Translated Scripture is Scripture.

That is a beautiful Christian doctrine that we do not meditate on enough.

The Bible, of course, was originally written in Hebrew and a bit of Aramaic for the Old Testament and in Greek for the New Testament. Even though we acknowledge that no translation can perfectly capture the original languages, we still receive translated Scripture as the Word of God and sufficient through the Holy Spirit’s illumination to instruct us in salvation through Jesus Christ.

When I first began learning Greek, I recall listening to a lecture by Dr. Mounce where he reminded English speakers of just how richly blessed we are with faithful translations of the Bible. Indeed, he gave Bible reading advice that is simple as it is wise: use multiple translations. Specifically, he recommended reading and studying from two types of translations together.

First, choose a more ‘formal equivalence’ or ‘word-for-word’ translation (though no translation can truly be word-for-word). Those would include: the English Standard Version (my favorite), the Legacy Standard Bible (a close runner-up), the New American Standard Bible, the King James, the New King James, the Christian Standard Bible, and the New English Translation.

Then, pair that translation with a more ‘dynamic equivalence’ or ‘thought-for-thought’ translation. The New International Version and the New Living Translation being great examples.

I appreciated that advice whenever I first heard it and have repeated it nearly everyone who has sought my counsel on choosing a translation to read. But my recent study of the Song of Songs has further cemented the great benefit of reading multiple translations.

The Song of Songs is one of the most complex books in the Old Testament, perhaps only rivaled by Job. As I worked through it, I used four primary translations: the ESV, CSB, NIV, and KJV. In addition to those, four of the commentaries that I consulted included the author’s own translation: Longman, Hess, Duguid, and the Bloch’s. Thus, each week I was reading the Song in eight different translations, at a minimum.

And which was the best?

Honestly, all of them.

At different points, I found myself greatly admiring each of those translations. Early in the Song, I often preferred the cadence and poetic feel of the NIV. For example, I had always memorized the phrase “a lily among thorns,” so that felt much more natural than the ESV’s “a lily among brambles.”

In other places, I found the CSB particularly helpful. In Song of Songs 7:9, for instance, some scholars argue that the woman interrupts the man mid-sentence and finishes his thought, which the CSB captures through its punctuation.

But with the climatic passage in 8:5-7, I found myself drawn most to the rhythm and flow of the ESV.

As for the KJV, I appreciated that it gives the text without speaker headings, which are not present in Hebrew. While those speaker labels are certainly helpful, their presence alongside the text can leave the reader feeling as though those are certainties rather than being interpretations.

Thus, the Song of Songs sealed in my mind the value of using multiple translations more than any other book of the Bible that I have studied. Each translation offered a slightly different window into the meaning of the text, while each faithfully translated the Hebrew into English. Thus, when held together, a richer understanding of God’s Word was given.

For English speakers, in particular, we have been given the extraordinary gift of having so many faithful translations of the Bible. And to rely only on one, however good it may be, is to miss out on the richness that is readily available.

Of course, you can certainly have your favorite translation, and you probably should pick one for Scripture memory. But don’t limit yourself to it while reading and studying. Use multiple translations, and compare them carefully. Let Scripture interpret Scripture, and let translations illuminate one another.