NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,
21 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Matthew 1:3 — 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 Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
16 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,
22 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).Perez was the father of Hezron.Hezron was the father of Ram.
22 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
Judah had Perez and Zerah (the mother was Tamar), Perez had Hezron, Hezron had Aram,
15 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.
22 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
21 words
KJV
16 words
ESV
22 words
NLT
22 words
MSG
15 words
NASB
22 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Matthew 1:3?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 1:3 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 1:3 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.