COOL TOOLS: Online Parallel Bible

Most of us are aware that the Bible was not written in English. The Old Testament is a combination of Hebrew and Aramaic, and the New Testament is Greek. So, anytime we read the Bible in English - the Bible Quizzing or any other reason - we're reading a translation. So, how do we know that we're getting back to what the original writer intended? One way is to read several different translations, to get the different perspectives of different translators. The Online Parallel Bible is a very effective (and free!) way to do that. Enter any Bible Reference, and it'll give you many different translations side by side, so you can compare how scholars have viewed the verse over the years. It is the next best thing to going to Seminary and learning Greek.

OUR FAVORITE SITES: Online Parallel Bible

The NIV is a great translation - which is why we use it for Bible Quizzing - but it is important when studying the Bible to realize that we are NOT reading it in its original writing. Thus, sometimes the translators have to use an English word that perhaps doesn't perfectly capture the original. (For example, imagine trying to explain to a French speaker the meaning of the word "cool" - do you communicate the literal meaning of being cold, the slang meaning of being trendy, or the informal meaning of being unemotional?) So, it is useful sometimes to be able to compare different translations as you study scripture, to see how different translators handled the same verse. But how do you gain access to lots of translations without going broke?

Consider the online parallel bible which gives you access to over 40 translations plus dictionaries and commentaries. It is a great FREE resource for any student.

Online Parallel Bible

We use the New International Version exclusively for Bible Quizzing, but every translation of scripture from the original Greek has its own strengths and weaknesses. If you are interested in seeing other translations while studying scripture, you may want to check out the Online Parallel Bible. It provides tools not only for checking different English, but also for checking back to the original language using an interlinear presentation. It can be a very exciting way to try to get deeper into the scriptures!

Polyglot Bible?

To celebrate a specific event for the Catholic Church, the American Bible Society recently gave the Pope a "one of a kind polyglot Bible". "What is a polyglot Bible?" you may ask.

A polyglot Bible is a multilingual Bible in which the different texts are displayed in parallel columns. A massive undertaking for the Bible Society, the Biblia Polyglotta features the Old Testament in five languages: Hebrew/Aramaic, Greek, Latin, English and Spanish; and the New Testament in four languages: Greek, Latin, English and Spanish.

This same kind of Bible - though obviously not this one - is referred to as a "Parallel Bible" (Online Parallel Bible) in which different translations are placed side-by-side. This can be useful for study as you can see how different translators have interpreted the same original word or phrase.

Of course, if you DO use one of these, be sure to only study the NIV for Quiz Team, as other translations are not used in our questions.