NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
27 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Romans 1:8 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
First , I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
22 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
21 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.
29 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
I thank God through Jesus for every one of you. That's first. People everywhere keep telling me about your lives of faith, and every time I hear them, I thank him.
31 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.
21 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
27 words
KJV
22 words
ESV
21 words
NLT
29 words
MSG
31 words
NASB
21 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Romans 1:8?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Romans 1:8 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 1:8 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.