Why I love the ESV
Posted by spdar on September 18, 2008
The English Standard Version is, in my opinion, a great translation of the bible and offers a far closer understanding of what the writers actually meant when they wrote the passages.
Many translations provide a “Thought for Thought” translation where the “meaning” of what the writer was trying to day is translated, rather than an actual translation of the words written (i.e. a “Word for Word” translation)
This does mean that “Word for Word” translations might be less easy to read than a “thought for thought” translation but is not so open to the bias of the translator, cultural influences or political correctness influencing the meaning of the final text.
Here are some examples of the differences:
Genesis 5:2
ESV – Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.
KJV – Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
NIV – He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man.”
NLT – He created them male and female, and he blessed them and called them “human.”
NASB – He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created.
HCSB – He created them male and female. When they were created, He blessed them and called them man.
MESSAGE – He created both male and female and blessed them, the whole human race.
TNIV – He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “human beings.”
2 Corinthians 5:7ESV -For we walk by faith, not by sight.
KJV – For we walk by faith, not by sight.
NIV – We live by faith, not by sight.
NLT – That is why we live by believing and not by seeing.
NASB – For we walk by faith, not by sight.
HCSB – For we walk by faith, not by sight.
MESSAGE – It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going.
TNIV – We live by faith, not by sight.
Psalm 8:4
ESV – What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
KJV – What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
NIV – What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
NLT – What are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us?
NASB – What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?
HCSB – What is man that You remember him, the son of man that You look after him?
MESSAGE – Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?
TNIV – What are mere mortals that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
As a youth pastor I wanted to use a modern translation that was true to the original text and so a “word for word” translation was, i felt, essential. However readability was important. The NLT (New Living Translation) which was/is common amongst young people because it is easy to read does miss much of what was actually written and is “on the looser end of the dynamic equivalence spectrum (thought for thought spectrum)” and so I felt it necessary to point my young people to a better translation. There is of course the TNIV (Todays New International Version) which I personally think is just plain wrong! (Maybe I will blog about this soon).
All that said I found the ESV modern, readable and most importantly accurate. I therefore recommend to all my youngsters (and adults too) the English Standard Version
