NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
18 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Genesis 2:16 — 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 the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: <sup>thou: Heb. eating thou shalt eat</sup>
24 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,
18 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden —
19 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
God commanded the Man, "You can eat from any tree in the garden,
13 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
The LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;
17 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
18 words
KJV
24 words
ESV
18 words
NLT
19 words
MSG
13 words
NASB
17 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Genesis 2:16?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Genesis 2:16 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 2:16 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.