NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”
23 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Matthew 1:23 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
Behold, a virgin shall be with child , and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. <sup>they: or, his name shall be called</sup>
35 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
21 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!She will give birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel,which means ‘God is with us.’”
23 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").
22 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
'BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,' which translated means, 'GOD WITH US.'
25 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
23 words
KJV
35 words
ESV
21 words
NLT
23 words
MSG
22 words
NASB
25 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Matthew 1:23?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 1:23 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 1:23 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.