Here are a few of the more popular Bible versions that are commonly used today, and my thoughts on them:

• King James Version (KJV): this is the mama of all English Bibles.  We just recently celebrated the 400th anniversary of its publication, and it is still going strong!  Sure, there are some crazy folks who truly believe it's the only valid English translations, but there are plenty of other people who read it regularly, simply because it "sounds like the Bible" to them.  And that's okay.

• New International Version (NIV): in America, this version is, for many Christians the successor to the KJV, in terms of its popularity and status.  Tricky thing nowadays is this: the NIV was recently given a pretty major overhaul, but they are still calling it the NIV.  So watch out if you're buying an NIV, because you may get a version of it that is pretty different from the NIV you're used to.

• The Message: I have mixed feelings about this paraphrase of the Bible.  On the one hand, I think Eugene Peterson's rephrasing of Scripture can shed new light on some passages, force the reader to look at something in a fresh way, etc.  On the other hand, he often brings to the text elements that have absolutely nothing to do with the actual text.  Furthermore, in his efforts to be contemporary, he has made his work such a product of late 20th century language, that it already sounds dated.  I also am uncomfortable with the way this version is marketed as an actual translation, when it is really a paraphrase.  Bottom line: if you use this version for devotional reading or whatever, please use it alongside a more accurate translation, to keep things in perspective.

• Common English Bible (CEB): the CEB is one of the newest Bibles on the market, and seems to be doing quite well.  Even though I don't agree with every single choice the translators made in this version, I think there is much to recommend in it.  The CEB leans toward the dynamic end of the translation continuum, of course, which is just fine with me.  Somtimes a rendering in this version will cause me to delve more deeply into what the text is saying, and, more often than not, I will find the CEB's rendering to be very appropriate.  Moreover, the flow of the language is usually contemporary without sounding trendy.  Use of contractions (don't, it's, you've, etc.) helps the language sound much more natural.  This version is good for public reading and private devotions.

• New Living Translation (NLT): based on the work of Kenneth Taylor and his wildly popular Living Bible (a bestselling paraphrase in the 60s and 70s), the NLT is a dynamic equivalence translation, rather than a paraphrase like its predecessor.  I've always been a bit of a fan of the NLT.  Perhaps that's because the NLT was one of the first translations I began reading when I returned to Christian faith as an adult, after several years of being lapsed.  Sometimes the NLT can be a bit too simplistic in its language, but overall, I think it's an excellent piece of work.

• New Century Version (NCV): this one is used for a lot of Bibles oriented towards younger people, due to its lower grade reading level.  You'll find it as the text of all those Biblezines published by Thomas Nelson, as well as a host of study Bibles for kids and teens.  Like the NLT, I think the NCV is very accessible, and an excellent translation, particularly for younger people.

• English Standard Version (ESV): the ESV is quickly becoming the Bible of choice for conservative Christians, especially now that the NIV has been updated (see above).  Essentially, the ESV is a light update of the good ol' Revised Standard Version (RSV).  That is a bit ironic when you consider that the RSV was excoriated by many conservatives when it came out in 1952!  In fact, it was largely due to conservative outrage over the RSV that the NIV was financed and developed.  So now we have (some) conservatives speaking out against the NIV 2011, while recommending the heir to the RSV.  Delicious...

• Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB): apparently Lifeway (publishers of the HCSB) are not familiar with the Great Unwritten Commandment of Bible Version Names-- Thou shalt not name a version anything that can't be turned into a three-letter abbreviation!  (See NIV, CEB, ESV, NLT, etc.  Maybe that's why the NRSV wasn't ever very popular...)  Anyway, despite its somewhat cumbersome title, I believe the HCSB is an excellent translation.  The more I read it, the more I like it. While it's traditional, and deeply indebted to the RSV and NASB, it explores some relatively novel territory, especially as formal equivalence versions are concerned. For instance, God's name (YHWH, the Tetragrammaton, יהוה) is often rendered "Yahweh," instead of the traditional LORD; also, χριστος (Christos) is usually rendered "the Messiah," rather than the transliteration "Christ."  The HCSB is well worth your time.