Bible Translations Authority
Find a Bible Translation You Can Trust
Independent ratings for 85 English Bible translations. Evidence-based. No publisher funding.
Not sure what to search? Learn how the Standard works or browse all 85 translations.
Start Here
Most people arrive with one of three questions. Each one has a documented answer on this site.
Which translation should I read?
Match a translation to how you actually intend to use it — study, worship, teaching, or reading it through for the first time.
02Why do translations differ?
Source texts, translation method, and canon. Three variables account for nearly every difference you will notice between two Bibles.
03Is the Bible I already own trustworthy?
Look it up. Every profile shows the governing body, method, canon, score, and the documentation the rating rests on.
What Is the Standard?
The Bible Translations Authority is an independent reference body that evaluates English Bible translations against a published, transparent methodology. We assign a 100-point trust score, classify each translation into one of seven trust categories, and document the evidence behind every judgment.
We do not review translations on theological grounds. We do not care which denomination produced a translation, which publisher distributes it, or which tradition uses it. We evaluate governance accountability, translator depth, method transparency, independent reception, revision discipline, and canon integrity — the same criteria a librarian, researcher, or institution would apply to any reference document.
Every rating is evidence-based and publicly challengeable. If you believe a rating is wrong, submit the evidence. We review it. If the evidence holds, the rating changes.
A note on scope: Bible Translations Authority does not rate translations as spiritually authoritative, theologically correct, or suitable for salvation. Those are questions outside a standards body's remit. We rate whether a translation was produced with documented accountability, transparent methodology, and independent scholarly reception.
The Seven Trust Categories
Every translation Bible Translations Authority has evaluated falls into one of these categories. Score ranges are typical — the governing body assessment and hard gate results determine final category placement.
Score 80–100
Produced by a named governing body with broad scholarly and ecumenical reception. Full gate passage. Examples include translations with multi-decade peer review and cross-denominational adoption.
Score 70–100
High-quality translation produced for or widely adopted by a specific theological tradition. Accountable governance, transparent method — but reception is narrower by design.
Score 60–79
Academically rigorous translation with documented methodology and governance. Reception is limited to specialist audiences — not intended for general lay use.
Score 40–59
Important historical translation now superseded by updated scholarship or revised editions. Still used in liturgical or academic contexts. Source text limitations documented.
Score 20–59
Communicative adaptation rather than translation of the source text. Bible Translations Authority classifies rather than penalizes paraphrases — the issue arises when a paraphrase is marketed as a translation.
Score 0–59 (gate failures)
Failed two or more hard gates: anonymous committee, undisclosed source text, or no independent reception documented. Score reflects whatever verifiable merit exists.
Any score
Does not meet the site's definitional criteria for a Bible translation, or is outside Bible-translation scope but commonly searched as one. Bible Translations Authority documents the reason in each profile.
Score ranges shown are typical. A translation with strong governance but limited reception may score lower than one with broader adoption and weaker governance. Category placement involves human judgment on the evidence, not formula alone. The five hard gates are pass/fail — two or more failures result in Insufficient Oversight regardless of score.
Explore the Reference
85 translation profiles, comparison tools, canon documentation, warning analysis, and plain-language guides — all in one place.
All Translations
Browse 85 profiles. Search by name, abbreviation, or category.
Compare Translations
Side-by-side Bible Translations Authority evaluations for two translations at once.
Learn
Plain-language guides to source texts, methods, and what to look for.
Canons
Which books belong in which Bible — and why it affects translation choice.
Warnings
Factual documentation of specific translation integrity concerns.
Questions
30 common questions about Bible translations answered in plain language.
Buy Safely
What to verify before purchasing a Bible and what retailers omit.
The Standard
The full scoring rubric, hard gates, methodology, and corrections policy.