NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
11 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Philippians 3:6 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
14 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
15 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
20 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting Christians; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God's law Book.
27 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
19 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
11 words
KJV
14 words
ESV
15 words
NLT
20 words
MSG
27 words
NASB
19 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Philippians 3:6?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Philippians 3:6 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 Philippians 3:6 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.