On Bible Translations
I had to comment about my quest this evening.
First, some background…
I have never really pushed one translation or another of the Bible…definitely not in a dogmatic sense. I do think the translation you are reading is important though. In my early years as a Christian I was mostly reading the KJV (I still read it). I then started reading mostly out of the NIV. I had a lot of issues with the NIV and ended up switching to the NASB. I do keep up on all the translations that come out though and I have bought quite a few different translations and versions throughout the years. However, the NASB (one of the most literal translations) has been my primary reading Bible for a good 10+ years or so.
That brings me to now…I have been doing a lot of reading in (and about) the ESV. I also have the ESV edition of the Listener’s Bible on CD. After finding myself reading quite a bit out of one of the smaller ESV Bibles I bought, I decided to buy the classic reference edition for my primary Bible (replacing my NASB reference edition).
Sidenote… Being that I am in the technology field, one thing that I really like is how advanced the ESV team is when it comes to technology. They even have their own blog! Not to mention a searchable online version (with audio), and a ton of internet resources for webmasters and churches etc etc… They are truly using the advancements in technology in a great way. IMO they are the cutting-edge publisher when it comes to technology and Bible publishers…all that and no compromise when it comes to the Word of God…they are a great team. Another great thing is that there is no charge for the ESV with E-Sword. I had to pay for an unlock code to use the NASB with E-Sword. I use E-Sword for study on the computer and I like to read a lot of different translations in parallel.
Back to my quest…
So I go out to buy my new Bible. Much to my dismay, it seems nobody really carries the ESV. I drove all over town and couldn’t find what I was looking for…I was quite shocked. I realize this is a fairly new translation but come on…3 years should be enough time for all the Christian bookstores to carry it. I will end up ordering it online (which I mostly do anyway) but I wanted to take a look at the binding and whatnot before I bought it.
Anyway, I had to comment on the whole thing because I think the ESV is an excellent translation and I was kind of bummed that none of the local stores really carried it. Hopefully, they will get on the ball in the near future as more people discover the ESV. You can read more about the English Standard Version on their website. I encourage you to do so.
P.S. There is a nice short book available on Choosing a Bible: Understanding Bible Translation Differences available for download here in PDF format or here if you want to purchase it.
Comments
3 Comments on On Bible Translations
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JakeDavis84 on
Thu, 2nd Jun 2005 00:02
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ESV Bible Blog on
Mon, 13th Jun 2005 14:45
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Christendom Blogosis » Blog Archive » More on the ESV Bible on
Tue, 21st Jun 2005 18:30
Glad to see someone else has discovered the ESV. You’re history is close to mine: from KJV to NIV to NASB and finally to the ESV. I agree with your comments: not only is it a great translation, but the team has also come up with some great editions, including the web version, E-Sword, and other software. I am seeing more and more stores beginning to carry it as it becomes more popular. With some seminaries now using it, I’m sure we’ll be able to find it more and more. (thanks for posting on my blog, too, btw) Jake
Translation Committee Meeting: Personal Reflections
We asked Crossway webmaster Stephen Smith to share his reflections on attending some of the recent Translation Oversight Committee meeting:
On Thursday, June 2, 2005, I had the unique opportunity to sit in on part of a Translation Oversight Committe…
[...] le Just a few things to post on the ESV. I initially made a post about the ESV here. In addition, I have two ongoing entries regarding the ESV. The Ideal ESV Edi [...]
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