Here are some suggestions for some Bibles:

Bibles & Their History

Early English Translations & Versions - The “Venerable Bede” is reported to have made the first translation of the Bible into a language used in England during the VIII century. He is credited with at least translating portions of the gospel of John and his translation was attested to by others. In the following two centuries there appeared a few more incomplete translations. One of them is the so-called “Alfred version” (reputedly by King Alfred) and was of some of the Psalms.

Modern Translations - The “King James Version” (KJV) was authorized by King James I of England in 1604 as a new translation of the Bible. It was intended to be a comprehensive revision of the Bishops Bible (published in 1568) and was to incorporate comparisons of the Greek text of Erasmus and the Hebrew Masoretic texts and earlier English translations. A group of 47 translators began in 1607 with this monumental task, and they completed it in 1611. It is also referred to as “The Authorized Version” or AV, and it became the standard translation among English speaking Protestants. It was the most popular Bible until 1987, and is still widely used and preferred by many.

Darby Translation - This Bible was translated by John Nelson Darby in 1890. Darby was an Anglo-Irish Bible teacher and was associated with the early years of the Plymouth Brethren.

American Standard Version - This Bible was first published in 1901 and is regarded as the most literal English translation of the Bible. It is a very popular Bible for Bible studies. The “American Standard” translators incorporated older “eastern manuscripts” which have become the basis for most modern English translations, whereas the King James Version was entirely from “western manuscripts.”

Revised Standard Version(RSV) - The Revised Standard version is a revision of the “Authorized Version,” or the “King James Version” of 1611 and of the “American Standard Version” of 1901. In an attempt to provide great accuracy, the best ancient texts available at the time were used.

New International Version(NIV) - In 1965 work on the “New International Version” of the Bible was begun and it was translated by over 100 scholars using currently available Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts. The goal for this version was to produce an accurate translation that would have clarity and literary quality. It was completed in 1978.

New American Standard Bible(NASB) - While trying to preserve the literal accuracy of the 1901 ASV while attempting to update the grammar and terminology, the “New American Standard Version” came into existence. It is a revision of the old ASV.

The New King James Version - In 1979 this newer translation of the original “King James Version” was published. Although this version did not really win the approval of the general public, it was designed to make a modern translation that reminds people of the KJV and answers the criticism of the post-1881 translations.

King James Version - Published in 1611, the King James Version Bible has served as a standard of measurement for subsequent English translations. Faithfulness to the original Hebrew and Greek text was of utmost importance. The result: a time-honored translation that has been enjoyed for almost 400 years.

Amplified Bible - The Amplified Bible captures the full meaning behind the original Greek and Hebrew. This one-of-a-kind translation uses a system of brackets, parentheses and italics to capture the rich meaning of the Bible’s original languages.

Contemporary English Version(CEV) - Uncompromising simplicity marked the American Bible Society’s translation of the Contemporary English Version Bible that was first published in 1995. The text is easily read by grade schoolers, second language readers, and those who prefer the more contemporized form. The CEV is not a paraphrase. It is an accurate and faithful translation of the original manuscripts.

New Living Translation(NLT) - Published in 1996, the New Living Translation was developed by evangelical scholars based on the most recent scholarship and translation theory.

New Jerusalem Bible(NJB) - The NJB is a 1985 revision of the older Jerusalem Bible (JB). The JB was translated from the original languages, but it developed out of a popular French translation done in Jerusalem, which is why it was called the Jerusalem Bible. The NJB, like the JB before it, is known for its literary qualities. While the JB tended to more meaning-based (or functional equivalent), the NJB has moved toward more of a word-based (or formal equivalent) translation.

New Century Version(NCV) - This translation of God's Word was made from the original Hebrew and Greek languages. The translation team was composed of the World Bible Translation Center and fifty additional, highly qualified and experienced Bible scholars and translators. Some had translation experience on the New International, the New American Standard, and the New King James Versions. The third edition of the United Bible Societies' Greek text, the latest edition of Biblia Hebraica and the Septuagint were among texts used.