NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
19 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Matthew 1:16 — 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 Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
19 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
19 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
Jacob had Joseph, Mary's husband, the Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the Jesus who was called Christ.
18 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
20 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
19 words
KJV
17 words
ESV
19 words
NLT
19 words
MSG
18 words
NASB
20 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Matthew 1:16?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 1:16 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 Matthew 1:16 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.