NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
28 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Genesis 2:7 — 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 the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. <sup>of the dust: Heb. dust of the ground</sup>
35 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
28 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
30 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!
24 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
26 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
28 words
KJV
35 words
ESV
28 words
NLT
30 words
MSG
24 words
NASB
26 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Genesis 2:7?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Genesis 2:7 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 2:7 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.