NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
16 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Matthew 4:25 — 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 there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
23 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
20 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Large crowds followed him wherever he went — people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.
26 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the "Ten Towns" across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan.
33 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and [the] Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and [from] beyond the Jordan.
18 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
16 words
KJV
23 words
ESV
20 words
NLT
26 words
MSG
33 words
NASB
18 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Matthew 4:25?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Matthew 4:25 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 4:25 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.