gender neutrality. Instead the ESV endeavored to hold to an “essentially literal” approach that emphasizes word-for-word accuracy and fidelity as well as building on the RSV’s literary excellence and depth.
Sample passage: I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (ESV)
NASB (New American Standard Bible)
Summary: A rigorously word-for-word translation that seeks to reproduce the original structure of the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Generally considered one of the most literal Bible translations available in English.
Year released: 1995 (Revised 2020)
Reading level: 11 (Challenging)
Translation team/sponsor: Lockman Foundation
First published in 1971 and updated in 1995 and again in 2020, the NASB strives to be as literal and precise as possible without sacrificing readability and modern English usage.
The 1995 version was a significant update to the original release. It echoed the NKJV by removing archaic pronouns (thee, thy, thou) and restructuring awkward phrases. In 2020 the NASB was updated again to account for the latest scholarship (including gender neutrality where appropriate to the context) and modern language usage (such as “let’s go up” instead of “let us go up”).
Throughout these improvements, though, the NASB has held closely to a strict word-for-word equivalence. This makes it a good choice for scholars and anyone looking for a very close adherence to the original structure and wording of the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts.
Sample passage: Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NASB)
NLT (New Living Translation)
Summary: A looser translation that emphasizes readability, simplifying complex terms and phrases while preserving their original meaning. A good choice for new and young readers, and daily devotional readers seeking a new perspective.
Year released: 1996 (Revised 2015)
Reading level: 6 (Easy)
Translation team/sponsor: Tyndale House Foundation
Developed by some 90 scholars from various denominational backgrounds in the 1980s and released in 1996, the NLT is notable for being the most popular of the firmly functional-equivalence translations.
Rather than striving for word-for-word accuracy, the NLT translators sought to convey the original meaning of the text as clearly as possible for modern readers. This includes updating measurements and dating to modern standards (e.g., feet instead of cubits), as well as making sense of archaic idioms (“get yourself ready” instead of “gird up thy loins”).
These modernizations make the NLT a nice, accessible option both for new Bible readers in search of clarity and for long-time Bible users seeking a new approach and perspective.
Sample passage: What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NLT)
Other Notable Bible Versions
Here are some other notable Bible versions from recent decades. See the graphic above for sample text of these translations.
CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Summary: A balanced translation that goes for word-for-word accuracy while simplifying the language for modern readers. Though a similarly balanced translation to the NIV, the CSB has struggled to step outside of the former’s shadow, especially for those outside of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Year released: 2004 (Rev. 2017)
Reading level: 7 (Relatively easy)
Translation team/sponsor: 100 evangelical scholars for Holman Bible Publishers
Sample passage: What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor can corruption inherit incorruption. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (CSB)
CEB (Common English Bible)
Summary: A dynamic yet balanced translation that strives for natural language and broad accessibility to speakers of modern English without sacrificing rigorous accuracy. Known for its informal, conversational style falling somewhere between the NIV and NLT.
Year released: 2011
Reading level: 7 (Relatively easy)
Translation team/sponsor: 120 mostly mainline Protestant and progressive evangelical scholars for Christian Resources Development Corporation (licensed to Abingdon)
Sample passage: This is what I’m saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s kingdom. Something that rots can’t inherit something that doesn’t decay. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (CEB)
NABRE (New American Bible Revised Edition)
Summary: The official Catholic translation of the Bible and the only one approved for use in Mass, the NABRE takes a balanced, word-for-word translation approach, similar to but less stringent than the NRSVue or ESV. It’s also known for its extensive footnotes and cross-references.
Year released: 2011 (Based on the 1970 NAB)
Reading level: 9 (Medium)
Translation team/sponsor: Catholic Bible Association of America for the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
Sample passage: This I declare, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (NABRE)
AMP (Amplified Bible)
Summary: A unique translation balancing word-for-word equivalence and paraphrase by offering multiple translations and exposition (“amplifications”) on many words and phrases. It’s a useful tool for private study but has received criticism for interpolating phrases like “personal Savior” that did not exist in the original time and language of the Bible.
Year released: 1965 (Rev. 2015)
Reading level: 11 (Challenging)
Translation team/sponsor: Frances Siewert (Presbyterian) and other scholars for Lockman and Zondervan
Sample passage: Now I say this, believers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit nor be part of the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable (mortal) inherit the imperishable (immortal). — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (AMP)
MSG (The Message)
Summary: A popular paraphrase by pastor and theologian Eugene Peterson, begun in 1993 and finally completed in 2002. Peterson sought to capture the tone and informal style of contemporary speech to deliver a version of the Bible that reads like a story, vibrant and accessible. It’s a compelling way to hear familiar passages with fresh ears, and works well as an audio Bible — though some of the American slang is already beginning to feel outdated. A fun read but not recommended as (nor intended to be) anyone’s first or only Bible.
Year released: 1993-2002 (Piece by piece)
Reading level: 6 (Easy)
Translation team/sponsor: Eugene Peterson (Presbyterian) and consulting scholars for NavPress
Sample passage: I need to emphasize, friends, that our natural, earthy lives don’t in themselves lead us by their very nature into the kingdom of God. Their very “nature” is to die, so how could they “naturally” end up in the Life kingdom? — 1 Corinthians 15:50 (MSG)
A Brief History of Bible Translation
Although the number of Bible versions has exploded in recent decades, there is a long and active history of translating the Bible to make it more accessible to regional audiences. In fact, the first major translation of the Bible into a regional language was completed more than 200 years before the birth of Jesus.
Here’s a very brief, condensed timeline of the major developments in Bible translation, at least for the English-speaking world.
The Earliest Bible Translations
The oldest complete translation of the Old Testament from its original Hebrew was the Greek Septuagint, created around the 3rd century BC. The earliest complete translation of both testaments was the Latin Vulgate by Jerome in the 400s AD.
Septuagint (Greek): This is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, created during the mid-3rd century BC to accommodate the increased use of Greek among diasporic Jews following the conquest of the eastern Mediterranean by Alexander the Great. It became the standard Old Testament for Christians throughout the Greek-speaking world, and, remarkably, is still in liturgical use today by the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Vulgate (Latin): Saint Jerome meticulously undertook his translation of the Bible in the late 4th to early 5th century AD to accommodate the increasing use of Latin instead of Greek in the western Roman Empire. He established a new precedent by translating the Old Testament from its original Hebrew rather than the more commonly used Septuagint version.
Jerome’s work paid off: even before the Catholic Church officially sanctioned it at the Council of Trent in the 16th century, the Vulgate was by far the most widely used version of the Bible in Europe — and remained the definitive Catholic version all the way until Vatican II permitted the use of vernacular Bibles in 1963.
First English Translations
It took nearly 1,000 years after the adoption of the Vulgate for Bibles to start appearing in English. By that time, most common people didn’t speak or understand Latin, making God’s Word inaccessible to them except indirectly, as explained by priests or passed down verbally in Bible-based stories.
Wycliffe’s Bible: The first complete translation of the entire Bible into English was by John Wycliffe and his followers in the late 1300s. It was based on the Vulgate (since the original Hebrew and Greek texts remained unavailable in the West). Because it had to be hand-copied and distributed, it didn’t reach a wide audience, but it was still enough to earn Wycliffe a condemnation for heresy 30 years after his death.
Tyndale’s New Testament: William Tyndale’s translation of the New Testament, published in 1526, was the first English version to be distributed using the new printing press. Tyndale’s work was groundbreaking for its use of the original Greek texts and for his commitment to making the Bible understandable for commoners, or those who spoke “the ploughman’s terms.” Unfortunately, it also led to his martyrdom in 1536.
The Geneva Bible: Published in 1560 by English refugees in Geneva, Switzerland, this was the first English Bible to include both verse numbers and extensive commentary. Its readability and comprehensive annotations made it the Bible of choice for English-speaking Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries — including the Mayflower pilgrims in America.
The KJV: Commissioned by King James I of England in 1604, this translation aimed to create a version that could be accessible and acceptable to the broadest English-speaking audience — which included both Anglicans and Puritans, who were then mortal enemies. Its enduring use and admiration are a testament to its success.
Bible Translation in the 20th-21st Centuries
The 20th and 21st centuries have seen a proliferation of English Bible translations, reflecting diverse theological perspectives, advances in historical linguistics, and the ongoing quest for clarity and accessibility. The two most important developments during this era that aren’t listed above were the ASV and RSV.
ASV (American Standard Version): Released in 1901, the ASV took a strict word-for-word approach that sought to capture the original sense of the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, while retaining the KJV’s use of Elizabethan English (such as “thee” and “thou”). Though not much used today, it served as the basis for most formal-equivalence translations since, including the RSV, NRSV, ESV, NASB, and the Amplified Bible.
RSV (Revised Standard Version): A major, comprehensive update of the ASV, the RSV was published in 1952 after 15 years of work by a massive ecumenical body of 38 Christian faith groups in the United States. It was the first translation to do away with archaic pronouns and verb forms (e.g., adopting “you have” instead of “thou hadst”), simplifying the text and opening God’s Word to millions of readers while adhering to rigorous accuracy by leveraging the latest Biblical scholarship and manuscripts.
Bible Version FAQs
How many versions of the Bible are there?
A lot! Bible Gateway has more than 200 versions — including more than 60 in English — and there are many more out there, especially when you include partial translations such as OT-only or NT-only translations and individual books from independent scholars.
Is there a most accurate Bible translation?
The short answer is “no.” The longer answer is that it depends how you — and any given translator — define “accuracy.”
Because ancient Hebrew and Greek texts don’t map perfectly onto modern English language and culture, any translation has to strike a careful balance between rigorous adherence to the original languages, or taking some liberties in order to clarify their meaning. (See the discussion on idioms above for some examples.)
Either way, there are countless choices to make about the best way to present confusing passages and guesswork about the original authors’ intent. And many of these choices are influenced by the translator’s own cultural, doctrinal, and theological assumptions.
That said, a more word-for-word approach such as the NASB or ESV/NRSVue (both inheritors of the RSV tradition) is likely to adhere closer to the original text. Scholars and academics tend to appreciate the NRSVue for looking more holistically at the underlying cultures and contexts of the Bible’s writers. But others say it is insufficiently literal in its interpretation of Greek and Hebrew words.
Which Bible version is best for beginners?
If you’re just setting out on your Bible reading journey — no matter your age or stage of faith — the best place to start is probably a translation that balances accuracy with readability, so you get a feel for the text without getting bogged down in the details.
The NIV‘s deft balance and broad popularity make it a great first Bible version. But depending on your taste and reading level, you might be more interested in something more formal, like the NKJV, NRSVue, or ESV. Or, if you want something a little smoother and more accessible, try the NLT or CEB.
It’s also a good idea, if you’re just starting out, to begin with a Study Bible that can guide your reading and help you contextualize and make sense of complex passages. Most of the above versions have Study editions, so just find the one that feels right to you!
What version of the Bible do Catholics use?
The only English version of the Bible approved for Catholic mass is the NABRE. Additionally, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has approved the NRSV-CE and the Good News Translation (GNT) for private use, along with some other partial translations.
Of course, there’s nothing stopping Catholic readers from using any of the other Bible versions available — though you’ll want to ensure it includes the Deuterocanonical books that Protestant Bibles typically leave out. (Hint: Look for a “Catholic Edition” or “CE” after the abbreviation.)
The ESV, NLT, and CEB all have Catholic editions with Apocrypha. Be aware, though, that these translations were done by predominantly Protestant scholars, and may exhibit a slight bias toward Reformed theology in their word choices (and especially in their Study editions). When in doubt, stick with the Church-approved translations.
How should I choose which Bible version is right for me?
The best way to choose which Bible version is right for you is by comparing some favorite passages in a few translations side by side (or in parallel). If you are new to Bible reading and don’t have a favorite passage, you can always start with Genesis 1, John 1, or Matthew 5-7 (the Sermon on the Mount). Which one speaks to you the most? Remember: there’s no wrong answer!
It’s also always a good idea to consult your pastor. What does your church use liturgically? Is there a Bible Study group reading a particular version? While reading the Bible privately can be a powerful way to build a relationship with the Lord, studying his Word in community can expand your horizons with unexpected insights, challenge you with different perspectives, and hold you accountable for regular engagement with Scripture. After all, we are called to be one body in Christ (Romans 12:5).
Conclusion: The Best Bible Version?
That’s easy: the best Bible version is the one you’ll keep reading!
If there’s one thing you should take away from this article, it’s that translating a text as big and complex and multifaceted and meaningful as the Bible is incredibly difficult. For better or worse, there’s no perfect “right way” to do it.
Ultimately, whether you’re drawn to the poetic cadence of the King James (or New King James) Version, the straightforward clarity of the New International Version, or the historical depth of the New Revised Standard Version (or better yet, all three of them!), what matters most is that you’re engaging with Scripture in a meaningful way.
So take your time, explore different translations, and find the one that brings you closer to understanding God’s message for you.
All of these translations any many more are available to browse at Bible Gateway. And if you want to take your reading deeper, Bible Gateway Plus offers Study Bibles, commentaries, encyclopedias, and tons more resources to help you get more from God’s Word — all for less than $5/mo. Start your free trial today!
Or browse hardcopy Bibles at Faith Gateway and get access to exclusive deals and sales on all kinds of beautiful editions in various Bible versions.
This post was updated in February 2025 with several additional Bible versions and more information about each of them. The language was also corrected and clarified throughout.
What do you do if you discover your house has some issues? Some wood is rotten or there’s a crack in the foundation. The house you were proud of, that made you feel secure, that was an extension of who you are, isn’t quite what you thought it was.
What do you do now?
When that house is your faith, you deconstruct.
As a pastor, I’ve increasingly had my own experiences with this over the past several years as I’ve talked with so many people about their faith-related questions.
Here are some different definitions for you:
Deconstruction means abandoning all things Christian — becoming an agnostic or atheist.
Deconstruction means staying committed to Jesus but abandoning religious institutions and churches, or at least those that don’t live up to the teachings of Jesus as they see them.
Deconstruction means continuing in a life of devotion to Jesus and participation in the church while rejecting a lot of the related cultural and political issues.
Here’s an even simpler definition, which seems consistent with how Jesus ministered to people:
Deconstruction is a spiritual journey during which a Christian examines his or her faith to release what’s contrary to God’s heart and embrace what’s true.
Deconstructing With Jesus
To be clear, deconstruction done poorly can leave a wake of spiritual carnage. I have witnessed it personally. On the other hand, I have also seen that deconstruction done well can be spiritually beneficial. Not only do I think deconstruction can be positive; I’d offer that sometimes it’s necessary.
You could even make the case that, at times, Jesus was helping people deconstruct their faith.
For instance, in Matthew 5:43, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy’” (NIV). Everyone listening would have thought, Yes, I have heard that. Not only have I heard it, I like it! And I live by it! If they’re nice, be nice back, but if they’re not, slit their chariot wheels when they’re not looking! Jesus continues in Matthew 5:44, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Jesus was deconstructing their belief system. He was helping them see that what they believed was not true to God’s heart or his Kingdom’s values. In fact, five times in Matthew 5, Jesus says, “You have heard it said, but I say…” He was essentially saying, let’s tear down your incorrect beliefs so we can build new beliefs that are true.
How Closely Do Your Beliefs Align With God’s Word?
Something powerful happens when we’re honest about our doubts, spiritual questions, and disappointments. God does something special when we take what’s hidden in the darkest part of our hearts and expose it to his light.
We would be wise to find the courage to express and examine our beliefs to see if they truly line up with God’s Word. We may assume our beliefs all come from the Bible but that’s probably not as true as we think. Too often we subconsciously absorb our beliefs from other people or from our church or culture, and then assume they’re from the Bible.
Even when we go straight to Scripture, we can’t help but read it through our own filters, such as:
Our family background and how we were raised.
Our current circumstances, challenges, opportunities, or trials.
Our personality and our biases.
The teachings of the church we grew up in or currently attend.
So, while many of our beliefs about God are probably true and biblically accurate, because we’re flawed people who learn from flawed people, we’ve also picked up some flawed ideas along the way.
4 Beliefs That Don’t Come From the Bible
For example, you may wrongly believe:
“God will never give you anything you can’t handle.”
When you experience something in life you can’t handle, you feel like God hasn’t been true to his promise. But God never promised that!
This often gets confused with what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “[God] will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” He talks about temptation, not life circumstances.
“If you name it, you can claim it. God will always give you anything you ask for!”
This is based on Bible verses but an incomplete and inaccurate understanding of them. For example, John 15:7 is one often used in this teaching, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.“
Besides the qualifying phrases of “if you remain in me and my words abide in you” the context of John 15 is Jesus’s teaching that we are the branches and God is the vine. Verse 5 is crucial: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Focusing only on “ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” is like hearing one sound bite out of an interview.
“As a Christian, you have to belong to this political party, which is God’s political party, and the people who belong to any other are not true Christians.”
The problem is that Jesus did not come to establish a political kingdom. And that all parties have policies and ideologies that are true to God’s heart and others that are antithetical to God’s heart.
In the days of Jesus’ ministry, there were essentially two “political parties” — the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Throughout the gospels, he showed no partiality toward either. Yet, to one curious Pharisee, Jesus did say in John 3:16-17, “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” “Whoever believes” and “the world” is clearly his invitation to anyone in any party.
“God wants you happy. He loves you and his greatest joy is your happiness.”
This sounds good! And it is true! But only in part. God does love you, which is why his highest purpose is not your happiness, but your holiness. And if your pursuit of happiness trips up your pursuit of holiness, then it’s not God’s will.
After his faith had been reconstructed, Peter wrote, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16).
What Do You Do When You Realize What You Believe Isn’t True?
You may have grown up in a church that twisted the Bible to support racism or the claim that bowling, movies, and pants on women are sinful. Then one day you wake up and realize everything you believe may not actually be biblical. Therefore, it may not actually be true.
Or, worse, you don’t realize that it’s not biblical, but you do realize that it’s not true. And now, what do you do? Do you have to chuck your faith? Do you walk away from Jesus?
No.
You don’t.
You deconstruct. You let go of what’s not true.
You reconstruct. You hold on to what is true.
Too often, instead of throwing out the bad and keeping the good, people throw everything away, even the parts that are true. Finally, what they’re left with is nothing. Or, sadly, they become toxic and bitter. Now they have to figure out how to navigate life without any real foundation or framework.
At first it might feel freeing. You’re not confined to your old house anymore! My son-in-law James Meehan is one of the primary communicators to the young people in our church, and he helped my thinking for this article. James says it this way: “The empty spot where your ‘house’ used to be will make you feel empty on the inside too.” Why? Because instead of deciding to reconstruct your belief system by finding what is true and beautiful, you took a wrecking ball to it and lost the entire thing.
But there is good news.
Really good news.
Jesus was a carpenter.
And carpenters know how to build.
Digging Deeper Into Doubt: Opportunities for Reflection
Rather than doubt being a wrecking ball that smashes everything, it can operate as one of those detectors used for measuring radon, carbon dioxide, or toxic mold. These devices indicate where the problems are so they can then be remediated. The troublesome areas might need to be torn out and rebuilt, but the solid, nontoxic parts of the structure remain intact.
If you’re struggling to see doubt in a more positive light, just consider Peter, the disciple who may have doubted more than Thomas. One scene in particular in Matthew 14:13–33 illustrates the way Peter’s faith could go from fantastically buoyant to fearfully weighted by doubt. Jesus, after miraculously feeding more than five thousand people, sent the disciples ahead by boat as he dismissed the crowd. He then spent some time in prayer before catching up to them shortly before dawn. Only, Jesus caught up to them by walking on the water.
Caught by Jesus
The disciples were terrified and cried out that they must be seeing a ghost. But Jesus reassured them, saying, “It is I. Don’t be afraid” (verse 27). Peter evidently wasn’t convinced. In spite of the fact that he had just witnessed the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand, he was not prepared to witness the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. So, rather than waiting to see what would happen, Peter blurted out, “Lord, if it’s you… tell me to come to you on the water.” To this, Jesus responded, “Come” (verses 28–29).
We are not told how long it took for Peter to get out of the boat, but he eventually followed the Lord’s instruction and “walked on the water and came toward Jesus” (verse 29). Peter had faith that if Jesus could walk on water, then he could empower him to do so as well. Yet his faith quickly hit a snag: “When he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’” (verses 30–31).
Perhaps the reality of what Peter was doing suddenly registered with him. When he saw the wind whipping up the water’s surface, his doubts distracted him. Peter became afraid, began to sink, and cried for Jesus to save him. Notice the sequence of what happened next: (1) Jesus “reached out his hand and caught him,” and then (2) Jesus said, “You of little faith . . . why did you doubt?”
We might assume that Jesus was calling Peter out for allowing his doubts to pull him under. But in light of how quickly Jesus reached out to grab his disciple, this isn’t necessarily the case. Instead of tsk-tsking Peter for having doubts, what if Jesus was inviting Peter to consider what had just happened and use it to strengthen his faith? What if Jesus was reminding Peter of what he knew to be true — almost as if saying, “Don’t you remember who I am? Remember those times you’ve seen me do the impossible? Water into wine? Loaves and fishes to feed thousands? Restoring sight to the blind? You know me, Peter, or you wouldn’t have gotten out of the boat. You had faith enough to walk on water. So keep believing!”
The next time you experience doubt, look for the hand of love to pull you up.
View your doubt as Jesus’ invitation to experience a deeper faith.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
When has your doubt felt more like a wrecking ball than a problem detector? Why were you tempted to stop with deconstruction rather than assess how to rebuild your faith?
What stands out for you in the scene with Jesus and Peter walking on the water? Why do you think it resonates so strongly with you?
When have you experienced spiritual growth only to sink suddenly when something caused you to doubt? What did you learn from that situation?
How will reconsidering doubt as an invitation to a deeper faith change the way you deconstruct your beliefs? What areas of your faith still need to be addressed based on the doubts that you have?
God can handle your difficult questions and use them to deepen your relationship with him.
At some point, almost all of us have had questions about Christianity and doubts about God. We’re afraid we might never find answers, yet we aren’t sure if we are ready to abandon our faith altogether.
Bestselling author and pastor Craig Groeschel has walked through the valley of doubt himself, and in The Benefit of Doubt, he shows us how asking questions, seeking answers, and wrestling with doubt can actually draw us closer to God.
Athletes know all about playing hurt. For preachers, it’s preaching hurt — preaching in pain. Preach for any length of time and you’ll face the challenge of preaching in pain. It’s one of the unavoidable tests of a preacher’s heart.
Sunday comes each week whether we are ready or not; whether we are reeling or not. Sometimes the pain we carry may be physical — an illness that impacts the body. More often it will be emotional — affliction that affects the soul. The pain may result from a Sunday morning blow-up at home with a spouse or teenager. Or from seeing a disgruntled church leader, sitting with a scowl and crossed arms as we stand to preach. The pain may come from recent sins that, in spite of being confessed to God, still leave us feeling like pastoral imposters and spiritual poseurs. Pain can come from the cumulative weight we carry as we shepherd people through severe trials.
In spite of the aching in our souls, when the final song of the worship set finishes, we are expected to stand and deliver. We make our way to the front with an unseen limp, feeling numb, flatlined, or defeated before we even begin. We silently cry out to God for help. We pray that God would make his strength perfect in our weakness. Then we try to preach in pain.
Lessons from Paul on Preaching in Pain
As I reflect on my years of preaching, I still carry some scorched memories of several Sundays when I wasn’t sure I would be able to make it through the message. As the opening songs launched the service, I was physically present but emotionally absent. I was vaguely aware of voices around me singing praise to God as I silently voiced my own pain to God. Though preaching has been one of the great joys of my life, on those Sundays, preaching was the last thing I felt like doing. Empty and aching, I called out to God for mercy and help.
The apostle Paul was no stranger to preaching in pain. When he wrote to the church in Corinth, he reminded them of that reality: “And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3, ESV). He expressed a similar thought in his letter to the Thessalonians: “But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict” (1 Thessalonians 2:2). In both Corinth and Thessalonica — in spite of the pain he was living with — Paul opened his heart and mouth to proclaim God’s message. Clearly, Paul knew how to preach hurt.
As I hear Paul’s candid testimony, I long to be able to ask him some questions. How did you do it? What kept you from giving up or calling it quits? Did you ever feel disingenuous talking to others about God’s goodness and grace when life and ministry were excruciatingly difficult? How did you quiet the inner turmoil in your own soul enough to concentrate on ministering to the souls of others?
While we can’t converse with Paul, we can discern his answers to these questions by taking a closer look at his words in both 1 Corinthians 2 and 1 Thessalonians 2. In these two chapters, we learn at least four important lessons about preaching in pain.
1. Preaching in Pain is Part of Faithful Gospel Ministry
Paul didn’t see personal pain as a reason to cease and desist from proclaiming God’s truth. Carrying the scars of a recent beating in Philippi (Acts 16:22) and facing stiff opposition in Thessalonica, he still had the boldness to proclaim the gospel in the local synagogue (Acts 17:2).
From Paul’s example we learn that a faithful preaching ministry will, at times, call for a determined, daring spirit that speaks in spite of personal pain. At those moments, our preaching becomes an act of defiance against the darkness. Though sorrow may hang overcast in our hearts, we continue to proclaim the truth that the sun is shining above the clouds. In these moments, we join Paul in become daring preachers who don’t play it safe or run for cover when ministry gets painful.
So on those Sundays when pain obscures the joy of preaching God’s Word, we endure hardship and soldier on (2 Timothy 2:3–4). We report for duty even when we aren’t as healthy or happy as we’d like to be. We preach God’s Word, in season and out of season, on good days and hard days.
2. Preaching in Pain Involves Speaking in Spite of Turbulent Emotions
As Paul arrived in Corinth, he came “in weakness and in fear and much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3). But in spite of turbulent emotions that left him feeling rattled, he still proclaimed “the testimony of God” (2:1). While he was aware of his feelings, he wasn’t silenced by them.
Paul’s candid comments provide a helpful reminder that we can preach even when our inner world is not placid and peaceful. The internal turbulence caused by weakness, fear, and trembling do not disqualify us as preachers. Faithfulness in preaching sometimes involves preaching when we are badly shaken. While we may not be able to publicly explain our pain, we can publicly proclaim God’s truth.
Mature preachers don’t ignore or deny their emotions. Instead, they pour out their hearts to God in private (Psalm 62:8) and proclaim his Word in public (1 Corinthians 2:1). While they may openly acknowledge something of their weakness and need for God’s enabling grace, they don’t focus attention on themselves; rather, they point people to Christ. They follow Paul’s lead and resolve “to know nothing … except Jesus Christ” (2:2).
3. Preaching in Pain Is Not an Excuse for Sinful Attitudes or Actions
As I read Paul’s reflection on his preaching ministry, I’m struck by how he maintained his spiritual integrity even when mistreated in ministry. He didn’t allow painful experiences to become an excuse for sinful attitudes or actions.
He examined his motives and his message to make sure his preaching was not fueled by “error or impurity or any attempt to deceive” (1 Thessalonians 2:3). Paul understood the difference between preaching in distress and preaching in disguise. Though he was still banged up from the abuse he’d received in Philippi and surely would have welcomed some encouraging words, he still didn’t look for praise from his hearers (2:4). Instead, he proclaimed God’s truth with integrity, seeking to please the One who “tests our hearts.”
Here is an important reminder for all of us who preach, especially when life and ministry are painful. The mistreatment we experience must not be allowed to muddy our motives or pollute our message. We can’t allow bitterness over past hurts to color our present sermons. We must not let pain prompt us to change God’s message for our own gain (2:5) or glory (2:6). We must stay mindful of the truth that God is the One who examines our work. We will make it our first priority to live and preach for his approval. While life may not be going well, we will seek to make sure it is well with our souls.
4. Preaching in Pain Makes Us Lean Harder on the Power of God
Paul’s example, though inspiring on one level, can be deflating on another. Spiritually sensitive preachers who know their own sinful hearts can read Paul’s testimony and respond by piling more pain on their own souls. We can beat ourselves up for responding poorly when we were beaten up in ministry. We can readily recall times we allowed ministry wounds to fester in our hearts and infect our sermons. We are painfully aware that responding well to painful circumstances doesn’t come easily or automatically.
The same was true for Paul. While we may think Paul handled mistreatment effortlessly, a close reading of his words dispels that illusion. Paul points the Thessalonians to the source of his strength in times of great weakness: “we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict” (2:2). The strength to be bold when he was banged up came from God, not from within himself.
Paul told the Corinthian Christians the same thing. When preaching in “weakness and in fear and much trembling,” he relied on the “demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:3–5).
Preaching in pain has a purpose — both in the life of the preacher and the hearers. Pain has a way of driving us as preachers to a greater dependence on God’s Spirit. We become more realistic about ourselves and more reliant on God’s power. Pain also has a beneficial effect on our hearers. They see a living demonstration of the truth that faith must rest on God rather than his messengers (2:5).
So on Sundays when we don’t feel like preaching because we’re in pain — when we feel empty and broken — we can actually do some of our best work as preachers. That’s because we will be more conscious of our need of God’s grace and more dependent on his Spirit’s power. And when God chooses to work through our weakness, we will be less apt to embezzle his glory. Like Paul, we come to understand in a very personal way that “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Adapted from Rick Reed’s book, The Heart of the Preacher: Preparing Your Soul to Proclaim God’s Word (Lexham Press). The Heart of the Preacher addresses fifteen heart-tests preachers and teachers will face (such as insecurity, ambition, fear, stagnating, criticism, pain). It also presents ten practices preachers and teachers can utilize to strengthen their hearts for these tests.
“Look at the Book” is Bible Gateway’s series of short blog posts and infographics introducing you to the books of the Bible. With the Gospel of Matthew — a book that relies heavily on Old Testament prophecies for the Messiah — we now move into the New Testament.
Scroll to the bottom if you’d prefer to see (and save) this article as an infographic. You’ll also find a handy 30-day reading guide. Or, for a challenge, you can do it in one week using the 7-day reading guide below.
Summary
Matthew was a Jew who wrote to other Jewish believers in order to proclaim Jesus as the promised Messiah, the King of the Jews. He shows how Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament but also to judge the Jews for their unfaithfulness.
Category: Gospels
Theme: Kingdom
Timeline: Approx. 60 AD, possibly in Antioch
Key Verse
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” — Matthew 5:17 (NIV)
Drawing Connections
Matthew is distinctive in citing a number of Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfilled during his ministry.
Although many stories and events recorded in Matthew are found only in this gospel, perhaps the most noteworthy is Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount.
Access the rest of the series. Browse Bible studies for each book of the Bible. Or right-click on the infographic below to download and save the image for your reference.
Human beings are unique among the creatures of the world. We are “wise” and became this way when God breathed his Spirit into us. “The Man came alive — a living soul!” (Gen. 2:7 MSG), the Bible says.
But alive and wise to what?
Sociologists tell us we became so in several ways. We became self-conscious, self-aware, romantic and not just instinctual. We became conscious of the universe and began wondering what our place within it is. We organized ourselves socially, creatively, behaviorally and began pondering deeper, more profound existential questions than any of the animals could ever hope to ask.
We also came alive religiously, drawing on walls or sketching the stars out of a desire to connect to the gods, always reaching out for something, or someone, beyond us. We became awake to the idea that there was a person, or persons, behind or above or beyond this world.
The Law of Religion
This phenomenon is so common around the world that Yuval Harari, in his book Sapiens, calls it “The Law of Religion.” He says this has been the third great unifier of humankind — alongside money and empires — throughout history. Every people group on every continent in every era has been religious: the Egyptians, the Polynesians, the Mayans, the Greeks; from Mesopotamia to Persia, from China to South America, you will find similarities. There are temples, drawings, stories, sacred writings, sacrifices, priestly systems, prayers, and songs. Every culture in history has had these, long before they ever interacted with one another. One of the distinct things about human beings as a species is that we worship.
We know at some level that we are more than just meat and synapses. Deep inside we know we are more than what we see, taste, or touch. We have something else written into us, telling us there is meaning and emotion and love and beauty, what C. S. Lewis called our “lifelong nostalgia”: “our longing to be reunited with something in the universe from which we now feel cut off, to be on the inside of some door which we have always seen from the outside. And to be at last summoned inside would be both glory and honor beyond all our merits and the healing of that old ache.”
Sometime after God made us in his image, we began doing something that nothing else in the world does. We began longing. We sensed something missing and felt a desire to connect to the One who made us and the kind of world he created for us — a world with no more crying, or pain, or death. No more terrorism, or depression, or heart attacks that steal those we love. No more single moms trying their best, or dads so lost they take their own lives, like a man from our church recently did. No more earthquakes, or child abuse, or divorce, or poverty. No more racism, or hatred, or disease, or pandemics. Then and only then, when we find this world, or the One who can take us there, does the heart settle.
The Secular Epidemic and the Search for Home
This is why while there are several secular theories about how to find happiness and fulfillment and meaning as human beings, none of them adequately answer the problem of our longings. A century after testing out the secular answers to those longings, and adding to our lives the technology to connect us, the medicine that can heal us, and the psychology that can explain us, the Western world is worse off. We are more depressed, more suicidal, more anxious, and more lost than ever:
Suicide rates are at an all-time high — more than tripling among fifteen-to-twenty-four-year-olds in the past two decades (the United States alone has an average of 49,000 per year, which is twice the number of homicides, making suicide one of the top ten causes of death for nearly every age group).
Up to 90% of doctor’s office visits are for stress-related symptoms.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenge, affecting forty million adults in the United States alone (10% of the population).
All of this is what secular culture is producing in us. Because the problem with trying to live without God is that we ignore the way we were made, and we do so to our own demise.
The search for “home,” as Saint Augustine called it, the state of being at peace with God, is what our whole life is about, and nothing causes us more pain than our disconnection from and denial of that journey. It is the worst kind of homesickness.
“In my experience,” the Christian thinker and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote from a Nazi prison camp before he was killed, “nothing tortures us like longing. . . . When we are forcibly separated from those we love, we simply cannot, like so many other things, contrive for ourselves some cheap substitute…. There have been a few occasions in my life when I have had to learn what homesickness means. There is no agony worse than this.”
So it is true, what the theologian Donald Bloesch contends in his journals, that “our greatest affliction is not anxiety, or even guilt, but rather homesickness — a nostalgia, a yearning to be at home with God.”
This is what “the fall” story is in the biblical narrative — how we ended up separated from the One we love most, the One who loves us most, and all the dysfunction that came from it. The fall explains why we are homesick and why the longing to return home is such a powerful image of redemption. Jesus himself uses this longing for home in his famous parable about the prodigal son, who returns home to his village and his father after a life of immorality and selfishness that would have been punishable by death in that culture.
Instead, he is met with grace.
“The image of coming home is a powerful, archetypal symbol of returning to one’s deepest self, to the soul,” writes acclaimed novelist Sue Monk Kidd. “To come home is to return to the place of inner origin, that original imprint within.” To spend our lives not settling but journeying, moving, searching, and never resting until we find our rest in God is what life is.
You Are God’s
Despite the lies our culture throws at us about who we are and who we aren’t, the biblical story says we belong to God. Jesus affirms this when he holds up the coin with Caesar’s image on it and says to the crowd, “Whose image is this?” The crowd says Caesar’s, and Jesus replies, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:16–17, emphasis added).
It begs the question, though nobody in the crowd asks it: What is God’s? The answer is obvious. Every person in the crowd is God’s, for they bear the image of God. When you look in the mirror, you should hear that question of Jesus: “Whose image do you see?” Because whatever bears the image of God is God’s. You, me, your neighbor, your ex, your boss, those people you have come to hate, the others you love so dearly — we all bear God’s image.
Our human duty, according to Jesus, then, is to give ourselves to God. We bear his image, and we belong to him, so we are to give ourselves to him. No matter how gentle or soft or cultured or smart or nice or righteous a person may be, no one experiences their full potential as a human being unless they do this. This is the human design, the reason we were created.
Never shy away from the longings of your heart and soul. Secularism has taught us to, calling them illusions, cognitive misfirings, or hopeful thinking of the weak. Rather, realize they are there as guides to lead you to finding the One your heart beats for, and then in finding him, live a life worthy of him.
In this final book of a trilogy which began with The Problem of God, Clark presents 11 practical principles to help us flourish. He explores foundational topics like our origins, identity, and the meaning of suffering while drawing from biblical theology, psychology, and engaging real-life stories.
The Problem of Life illustrates how we may be looking in all the wrong places for joy, contentment, and satisfaction — and points us toward God as the remedy for our brokenness.
I wish I could say otherwise as a Christian, but if you’ve been faithful to Jesus for a while, you’ve probably discovered that following Jesus isn’t exactly a walk in the park. In fact, Jesus actually tells his followers that they will have trouble in this world (John 16:33), and the apostle Paul actually flatly states that if you want to follow Jesus, you will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). These words are not exactly ringing endorsements to become a Christian!
And yet, many Christians still have a hard time dealing with disappointments. Yes, we know that the Scriptures are full of stories of people in deep pain and anguish, but somehow, we still believe that God is only with us when our pockets are overflowing, our stomachs are full, and all seems right and good in the world.
But ignoring disappointments actually misses a significant part of what Christians believe and inevitably go through. In fact, we often minimize a significant teaching in the Scripture when we don’t expect disappointment.
The truth is that everyone — Christian or not — experiences both beauty and disappointment in life. You know, good days and bad days, sunshine and rain, bliss and bumps befall us all.
If anything, though, Christians should be the most equipped people to face disappointment.
Why? Because Christian belief explains why disappointment exists while also giving us the resources to cope with it: grief.
Two Kinds of Pain — and How We Are to Grieve Them
A mentor of mine often talks about two kinds of pain: dirty pain and clean pain.
‘Dirty’ Pain
Dirty pain is the ache you feel after you haven’t really made the best choices in your life and are now dealing with the consequences. You know, eating milkshakes and burritos at 11:00 pm and hoping to have a good night’s rest as a middle-aged man — that kind of pain (I might be speaking from experience). Dirty pain can be immediate, or it can be a slow burn — either way, we all experience it because the Scriptures teach a couple of truths related to it: 1) we are all sinners (Romans 3:23), and 2) we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7).
Dirty pain affects the entire world, including nature (e.g., pollution that harms the environment), culture (e.g., using technology for cruel ends like cyberbullying), and human relationships (e.g., when I say intentionally hurtful words to my wife when I’m upset). Much of our disappointment in life comes from dirty pain.
How to Grieve Dirty Pain
The way we “grieve” our dirty pain in the Scriptures is through confession and repentance. Confession and repentance require an admission of my guilt in the matter, which is no small feat. I grieve how I’ve contributed to the dirty pain, recognizing that I’m a sinner in need of forgiveness (Romans 3:23, Psalm 51:1-2, Matthew 6:9-15, Acts 2:38-39). Repentance entails turning in an opposite direction — owning my mistake but now aiming for a new trajectory toward God and a godly lifestyle.
Of course, confession and repentance are only possible if I humble myself (1 Peter 5:6, Colossians 3:12), getting off my own ego trip and recognizing my fallibility and culpability. Instead of blaming others for disappointments in life, I need to first own my own mistakes, admit my wrong to another (James 5:16), ask for forgiveness where appropriate, and attempt to chart a new path. The good news of confession and repentance is that God says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9) — a rather amazing offer considering how often we sin!
‘Clean’ Pain
And then there’s clean pain. Clean pain is the harm that comes to us when we have no reason why — we don’t deserve it, we don’t understand it, and it’s a mystery why we’re going through this hardship that we didn’t see coming. Clean pain is awfully disappointing because there seems to be no logic or explanation to it.
We simply turn to the fallenness of our world, the way our “flesh” (1 John 2:16), the “world” (Romans 12:2), and Satan (John 8:44) are realities that contribute to the brokenness of life. And we wonder why God would allow it all.
The book of Job is a story of visceral grief in the midst of hardship that God permits. In the end, there are no real answers, just the reality that God is God, we are not, and grief via clean pain has a way of humbling us and forming us like nothing else.
How to Grieve Clean Pain
If anything, that’s what clean pain does — it humbles us and invites us to vulnerable lament. Laments are replete throughout the Psalms (some scholars estimate 2/3s of the Psalms) — honest and bare sharing of people bringing their complaints to God.
Disappointment from clean pain is to elicit grief, a grieving that forms us into more humble, dependent, and resilient followers of God (James 1:2). Somehow, God uses our weakness and pain to mold us and shape us into the kinds of vessels that can continue to depend on Him (2 Corinthians 12:9) while being a people who can receive and give comfort to those who are suffering (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).
Indeed, grief does not solve our disappointment — but it helps absorb it to mold us into Christ-like people who share in Christ’s suffering.
And Yet, There’s Still Hope
And yet, there’s still hope. Yes, grieving is the Biblical antidote to disappointment — but thankfully, the Christian story does not end in a never-ending cosmic war between beauty and disappointment where we’re wondering who will be left standing after an exhausting contest between good and evil.
The Christian story ends with hope victorious — a living hope found in a resurrected Jesus (1 Peter 1:3)! We cling to this hope with all that we have.
Yes, we celebrate what is beautiful in life. And yes, we grieve what is disappointing. But we embrace both beauty and disappointment with an overarching hope in Jesus.
Jesus allows us to embrace disappointment without ever losing hope. Because even in death, which is the ultimate disappointment, we have a Savior who offers us a hope that the world cannot give, nor take away.
And so in the meantime, in this beautiful and disappointing life, we live with gratitude and grief, embracing it with hope and grace found in Jesus.
In his book Beautiful, Disappointing, Hopeful, Drew Hyun explains how the Christian faith provides a lens through which we can understand the beautiful and disappointing world we live in, while offering the kind of promising hope we long for.
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