The Bible was not originally written in English. Furthermore, only a very small portion of it was even written in Aramaic, which was the language Jesus spoke.
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From its beginning, the Christian record of God’s Word has been available only in translation. The text of the Jewish scriptures, which Christians recognize as the Old Testament, was written in an ancient form of Hebrew. The New Testament documents were first penned by their authors in Greek (or at least the earliest known copies are in Greek).
Contemporary English speakers can choose from among many modern Bible translations. The information in Which Good Book? An Impartial Guide to Choosing a Bible Translation, by Karen A. Bellenir, is presented through a series of questions designed to help you focus on finding the one that may best meet your needs. The questions attempt to avoid advocating for any particular Bible version, and your answers will lead you to suggestions drawn from a list of many of the most popular translations.