What would you do if you come across two Bible versions that interpret a Bible verse differently?

1. Check additional translations using a Bible Parallel and compare them all.
2. Consider the Translation Type I’m using, whether they are literal word-for-word, thought-for-thought, dynamic, or paraphrase. Some are more accurate in the literal preservation of the original exact wording, even if it sounds stiff whereas others are more intended to convey the overall intended meaning, even if it’s not as precisely accurate.
3. Read the Full Context using the 20–20 rule. Read the 20 verses before that verse and the 20 verses after that verse. Often the immediate context makes it clear what is being said, and which translation is more likely to be more accurate.
4. Consider whether the difference is based on the preferential treatment of certain Manuscript Traditions, whether it’s based on the Nestle-Aland, giving preferential treatment to the older Alexandrian manuscripts, or the later Byzantine Majority manuscripts, or is limited to the old Textus Receptus. The easiest way to do this is to compare the KJV-NKJV-RSV and the ESV-NASB-NIV. Checking one of each of these two categories will quickly let you know if manuscript tradition is playing a role. (It seldom does)
5. Check the verse using an Interlinear to identify what the original text root words are.
6. Analyze the meanings of the root words using a Concordance.
7. If further assistance is needed, use a Lexicon and/other ancient language study guide to go deeper into the meanings of the original words.
8. Using the previous three tools mentioned do a review of how these same words were translated elsewhere in Scripture? Compare how both of these translations have interpreted it elsewhere.
9. Review Bible Commentaries to see what other scholars and teachers have understood the verse to mean over the centuries.

Would you like an example of this in action?

I usually use Bible verse quotes from Bible Hub here in all of my answers to make all of these things easier for people reading my answers.

For example, let’s say I wanted to share a Bible verse:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

This posts a copy of a translation that I like, the Berean Study Bible. But the link itself is a link to their Bible Parallel. Click on it and see the same verse side by side in 20+ translations!

If you scroll all the way down you will notice that Strong’s Lexicon and Bible Commentaries are included in the same page.

When you do go to this page, and are ready for deeper investigation, you will see at the top of the page INT and GRK (or HEB). This is the link to an Interlinear, or Greek Analysis, or Hebrew Analysis. When you click on that it will automatically still have John 3:16 there.

Here’s a link to that same Interlinear for easy reference:

John 3:16 Interlinear: for God did so love the world, that His Son — the only begotten — He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.

Here’s a link to that same Greek Text Analysis for easy reference:

John 3:16 Greek Text Analysis

To investigate any of these words further just click on them. This will bring that word up in one of their concordances. I chose a word (only begotten) and here’s the link for easy reference:

μονογενῆ (monogenē) — 3 Occurrences

The original word occurs three times in the Bible and you can see where and what it was translated to in English.

This was the ENG (Englishman’s Concordance) but there are others available for more information. At the top of that page you can see other options including: Strong’s Concordance, NAS Exhaustive Concordance, Thayers Greek Lexicon, and HELPS Word-Studies. I like to click the SUM on the left (Summary) which allows you to the see your chosen word in all of those at the same time.

If you wanted to have another lexicon example there’s also a Strong’s Lexicon (go to STR at the top of the page). Here’s a link to John 3:16 for easy reference:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

You can also click the COM at the top of the page to view Bible Commentaries about the verse. Here’s a link to it for easy reference:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

So there you have it. Using this method and these tools you can quickly gain an in-depth understanding of a Bible verse, compare and contrast it, see how it’s related to other places in the Bible, learn about the original words, and see what other commentators have thought about it!

What an amazing blessing it is to have technology and tools lIke this at our disposal. We are abundantly blessed beyond that of our predecessors. Bible Hub is only one example that I enjoy using. There are many other similar options out there as well.