NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
18 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Ephesians 2:17 — 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 came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
17 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
19 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.
24 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders.
13 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;
19 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
18 words
KJV
17 words
ESV
19 words
NLT
24 words
MSG
13 words
NASB
19 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Ephesians 2:17?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Ephesians 2:17 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 2:17 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.