NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,
19 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Matthew 1:6 — 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 Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
21 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,
20 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Jesse was the father of King David.David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
20 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
Jesse had David, and David became king. David had Solomon (Uriah's wife was the mother),
15 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah.
23 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
19 words
KJV
21 words
ESV
20 words
NLT
20 words
MSG
15 words
NASB
23 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Matthew 1:6?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 1:6 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 1:6 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.