Several accurate translations of the Holy Bible – God’s precious word – are available to us in the English language.* We are incredibly blessed to have the very words of God in our hands. 

It is a powerful tool for Christians who write! Our writings ought to be done for the glory of God, to make Him famous, and there is no better way to make Him known than to record His very words to us in our stories.

It seems that many Christians who write use the KJV, NKJV, or ESV when quoting the Bible in their stories. So, you may wonder, why do I use the NIV (New International Version)** in my stories? 

The NIV is very familiar to me. From my earliest years, our family Bible times have been read aloud with the NIV. The first verses from the Bible I memorized were in this translation. My dad has preached from the NIV for years. It was natural to convey spiritual truths in my stories with the words familiar to me.

Furthermore, my books were first written for my siblings, who also shared this familiarity with the NIV. Being able to share that foundation and impart spiritual truths through my stories in the heart language of my siblings was so inspiring!

It gives me confidence in penning the Gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ is central to my writings. I know the Gospel in the words of the Bible, as quoted in the NIV translation. The words that led me to Christ were nearly the same that led my characters to Christ.

I have also gained an understanding of other spiritual truths that are the themes of my stories from reading the Bible. Sharing those themes in the words familiar to me helped curb doubts about my writing.

The NIV reflects the heart language and dialect of my audience. My target audience is teens, ages 13-19. With a desire to reach Christians and non-Christians alike with my stories, it’s necessary to keep my writing voice simple. The NIV is fairly comprehensive for all ages.

Those are the reasons I choose to use the NIV translation in my stories.

That being said, I do use diversity in personal study. Some verses from the NKJV and ESV found their way into my third book, for various reasons of veracity. 

In essence, my goal is to build an understanding of the Gospel and Scriptural truths from their place of origin, the Bible. The NIV translation fit into the lives of my young characters, allowing me to weave an intriguing storyline with epic battles and empowering themes!

What about you, friend? What translation of the Bible do you use in your stories? Let me know in the comments!