NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
27 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Romans 1:4 — 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 declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: <sup>declared: Gr. determined</sup>
25 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
27 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
30 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
his unique identity as Son of God was shown by the Spirit when Jesus was raised from the dead, setting him apart as the Messiah, our Master.
27 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,
25 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
27 words
KJV
25 words
ESV
27 words
NLT
30 words
MSG
27 words
NASB
25 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Romans 1:4?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Romans 1:4 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 Romans 1:4 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.