Who is the Naarden Bible suitable for?

What do you notice while reading?

Translator Pieter Oussoren tries to make features of the original text audible in Dutch. This can cause familiar passages to sound different. That can help you read more slowly and notice recurring words. It does not automatically make the translation easier. You don't need to know Hebrew or Greek to get started, but curiosity about language helps.

This way you can compare without making a ranking

Read a story, a psalm and an excerpt from a letter in the Naardense Bible and the NBV21. Note where you get stuck and what wording helps you. A translation can be nice for quiet reading at home, while you prefer to use the joint translation in a group. So don't just choose literal or modern on the label.

Which edition is in front of you?

The first Naardense Bible was published in 2004. The publisher calls the 2024 edition the definitive edition. Our ocher linen edition is a standard version. If you want to include deuterocanonical books, you must choose a version intended for that purpose. Check the ISBN as a different color may correspond to a different content. Moreover, the online text and a printed book do not have to contain the same revision.

Issues to view

Choose based on your own reading purpose and, if in doubt, first look at the interior. These editions match the options above:

• Naardense Bijbel 2024 · oker linnen
• NBV21 Standaardeditie

Also read about the makers: Pieter Oussoren.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Naardense Bible a children's Bible?

No, it is a complete Bible translation. The language is not especially simplified for children.

Is a more literal formulation always better?

That depends on your reading purpose. Readability and making source text features visible may require different choices.