Until recently most Bible translations were done according to an approach called “formal equivalence” (or, “word-for-word translation”). The goal of the formal equivalence approach is to communicate both the words and the grammatical structure (the “form”) of the original language (or source language) into the other language (or receptor language). Such an approach would suggest that the translation is truly accurate and precise. What sometimes happens, however, is that the translation looks and sounds unnatural in the receptor language because it does not follow the rules of grammar and sentence structure of that language. 

In the 1960s, a new way of thinking about Bible translation developed based on recent theories of communication that focused more on the needs of the audience than on the form of the message. The result was another approach for Bible translation. This new approach is called “functional equivalence” translation and emphasizes the need to translate the meaning of the words in whole thought units (like phrases, sentences, and paragraphs), rather than translating the individual words themselves. This approach is more concerned with the “function” of the words which carry meaning than about their “form.”

Whether using a formal equivalence approach or a functional equivalence approach, Bible translators are always concerned to use the best Hebrew and Greek manuscripts available for their work. Translators base their translations on “critical editions” (or standard editions) of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, which offer careful assessments of all available ancient biblical manuscripts. These critical editions ensure that the translations are based on the most accurate and reliable manuscripts available.