NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
20 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Genesis 1:10 — 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 God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
24 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
23 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
17 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
God named the land Earth. He named the pooled water Ocean. God saw that it was good.
17 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good.
22 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
20 words
KJV
24 words
ESV
23 words
NLT
17 words
MSG
17 words
NASB
22 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Genesis 1:10?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Genesis 1:10 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 Genesis 1:10 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.