NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so.
21 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Genesis 1:7 — 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 made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
26 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.
26 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens.
22 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
God made sky. He separated the water under sky from the water above sky. And there it was:
18 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.
25 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
21 words
KJV
26 words
ESV
26 words
NLT
22 words
MSG
18 words
NASB
25 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Genesis 1:7?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Genesis 1:7 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 1:7 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.