English Standard Version

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English Standard Version
Full name: English Standard Version
Abbreviation: ESV
Complete Bible published: 2001
Textual Basis: NT: High Correspondence to Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece 27th edition. OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia with Septuagint influence.
Translation type: Formal Equivalence
Reading Level: Middle School
Version Revised: Revised Standard Version
Publisher: Crossway Bibles
Copyright status: Copyright © 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a ministry of the Good News Publishers of Wheaton, IL
Online address: http://www.esv.org/
Genesis 1:1-3
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Concordant Hebrew English Sublinear
"in beginning he-created Elohim the heavens and the earth and the earth she-became chaos and vacancy and darkness over surfaces-of abyss and spirit-of Elohim vibrating over surfaces-of the waters and he-is-saying Elohim he-shall-become light and he-is-becoming light"
©2007 Scripture4all Foundation
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Concordant Greek Text Sublinear
"thus for loves the God the system as-besides the son the only-generated he-gives that every the one-believing into him no should-be-being-destroyed but may-be-having life eonian"
©2007 Concordant Publishing Concern
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The English Standard Version (ESV) is a revision of the 1971 edition of the Revised Standard Version. The first edition was published in 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Contents

[edit] Translation philosophy

The stated intent of the translators was to produce a readable and accurate translation that stands in the tradition of Bible translations beginning with English religious reformer William Tyndale in 1525–26 and culminating in the King James Version of 1611. Examples of other translations that stand in this stream are the Revised Version (1881–85), the American Standard Version (1901), and the Revised Standard Version (1946–52/1971). In their own words, they sought to follow a literal translation philosophy. To that end, they sought as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer, while taking into account differences of grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages. The result is a translation that is more literal than the popular New International Version, but more idiomatic than the New American Standard Bible.

[edit] History

Work on this translation began over the perceived looseness of style and content of recently published English Bible translations. Under noted theologian J.I. Packer who served as general editor the group sought and received permission from the National Council of Churches to use the 1971 edition of the RSV as the English textual basis for the ESV. Nevertheless, only about 5%–10% of the RSV text was changed in the ESV. Many corrections were made to satisfy objections to some of the RSV's interpretations that conservative Protestants had considered as theologically liberal, for example, changing the translation of the Hebrew "almah" from "young woman" to "virgin" in Isaiah 7:14. The language was modernized to remove "thou" and "thee" and replace obsolete words (e.g., "jug" for "cruse").

The ESV underwent a minor revision in 2007.[1] The publisher has chosen not to identify the updated text as a second or revised edition; it is intended to replace the original ESV under the original name.[2] At present, both revisions coexist on the market.

An edition of the ESV with Apocrypha (featuring Protestant Apocrypha, books of the Roman Catholic Old Testament, and the Eastern Orthodox Old Testament) is being developed by Oxford University Press and will be available on December 31, 2008.[3] The team working on the Apocrypha/Deuterocanonicals included Bernard Taylor, David deSilva, and Dan McCartney, under the editorship of David Aiken. The publisher cites the fact that the ESV "has been growing in popularity among students in biblical studies, mainline Christian scholars and clergy, and Evangelical Christians of all denominations." Thus, they deemed that "Along with that growth comes the need for the books of the Apocrypha to be included in ESV Bibles, both for denominations that use those books in liturgical readings and for students who need them for historical purposes." The publisher's hope for this new edition with Apocrypha is that it will be used widely in seminaries and divinity schools where the Apocrypha is used in academic study.[4]

[edit] Textual basis

When necessary to translate difficult passages, the translators referred to the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible (as found in the second edition of Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia), to the United Bible Societies' fourth edition of the Greek New Testament, and to the twenty-seventh edition of Nestle and Aland's Novum Testamentum Graece. In a few exceptionally difficult cases, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Septuagint, the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Syriac Peshitta, the Latin Vulgate, and other sources were consulted to shed possible light on the text or, if necessary, to support a divergence from the Masoretic text.

[edit] Criticism and controversy

Dr. Mark L. Strauss, who has defended gender neutral Bible translations like the TNIV, NLT, and NRSV, argues that the ESV uses similar gender neutral language. He wrote, “What is odd and ironic is that some of the strongest attacks against the gender language of the TNIV are coming from those who produced similar gender changes in the ESV”.[5] Strauss has also suggested that criticism against competing Bible translations to the ESV is marketing contrived.[6] ESV translator Wayne Grudem has responded that, while on occasion the ESV translates "person" or "one" where previous translations used "man", it keeps gender specific language where that is in the original, so it does not go as far as gender inclusive translations such as the TNIV and NRSV;[7] and the ESV web site makes a similar statement.[8] For instance, unlike the TNIV and NRSV, it never changes "brothers" to "brothers and sisters". This of course presupposes that adelphos is gender specific in every context, a point disputed by such as Don Carson, citing in the singular Mt.5:22, and noting that the Colorado Springs guidelines (B.2) were revised to allow at least the plural adelphoi to be translated "brothers and sisters".[9]

Bible translator and linguist Wayne Leman has compiled a list of translation problems in the ESV. [10]

[edit] Use of the ESV

Two previously existing study bible editions of other translations have been adapted to use the ESV text: the Scofield Study Bible (Oxford University Press, 2001, ISBN 9780195278750), which updated the Scofield Reference Bible, and the Reformation Study Bible, edited by R.C. Sproul, which adapted the notes from the previous edition that used the New King James Version. The ESV edition was published by P & R Publishing, while the original New King James Version edition was published by Thomas Nelson (publisher).

In 2007, Crossway Bibles published the Literary Study Bible based on the ESV, with notes on the literary elements of Scripture by literary scholar Leland Ryken of Wheaton College and his son, Presbyterian pastor and theologian Philip Ryken.[11]

The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod has adopted the ESV as the official text used in its official hymnal Lutheran Service Book, released in August 2006. It is in use in the church's three and one year lectionaries released with "Lutheran Service Book." The official publishing arm of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Concordia Publishing House, is using the English Standard Version as its translation of choice in all its published materials. Concordia Publishing House is releasing The Lutheran Study Bible in October 2009, which will use the ESV translation.

The ESV Study Bible was released by Crossway Bibles in October 2008. The general editor is Wayne Grudem, and features ESV editor J.I. Packer as theological editor.[12] Initial sales of this study bible have been spectacular, with the publishers announcing, "With pre-publication demand surpassing the first 100,000 printing, the ESV Study Bible has already gone back to press for a second printing of 50,000 copies, with a 50,000 third printing soon to follow." Online book retailer Westminster Books has called the ESV Study Bible "by far the fastest selling new product in the history of our store."[13]

[edit] Sources

  • Crossway Bibles. "Translation Philosophy". Retrieved March 17, 2004.
  • Marlowe, Michael D. (Oct 2001). "English Standard Version". Retrieved March 17, 2004.
  • Ryken, Leland (2002). The Word of God in English (available online here - 1.2MB PDF) . Wheaton, IL: Crossway. ISBN 1-58134-464-3. Ryken, an English professor from Wheaton College, worked as the literary stylist for the ESV.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Mansfield, R. 2007 ESV Changes: Hebrews - Revelation, This Lamp.
  2. ^ Mansfield, R. ESV Comparison Backlash??, This Lamp.
  3. ^ http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Bibles/TextReferenceBibles/?view=usa&ci=9780195289107
  4. ^ http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Bibles/TextReferenceBibles/?view=usa&ci=9780195289107
  5. ^ Strauss, Mark L. "The Gender-Neutral Language of the English Standard Version (ESV)" (Microsoft Word Document). Retrieved on 2007-12-03. "What is odd and ironic is that some of the strongest attacks against the gender language of the TNIV are coming from those who produced similar gender changes in the ESV"
  6. ^ Strauss, Mark. "The Gender-Neutral Language of the ESV".
  7. ^ "TNIV Debate Between Wayne Grudem and Mark Strauss".
  8. ^ Gender Issues, ESV web site
  9. ^ The Inclusive Language Debate 1998:131
  10. ^ ESV Links, see heading "ESV translation problems, noted by Wayne Leman"
  11. ^ http://www.literarystudybible.org
  12. ^ http://www.esvstudybible.org
  13. ^ http://www.esvstudybible.org/blog/2008/10/esv-study-bible-goes-back-to-press-prior-to-october-15-publication-date/

[edit] External links

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