Well now, my dear friend, I truly appreciate your desire to know which translation of the Bible is most reliable, and I believe that most serious Bible students would want to know this as well. But, when you ask me for the version that is “perfect,” I cannot respond by citing any particular version or translation that could be said to be “perfect”. The reason for this is simple: God’s Word was written through the Holy Spirit, who inspired men of God’s choosing to faithfully record His Word. This much is perfect. But now, Bible scholars, who are not perfect, have over the centuries, taken the earliest and most reliable text versions and have tried to faithfully translate them into most of the languages of the world. But, with so many languages from very different cultures than our own, we are very dependent upon the Holy Spirit to maintain the integrity of the Scriptures—this is, I believe, part of inspiration. So, at the end of the day, much depends on the reader truly desiring the truth of God’s Word, and all depends upon the Holy Spirit who can make this happen. But, to respond to your question, I am very comfortable with the New King James version, the New American Standard Bible, the New International Version, and the J. N. Darby version. I grew up on the Old King James, and I like this too, though one must understand that the old English words do not always translate to equivalent meanings when we consider the definitions of words in our modern American English. Now, there are paraphrased versions, which are not original translations from Greek and Hebrew, such as the Living Bible, which can be helpful, but which I do not consider to be accurate at all times since it was written according to the understanding of God’s Word through the writer’s eyes.

As I have said, the Holy Spirit “who will show us all things” must guide our understanding of the Scriptures (John 14:25-26). Now, to be sure, there are some cults which may alter certain verses to support their own evil doctrines, but these translations are easily identified and can be avoided. And even so, I believe the Holy Spirit can and will help a person who truly is seeking the Lord’s will, even reading a ‘not so accurate’ version to know God’s truth. We read in John 7:17: “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God….”

Thus, I shrink from identifying a specific translation as “perfect,” and would say to prayerfully study the Scriptures, trusting the Holy Spirit to help you to understand correctly or to “rightly divide the Word” as we read in 2 Timothy 2:14: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” This is a thing that I know the Spirit can do.

In summary, you are quite correct that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. It is consistent in its message from Genesis through Revelation. We read in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” I do not believe that the message or purposes of God ever change as we read in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Furthermore, in Hebrews 4:12 we read that the Word of God is actually living, and thus can speak for God Himself, regardless of man’s efforts, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” I once read of a KGB agent who tried, in the days of the Soviet Union, to burn a Bible. One of the pages, perhaps John 3, flew up out of the fire, this man read it, and was saved. Now, Jesus Christ is the living Word of God as we read in John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” So, what we can know about God, we see in the person of Jesus Christ; and the Bible from start to finish clearly tells us of and points to the Lord Jesus, whose voice believers respond to (John 10: 27,28).  (SF)  (548.1)