NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
22 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
John 1:43 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
18 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
18 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.”
19 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. When he got there, he ran across Philip and said, "Come, follow me."
22 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, 'Follow Me.'
20 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
22 words
KJV
18 words
ESV
18 words
NLT
19 words
MSG
22 words
NASB
20 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for John 1:43?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers John 1:43 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 John 1:43 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.