How Do I Know Which Translation(s) of the Bible Would Be Good to Use, Especially for a “Word for Word” Study?
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And among those that translate word for word, the ESV is more literary and readable; the NASB is not quite as good English, but still accurate as a word for word translation. A person reading a passage looking for key terms that repeat, then a NASB would be better. If you are trying to understand the passage as a whole, then the ESV is better.