NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,
15 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,
15 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
King James Version · 1611
And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
12 words · Formal / word-for-word
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,
18 words · Essentially literal
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.Abijah was the father of Asa.
16 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
The Message · 2002
Solomon had Rehoboam, Rehoboam had Abijah, Abijah had Asa,
9 words · Contemporary paraphrase
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.
17 words · Most literal English translation
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 1:7 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).
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.
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.