NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
19 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Ephesians 1:22 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
21 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
19 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.
24 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church.
23 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
21 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
19 words
KJV
21 words
ESV
19 words
NLT
24 words
MSG
23 words
NASB
21 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Ephesians 1:22?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Ephesians 1:22 in 6 translations: New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, The Message, New American Standard Bible. Each uses a different translation philosophy — from word-for-word (KJV, ESV, NASB) to thought-for-thought (NIV, NLT) to paraphrase (MSG).
Which translation of Ephesians 1:22 is best?
No single translation is "best" — it depends on your purpose. For deep study, use the ESV or NASB (word-for-word). For devotional reading, the NIV balances accuracy and readability. The NLT and MSG are excellent for understanding the general meaning in modern English. Comparing multiple translations helps grasp the full richness of the text.
What is the difference between literal and dynamic Bible translations?
Literal (formal equivalence) translations like KJV, ESV, and NASB translate word-for-word from the original Hebrew/Greek. Dynamic equivalence translations like NIV and NLT translate thought-for-thought for clarity. The MSG is a paraphrase that captures the spirit in contemporary language. Each approach has strengths — that's why comparing translations is valuable.