Compare Bible Translations as You Study

By Scott Gassoway

Bible translators make different decisions when it comes to translating the original languages. That is why comparing translations is a valuable step in good Bible study.  Logos makes it easy to spot these differences between various translations.

For example, in Proverbs 18:24, the NIV speaks of “unreliable friends,” but the ESV renders this as “many companions,” while the NLT qualifies these “friends” with added quotation marks.

The Text Comparison Tool identifies all the differences between your base text and any number of translations you want to compare. Check out the video below for a demonstration of how to use this tool in Logos. 

Open the Text Comparison Tool in Logos.

Recommended resources

• Authorized: The Use and Misuse of the King James Bible (Mark Ward) is a wonderful introduction to differences between the King James Version and other modern translations.
• Learn more about the differences in Bible translations with this Logos Course: Mobile Ed: BI181 Introducing Bible Translations (Mark Strauss). This course introduces the philosophies of translation to equip students in their selection of a specific version (or versions) of the Bible.
• Do you want to learn more about the textual differences behind the different translations? New Testament Text and Translation Commentary (Philip W. Comfort) provides a passage-by-passage introduction to textual criticism and the decisions that translators face.

Check out Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible for concise notes on areas of textual variation in the Bible.