NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,
23 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Matthew 1:5 — 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 Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
16 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,
22 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).Obed was the father of Jesse.
24 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
Salmon had Boaz (his mother was Rahab), Boaz had Obed (Ruth was the mother), Obed had Jesse,
17 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse.
22 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
23 words
KJV
16 words
ESV
22 words
NLT
24 words
MSG
17 words
NASB
22 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Matthew 1:5?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 1:5 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 1:5 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.