NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
23 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Matthew 3:4 — 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 the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
25 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
23 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.
25 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey.
25 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
24 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
23 words
KJV
25 words
ESV
23 words
NLT
25 words
MSG
25 words
NASB
24 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Matthew 3:4?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 3:4 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 3:4 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.