NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
16 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Romans 4:3 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
16 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
17 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
18 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
What we read in Scripture is, "Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point. He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own."
37 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
For what does the Scripture say? 'ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.'
17 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
16 words
KJV
16 words
ESV
17 words
NLT
18 words
MSG
37 words
NASB
17 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Romans 4:3?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Romans 4:3 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 4:3 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.