[Note: pardon the transliteration of Hebrew, but RapidWeaver still doesn't handle right-to-left text very well.]

I was teaching the imperative mood in my Greek class today when a question came up about an example I used. To illustrate the idea of an imperative granting permission, I offered the same verse as our textbook, Eph 4:26—

ὀργίζεσθε καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε
[You may] Be angry and/but do not sin

One of my students asked about the original OT passage that Paul quotes. He wanted to know if it was an imperative in the LXX. It’s true that the passage quotes Psalm 4:4 (4:5 in the LXX/BHS). And although I didn’t know the answer off the top of my head, it was easy enough to find out. So I threw an Accordance window onto the projector screen.

We looked up the passage in the LXX, and sure enough it was exactly the same down to the letter. The same imperative form for ὀργίζω (to be angry) was used in the passage: a present passive imperative, 2nd person plural. Someone looking in his own copy of the Bible noted however, that the NASB did not use “Be angry,” but rather Tremble. I suggested that often such a disagreement occurs because the NT writers usually quoted the LXX, but our modern translations are based off the Hebrew text and sometimes variations occur. Then I threw up a few English translations for comparison, most of which had the same or a similar idea as the NASB. But when I opened a pane with the ESV, I was surprised to see that it said, “Be angry... .”

Having spent enough time on this issue, I went back to our lesson. However, I was curious enough to look at this issue after class. As I was to confirm, the Hebrew for Psalm 4:4/5 is not a word that specifically means to be angry. The Hebrew word used 4:4/5, rigzu, is the qal imperative form of rgz. My Hebrew is in the rustier section of my language toolbelt, but I can still read a lexicon. And according to the HALOT, the qal form of rgz means (1) to tremble, be caught in restless motion, (2) to tremble with emotion: from terror, (3) to come out quaking with fear, (4) to get excited. Although it's not my desire to try to defend the LXX's choice of ὀργίζω for rgz, I can question the ESV's use of "Be angry" since the translation claims to be based on the Hebrew OT, and certainly not the Greek.

I should point out that the ESV does include an alternate translation to "Be angry" in the footnotes: "Or Be agitated." Is Be agitated a better translation? Well, according to the HALOT, only if rgz takes the hifil form (which it does not in Psalm 4).

My first hunch was simply to assume that the ESV translators were once again engaging in the questionable practice of trying to make the OT text conform to NT quotations, something that doesn't always work for reasons I've stated above. However, rather than jump to any sudden conclusions, I decided to check out other translations in the Tyndale tradition, especially the ESV's immediate predecessor, the RSV. After checking with the Tyndale translation, I was reminded that there is no Tyndale version of the Psalms (at least that's survived), so it's probably more accurate to say in the KJV tradition. The chart below demonstrates the variations of Psalm 4:4 in all translations that trace their lineage in one way or another to the KJV.

It's very interesting that while the KJV followed the Hebrew, it was the RSV that first departed and followed the LXX instead. I find this highly ironic since the RSV was heavily criticized by conservatives for following the Hebrew reading in Isa 7:14 instead of the LXX which harmonized with Matt 1:23. So I believe it's fair to say that initial fault does not lie with the ESV, but with the RSV. And I haven't looked at every translation on my shelf, but between the ASV and the RSV, only a couple of translations of any significance stand out: the Moffatt version and the Smith/Goodspeed version. Both of these use tremble. Therefore, as far as I know, it is the RSV that first introduced "Be angry" to Psalm 4:4.

However, the ESV is to be questioned here regardless because the translators have chosen to leave a faulty translation in place for what I can only guess is simply is simply for the sake of artificial harmonization. This follows one of my primary problems with the ESV--that the revisers did not update the RSV enough. Many of the awkward renderings or simply less-than-adequate translations found in the ESV are simply leftover baggage from the RSV.

That the ESV, which was moderately revised again earlier this year, has retained "Be angry" only suggests to me the original assumption I made that the handlers of this version wish to create a direct correspondence, a harmonization, between the OT text and the passages where it's quoted in the NT. This is problematic, though, when it no longer accurately reflections the meaning of the OT texts such as is the case here. Even the alternate translation, Be agitated would be closer to accuracy, but as is often the case with the ESV, the more accurate rendering is in the footnotes and a more "traditional" (even if inaccurate) rendering is in the main text (see for example, the ESV's consistent translation of ἀδελφοί/adelphoi in Paul's writings as "brothers" while noting the more accurate translation of "brothers and sisters" in the footnotes: Rom 1:13; 7:1; 8:12; 10:1; 11:25; 12:1; 15:14; 16:14; 1 Cor 1:10; 2:1; 3:1; 4:6; 6:8; 7:24; 8:12; 11:33; 12:1; 14:6; 15:1; 16:15; 2 Cor 1:8; 8:1; 13:11; Gal 1:2; 3:15; 4:12; 6:1; Eph 6:23; Phil 1:12; 3:1; 4:1; Col 1:2; 4:15; 1 Thess 3:7; 4:1; 2 Thess 1:3; 2:1; 3:1; 1 Tim 4:6; 2 Tim 4:21). One wonders why the more accurate translations wouldn't simply be preferred in the main text? Well, evidently because it flies in the face of tradition.

As always, your thoughts are invited in the comments below. For reference sake, here is Psalm 4:4 in a few other translations. The ESV is not to be criticized by itself. The NLT and HCSB both use anger, which is even more surprising for the latter which usually goes out of its way to shun traditional renderings for the sake of accuracy. Of course "tradition" in this case only dates back to 1956 as far as I can tell. The original NIV also used anger, but the TNIV appropriately corrects this with Tremble.

“Be angry and do not sin” [note: Or Tremble] (HCSB)

“Tremble and do not sin” (GWT)

"So tremble, and sin no more" (JPS)

"Tremble with fear and do not sin!" (NET)

"In your anger do not sin" (NIV)

"Tremble and do not sin" (TNIV)

"Don’t sin by letting anger control you" (NLTse)

"Let awe restrain you from sin" (REB)

"Tremble with fear and stop sinning" (GNT)

Tags: Psalms, Ephesians, ESV, RSV

[This post was supposed to go up July 28 originally, but RapidWeaver has consistently crashed four times while I'm writing it. Perhaps it has to do with the large number of graphic files. I don't know, but this is becoming increasingly frustrating.]

About three weeks have passed since I wrote my first iPhone Bible app roundup. Yet in that very short span of time, four new iPhone Bible offerings have been made available. In this post I will offer short reviews of each of these apps.

While looking at these apps, I began to notice some similarities in interfaces. I discovered that a number of them are based on the "iPhone User Interface" (iUI) created by Joe Hewitt. This interface is similar to the color and design of some of the Apple-based apps on the iPhone such as the Mail app and the list view in the iPod app. Of course, it's not just Bible apps that are using the iUI; a quick look at the iPhone Application List shows that lots of folks are using it. This is in spite of the fact that Hewitt himself has called the interface a bit boring. Personally, I like the simplicity of Hewitt's interface because I immediately know how to use any app created with it.

Also, I want to point out that although I used screen captures from my MacBook for the last roundup, from this point forward, I will be using a camera to take pictures of the screen to give a better idea of what these apps look like on an actual iPhone (with one exception below). The downside of that is that the images will not be as clear as the previous ones. That is not to say that these apps are not clear on the actual iPhone, but rather that it is just extremely difficult to take a picture of the screen on an electronic device. I did finally figure out that I should turn off my flash though.

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iPhone Bible (NAB)



I was initially intrigued when I first heard of the iPhone Bible (does this mean they now have control of that name?) because it would be the first iPhone Bible app to include the deuterocanonicals/apocrypha. Using Hewitt's aforementioned iUI, the opening screen of the iPhone Bible is both clear and colorful. Using a similar method we've seen elsewhere, the user selects Old or New Testament, which leads to the appropriate books of that testament (plus preface and section introductions), chapter numbers, and finally the full text of the selected chapter. That's where the surprise comes.



The biblical text for the iPhone actually comes from the already existing NAB pages from the United States Council of Catholic Bishops website. What that means is that these pages are not already formatted to a mobile device such as the iPhone and as demonstrated above, can be barely read at first. To see the text better, the user has two options. First, the iPhone can be turned sideways:



This is helpful, but still not a perfect solution. Another option of course is to simply do the iPhone multi-touch pinch resulting in text as large as desired:



Yes, Steve said we'd have the actual internet on the iPhone, but it's not always as practical as it sounds. Even with the text enlarged, this is still not an ideal solution for reading large sections of Scripture as one would constantly have to move the page around to see the entire text.

The NAB iPhone Bible is a great idea, but it suffers from the inherently small text that renders from the original USCCB pages. There is no search function built into the iPhone Bible, but there is a search available upon arriving at the USCCB pages. However, the user will want to restrict searches to the entire Bible because by default the entire site is searched. This was certainly a good idea, but perhaps the developers could get permission to reformat the NAB text specifically for the iPhone and other mobile devices.

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The Net Bible



Soon after I got my iPhone, I thought to myself how incredible it might be to have the NET Bible with all 60,000 notes literally in the palm of my hand. I contacted the folks at Bible.org to suggest they offer a NET Bible iphone app, but they were already well ahead of me as they had already been considering the very same thing. The NET Bible for the iPhone also uses Hewitt's iUI, and the navigation to a particular passage of the Bible is similar to the one described above.



In my last set of reviews, I praised iBibleSpace for the best interface of any iPhone Bible app so far. That evaluation remains so far, but I can say that the NET Bible has the best layout of text of any of the Bible apps so far. Not only are all formatting features (italics, bold, etc.) retained from the original NET Bible, but also the text is large and not crowded. There are spaces before and after section headings so that the text does not run together. Note the blue numbers above. These are links to the NET Bible's 60,000+ textual notes. The folks at Bible.org have thought through the implementation of these notes quite well because when the user seeks to access the NET notes, an entirely separate page is launched. This allows the user to flip back and forth between the text and the notes without having to wait for a page to load from the internet.

However, a current limitation of the iPhone causes a problem in the NET Bible notes as well. Compare these two screens below--notes from Gen 1 on the left and Mark 4 on the right:


[Note: the actual screens of the NET Bible notes are the same color. The images above just reflect my poor photography skills.]

As I mentioned in a previous post, Hebrew does not show up correctly yet on the iPhone. So notice on the left image which contains notes from Genesis 1, that square boxes appear where Hebrew text displays in the original. There are other places where the boxes show up in place of Hebrew, such as the section headings in Psalm 119 and references to Sinaiticus in the NT notes. However, on the right screen, with notes from Mark 4, the Greek word μυστήριον appears correctly. I would recommend to the NET Bible team that for right now they do nothing to "fix" this text. The iPhone will have to include Hebrew as the phone is marketed internationally. One would assume that the addition of Hebrew and other international fonts will be included in a later iPhone software update. I should also point out that the since I took these shots, the superscript numbering at the beginning of each note has been enlarged.

The NET Bible on the iPhone will no doubt be very beneficial to many iPhone users, including myself. Like a lot of these apps, there's no search feature as of yet. I might also throw out a challenge to the programmers to create a window that has the biblical text on top and the notes on bottom (or side to side if the phone is turned). Regardless, this is a good and needed beginning.

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God's iPhone (GWT)


[Note: the above image was taken as a screenshot off my MacBook because the opening screen has changed so dramatically since I first took my photographs.]

God's iPhone was created by Israel Anderson of New Zealand. This Bible app uses the lesser known, but still very good, God's Word Translation of the Bible. This project is not yet complete, but so far, Anderson has made available the entire New Testament and parts of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms). Also Anderson has added a section for Christian classic (presumably public domain) works. The first entry made available is A. W. Tozer's Pursuit of God.



I'm assuming that Anderson has used RapidWeaver's new iPhone template for his Bible app. As a RW user myself I've played around with this template in hopes of eventually offering a Greek NT for the iPhone (but I'm not sure how legal this is since the NA text is copyrighted). The RW iPhone template includes a drop down menu seen in the icon at the far right of the image above. Anderson has opted not to take advantage of this leaving all menu items on the screen. This is just as well because I've found it difficult to make selections with this menu in my own tests.

As seen in the image above, text is clear and well spaced, but I can't help thinking it would be easier to read if the text were not displayed using full justification. Studies have shown that full justification, while looking neat and orderly, is actually harder to read because it makes it harder for the eyes to find the next line.

Regardless, God's iPhone has an easy to use interface and has the distinction of being the only way to view the GWT on the iPhone. There is no search function yet, but it is still a work in progress.

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ESV Mobile


I've found the community of ESV users to be quite savvy when it comes to the internet and most things technological. They tend to be forward thinking and embrace new technologies quicker than those who sponsor competing translations of the Bible. Crossway, the publisher of the ESV has updated their mobile site making it more iPhone friendly. This now makes three separate iPhone apps that use the ESV (iBibleSpace uses the ESV by default and 3onesix allows for the ESV by including the abbreviation before a search). Crossway is distinguished as being the first major Bible publisher as of this writing that has offered a method of reading the Bible to iPhone users.



A very helpful feature of the ESV Mobile site is the inclusion of a search feature on every screen. The text is formatted with plenty of space, perhaps even better than iBibleSpace which tends to run headings and text together and use a verse by verse format. Oddly however, the text itself when viewed on the iPhone is serifed in spite of the fact that when I look at it on my MacBook it is sans serifed. I'm not sure what font is being used, or if one is specified at all, but I would think a sans serifed font like Arial or Helvetica would be much easier to read not only on the iPhone, but other mobile devices as well.



The ESV Mobile site also offers a variety of daily devotionals/readings as well. Like I said in my review of iBibleSpace, I can't imagine reading a devotional from my iPhone (or even a full daily reading of the BIble), but others may be more so inclined.

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If you hear of an iPhone Bible app, or an iPhone app related to biblical studies, be sure to let me know and I'll mention it here on This Lamp.

Tags: iPhone, NAB, NET, GWT, ESV

Believe it or not, only three weeks have passed since the release of the iPhone. In spite of a few rough edges, I'd still have to say it's the best smartphone/PDA/iPod experience I've ever had. I mentioned in my review of the iPhone that I miss third party apps like PocketQuicken and Olive Tree Software's BibleReader. In BibleReader, I had the Gramcord Greek New Testament and the NASB with Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries installed.

Let me say up front that on the iPhone, there's nothing like the kind of offerings Olive Tree has for other PDA's and smartphones. In fact, I contacted Olive Tree to see if they were working on any kind of solution for the iPhone. They asked me if I would be interested in testing the text files they offer for iPods on my iPhone since no one at Olive Tree actually has an iPhone. I had to inform them that text files cannot be placed on an iPhone in the same manner that one can on an iPod because the free space on the iPhone's flash drive cannot be directly accessed. At this point, I don't know where Olive Tree's strategy stands for the iPhone, if there is one at all.

A major drawback of the iPhone is that Apple will not allow third party applications on the iPhone at this point. Now, I've heard rumors that a software development kit is in the works, but supposedly the Windows version isn't up to speed with the OS X version at the moment, so Apple wants to wait until the SDK's have platform parity before either is released. These days, Apple Inc. (no longer Apple Computer) has quite a few Windows software offerings and actually sells more iPods and iPhones to Windows users than to Mac users. Until the Windows SDK is up to par, we have no third party apps. Again...if this rumor is true at all.

The solution, and one endorsed publicly by Apple, revolves around Web 2.0 apps that can run in the iPhone's stripped down Safari browser. Quite a few "programs" have been released so far and are cataloged at websites such as The iPhone Application List. Some of these applications are quite handy, but in the interest of myself and readers of this blog, I thought I would try to create an ongoing series regarding the Bible offerings for the iPhone as they become available.

Currently, there are three iPhone applications that offer access to the Bible. I will offer brief reviews of them in the order they were released.

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iPhone Scriptures/LDS Standard Works (KJV & Mormon)


Technically, these are two separate programs, but they use a similar interface, so I'm going to assume there's some connection between them. Released about a week after the launch, iPhone Scriptures was the first Bible related app available for the iPhone. The interface is straightforward. Clicking on a selection such as "New Testament" offers the user a list of New Testament books. Selecting a book takes the reader to another screen with chapter numbers. Selecting a chapter yields the entire text for that chapter:


The button at the top of the text that says "Library" takes the reader back to the initial screen. What seems to be an obvious omission are arrows that would take the reader to the previous or next chapters. No search features are present, but it's promised to be available soon. In case you didn't notice, the biblical text is limited to the King James Version, which is the officially used translation of the Mormon Church. This isn't surprising, but will certainly limit widespread use of this program.

The only functional difference between iPhone Scriptures and LDS Standard Works is the ability to turn off the Mormon Scriptures in the latter program for those who don't want to look at the Mormon-specific titles. This is done in a "Settings" tab at the bottom in place of the "About" tab in iPhone Scriptures.

I saw iPhone Scriptures within a day or two of it's release, and the initial interface had very tiny tabs making it virtually unusable. The current version is much improved.

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3onesix Ministry Tools (NIV)



This Bible was released around July 10, and takes a slightly different approach to accessing the Scriptures than the programs mentioned above. In 3onesix Ministry Tools, the user must know what passage he or she wants to view in advance. For instance, typing "Matthew 1" results in that chapter being displayed.



Clicking either of the links on the chapter screen takes the user to the regular eBible website which is what this program is based on. Currently, the only text available from 3onesix is the NIV, but one would hope that others would eventually be made available since eBible offers multiple versions. At the moment, unless the user goes to the eBible site, there is no direct search feature in the app specifically made for the iPhone.

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iBibleSpace (ESV)



By far the most impressive iPhone Bible app to date is iBibleSpace released a couple of days ago. Anyone who has already spent time on an iPhone will immediately recognize an interface that draws its cues from the regular iPhone home screen. By choosing the first option, "Bible," one is presented with a similar interface as found in the original iPhone Scriptures application mentioned above, but it's designed to look much better in iBibleSpace. Again, the user can select a book of the BIble (OT & NT books are on the same screen), and then a chapter.


The text as shown above is quite clear, and contrary to the screenshots I took above on my MacBook (I don't know of any way to grab screens on my iPhone), the text such as the word "Reference" above fits perfectly onto it's button on the iPhone.

iBibleSpace has quite a few features going for it that puts it ahead of the other two iPhone Bibles. First of all, the ESV text as shown here includes access to textual footnotes: notice the "" at the end of v. 3. That note designation is actually hyperlinked and will take the user to the bottom of the screen where the footnotes all appear at the end of any chapter. You might also notice the right-pointing arrow that will take the user to--you guessed it--chapter 2 where there are both previous chapter and next chapter buttons.

A number of other options are offered at the top of the screen as well. The large single-colored left pointing arrow will take the user back to a listing of all chapters in the biblical book. The "Notes" button allows the reader to access a personalized account where one can store customized notes. The plus (+) button on the far right allows the user to add a new note and even highlight a verse in one of six different colors [gee, maybe I could transfer all the notes from my wide margin NASB to my iPhone!...or maybe not]. The "Reference" button takes the user to notes from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary (not of great interest to me, but it's a nifty feature, nonetheless).

The only real downside I saw of the biblical text in iBibleSpace was the dreaded words of Christ in red. If this "feature" could be turned off, I believe that would be helpful to many.

Going back to the IBibleSpace main screen is simple because it always remains as a separate page/tab in the iPhone browser (in case you didn't know, the iPhone will allow the user to have multiple pages open at once, much like tabs in regular browsers). "Today's Verse" is just what you would expect it to be: a daily Bible verse. There is a link to read the entire chapter from which the verse comes in context if one is so inclined.

Another distinguishing feature of iBibleSpace is its search feature:



One can search either or both testaments and exact phrases. Results are displayed in groups of five at a time with an option to select "More."



However, I found it odd that NT hits are listed before OT results. I would prefer them my results to be listed in canonical order. Further, in most Bible programs the search word is usually highlighted in some way, but not so in iBibleSpace.

The other two buttons on the home screen will lead the user to daily devotions from Spurgeon or podcasts from a variety of conservative Christian radio shows. The selections are a bit odd in my opinion. I cringed when I saw Joyce Meyer, but I occasionally enjoy listening to Ravi Zacharias' show. The great majority of the offerings, however, I would not have any regular interest in. I also doubt I'd run to my iPhone for a daily devotional from Charles Spurgeon either. In fact, it seems odd to me that it's a primary button on the home screen.

Regarding the podcasts, though, I followed one all the way to the show to see if the iPhone would actually play it. The link was to an MP3 file that launched QuickTime on the iPhone. I think that was the first time that I realized that I even had QuickTime on my iPhone!

iBibleSpace is impressive on many levels: features, design, and consistency of its interface (one never follows a link that leads to a page not formatted to the iPhone unlike the 3onesix app). Even though the ESV is not one of my preferred translations, I put iBibleSpace at the top of my iPhone app bookmarks. At the present time, iBibleSpace is far and away the best Bible app available for the iPhone.

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I'd still like to see original language texts on the iPhone, although I have no idea if the iPhone would even support Greek and Hebrew fonts. Of course one would presume that it is using Unicode fonts already. Something like the NET Bible would be interesting to have on the iPhone as well, and perhaps because the folks behind the NET have been so Internet savvy, we will see something in the near future. One also wonders if an iPhone interface to something like Bible Gateway couldn't be created to take advantage of multiple translations.

Further, I still am hopeful for third party apps. The major drawback of any of these apps relates to their dependence on the Internet. Even with a WiFi connection, they are not as fast as a native application would be.

In the meantime, three weeks have yielded three distinct Bible apps of varying creativity and features. As others will undoubtedly come available in the weeks ahead, I'll be sure to cover as many as possible here on This Lamp.

Tags: iPhone, Apple, KJV, NIV, ESV

This post is the last in my survey of changes between the 2001 and 2007 editions of the English Standard Version. As always discussion and further analysis is encouraged in the comments. These posts will serve as partial material for a more formal review of the 2007 edition of the ESV that I will post in the upcoming weeks.

The verses below are from the General Epistles and Revelation.

 

	2001 ESV	2007 ESV
Heb 2:11	For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,	For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
Heb 3:9-10 Note verse division.	9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works 10 for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’	9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’
Heb 3:14	For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.	For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
Heb 6:4	For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,	For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
Heb 6:6	if they then fall away, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.	and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
Heb 6:10	For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.	For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
Heb 7:18	On the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness	For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness
Heb 9:13	For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh,	For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,
Heb 10:2	Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sin?	Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
Heb 10:3	But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin every year.	But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
Heb 10:9	then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second.	then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second.
Heb 11:29	By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.	By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
James 1:20	for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires.	for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:27	Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, and the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.	Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
James 3:2	For we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.	For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
James 5:6	You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.	You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.
1 Pet 1:20	He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake,	He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you
1 Pet 2:2	Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation—	Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
1 Pet 3:3	Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing—	Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—
1 Pet 3:5	For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands,	For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands,
1 Pet 3:15-16 Note verse division.	15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; 16 yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.	15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
1 Pet 4:3	The time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.	For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
1 John 2:5	but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him:	but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:
1 John 3:24	Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.	Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Jude 12	These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, looking after themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;	These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
Jude 14	It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,	It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,
Jude 20	But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;	But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
Rev 1:14	The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,	The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,
Rev 2:23	and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.	and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.
Rev 6:4	And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that men should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.	And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Rev 17:13	These are of one mind and hand over their power and authority to the beast.	These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.

See also:
• Genesis - Deuteronomy
• Joshua - Esther
• Job - Song of Solomon
• Isaiah - Malachi
• Matthew - Acts
• Romans - Philemon

Tags: ESV

In this entry I list the changes in Paul's epistles between the 2001 and 2007 editions of the English Standard Version.

I look forward to your thoughts in the comments below, and I promise to revisit some of these specific passages in a future post, perhaps in a formal review of the 2007 ESV.

 

	2001 ESV	2007 ESV
Rom 1:23	and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.	and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Rom 2:2	We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things.	We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.
Rom 2:3	Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God	Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?
Rom 3:30	since God is one. He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.	since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Rom 4:5	And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,	And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Rom 5:17	If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.	For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Rom 6:12	Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.	Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
Rom 6:20	When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.	For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
Rom 6:21	But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.	But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
Rom 7:2	Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.	For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage
Rom 7:6	But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.	But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Rom 7:7	What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”	What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
Rom 7:8	But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law, sin lies dead.	But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.
Rom 7:15	I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.	For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Rom 8:6	To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.	For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Rom 8:21	that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.	that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Rom 9:10	And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,	And not only so, but salso when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,
Rom 9:11	though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call—	though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—
Rom 9:21	Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use?	Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
Rom 10:2	I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.	For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3	For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.	For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
Rom 10:12	For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.	For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
Rom 10:14	But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?* And how are they to hear without someone preaching?	How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Rom 11:20	That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe.	That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.
Rom 11:25	Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.	Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Rom 11:30	Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,	For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,
Rom 12:16	Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited.	Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.Never be wise in your own sight.
Rom 13:6	For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.	For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
Rom 13:9	The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”	For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Rom 14:8	If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.	For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
Rom 15:27	They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.	For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.
1 Cor 1:30	He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.	And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
1 Cor 1:31	Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”	so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
1 Cor 4:4	I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.	For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
1 Cor 6:9	Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,	Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
1 Cor 7:9	But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.	But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
1 Cor 7:16	Wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife?	For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
1 Cor 9:17	For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.	For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
1 Cor 9:24	Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.	Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
1 Cor 10:1	I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,	For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
1 Cor 11:5	but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as if her head were shaven.	but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.
1 Cor 11:27	Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.	Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.
1 Cor 12:8	To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,	For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
1 Cor 15:19	If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.	If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
1 Cor 15:30	Why am I in danger every hour?	Why are we in danger every hour?
2 Cor 2:10	Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,	Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,
2 Cor 4:16	So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.	So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
2 Cor 4:17	For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,	For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
2 Cor 5:1	For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.	For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 Cor 8:3	For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will,	For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,
2 Cor 8:13	I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness	For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness
2 Cor 9:3	But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove vain in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be.	But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be.
2 Cor 9:7	Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.	Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Cor 9:11	You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.	You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
2 Cor 10:14	For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. We were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ.	For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ.
2 Cor 11:2	I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.	For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
2 Cor 11:5	I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.	Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.
2 Cor 12:7	So to keep me from being too elated by the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.	So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
Gal 2:21	I do not nullify the grace of God, for if justification were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.	I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Gal 3:28	There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.	There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Eph 1:5	he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,	he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
Eph 2:15	by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,	by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
Eph 4:9	In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?	In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
Eph 4:11	And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,	And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
Eph 5:7	Therefore do not associate with them;	Therefore do not become partners with them;
Eph 5:19	addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,	addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
Phil 2:21	They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.	For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
Phil 3:3	For we are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—	For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
Col 3:12	Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,	Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
Col 4:5	Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.	Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
1 Thess 4:1	Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.	Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.
1 Tim 1:3	As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,	As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,
1 Tim 1:11	in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.	in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
1 Tim 3:15	if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth.	if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
1 Tim 4:15	Practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.	Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.
1 Tim 5:1	Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father. Treat younger men like brothers,	Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers,
1 Tim 5:2	older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity.	older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
1 Tim 5:16	If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are really widows.	If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.
2 Tim 2:26	and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.	and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
Phlm 5	because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints,	because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints,
Phlm 14	but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will.	but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord.

See also:
• Genesis - Deuteronomy
• Joshua - Esther
• Job - Song of Solomon
• Isaiah - Malachi
• Matthew - Acts
• Hebrews - Revelation

Tags: ESV

This is the fifth post in this series listing the changes between the 2001 and 2007 texts of the English Standard Version. As always, discussion is welcome in the comments.

This selection includes all alterations from the Gospels and Acts.

 

	2001 ESV	2007 ESV
Matt 3:7	But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?	But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Matt 3:11	I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.	I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matt 5:32	But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.	But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Matt 8:18	Now when Jesus saw a great crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.	Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.
Matt 13:17	Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.	For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Matt 13:38	The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,	The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
Matt 16:26	For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?	For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Matt 17:18	And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.	And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.
Matt 17:24	When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”	When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”
Matt 19:5	and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh’?	and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
Matt 22:15	Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his talk.	Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words.
Matt 24:37	As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.	For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Matt 25:26	But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed?	But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?
Matt 27:62	Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate	The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate
Mark 1:10	And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.	And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
Mark 2:5	And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”	And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Mark 3:30	for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”	for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Mark 3:35	Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”	For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 4:41	And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”	And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Mark 5:5	Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones.	Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.
Mark 7:25	But immediately a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet.	But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet.
Mark 8:34	And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.	And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mark 8:36	For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?	For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:37	For what can a man give in return for his life?	For what can a man give in return for his soul?
Mark 9:23	And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.”	And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
Mark 10:8	and they shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.	and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Mark 13:14	But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.	But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Mark 13:22	False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.	For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
Mark 13:35	Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning—	Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—
Luke 1:19	And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.	And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
Luke 1:53	he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.	he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
Luke 8:12	The ones along the path are those who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.	The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
Luke 14:14	and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”	and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Luke 18:24	Jesus, looking at him with sadness, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!	Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!
Luke 20:4	Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?	was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?
John 3:19	And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.	And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
John 3:20	For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.	For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
John 3:21	But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God.	But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.
John 4:7	There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”	A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”
John 4:14	but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.	but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 5:46	If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.	For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.
John 6:58	This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.	This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.
John 6:53	It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.	It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
John 7:21	Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel at it.	Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it.
John 8:17	In your Law it is written that the testimony of two men is true.	In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true.
John 8:39	They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did,	They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,
John 8:41	You are doing what your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.”	You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.”
John 12:2	So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table.	So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.
John 12:8	The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”	For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”
John 15:2	Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.	Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
John 15:13	Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.	Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
John 19:17	and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.	and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
John 20:23	If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.	If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.
Acts 1:3	To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.	He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
Acts 1:18	(Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.	(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.
Acts 2:15	For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.	For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day
Acts 2:42	And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.	And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Acts 3:11	While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s, astounded.	While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s.
Acts 5:21	And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. ¶ Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought.	And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. ¶ Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought.
Acts 7:52	Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,	Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,
Acts 8:7	For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.	For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
Acts 10:6	He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.	He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.
Acts 13:15	After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.”	After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”
Acts 13:38-39 note verse divisions	38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything 39 from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.	38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
Acts 17:19	And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?	And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
Acts 20:4	Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus from Berea, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.	Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
Acts 25:10	But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourselves know very well.	But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well.
Acts 27:34	Therefore I urge you to take some food. It will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.	Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you

See also:
• Genesis - Deuteronomy
• Joshua - Esther
• Job - Song of Solomon
• Isaiah - Malachi
• Romans - Philemon
• Hebrews - Revelation

Tags: ESV

Anyone following this blog knows that I've been posting changes between the 2001 and 2007 editions of the ESV over the last few days. A few hours ago I finished with the Old Testament and over the next two or three days I will cover the New Testament and in doing so complete the entire Bible.

I've been able to compare the editions simply because OakTree Software released the Accordance etext of the 2007 edition as a separate module, listed simply as ESV-SE (SE standing for "second edition"). Previous purchasers of the ESV module could pay $10 to download the update. Over the weekend, in a surprising turn of events, the ESV-SE module has been withdrawn from the Accordance website, and now an update to the original 2001 module has been released that will update it to the 2007 edition. Those of us who paid for the update last week have been told we will receive a credit on our next order. According to the Accordance forum, the release of a separate module was "due to a misunderstanding."

Now I find all of this very interesting, and pardon me if the importance of This Lamp is exaggerated in my own mind, but I have to wonder if any of my posts from the last week created part of the problem. Let me back up a minute and offer a brief history of the events related to this extremely minor controversy.

Last year, when it first became evident that Crossway was planning to update the ESV, I and a number of others received word that the changes were minor (they are) and some kind of list would be made available as to what these changes between editions were.

Then, to the consternation of many, Crossway and/or the Standard Bible Society changed their minds on the issue and decided not to release a list of changes.

Last Fall, the first part of the new revision of the ESV was released in the form of the The English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament, a join project between Crossway and Logos Bible Software. I bought a copy of the Reverse Interlinear and did my best to produce a list of changes that I could find. It was a very short list indeed, but it can still be read: "Truth Unchanged Not Changed that Much: A Preliminary Survey of Updates to the ESV New Testament." What amazed me at the time--given all the criticisms of the ESV as holding over too much baggage from the RSV and feeling like a project that was rushed to market--was that the revision wasn't more extensive considering there had been half a decade to improve the version.

Earlier this year, upon hearing that OakTree Software was working on the update to the ESV for Accordance, I requested through email correspondence that they keep the update as a separate module so that the two editions could be listed side-by-side using the wonderful comparison feature in Accordance.

On May 24, I received an email from OakTree stating, "We have come up with a solution which should work all around. The new ESV edition will be a $10 upgrade and will have a slightly different name. Installing it will not overwrite the older version, so you will be able to run both in parallel." This was a perfect solution. Granted the texts are publicly published, but finding the differences between them without the aid of a computer would certainly be a chore. So if Crossway didn't want to disclose the changes, at least we could hunt them down ourselves using Accordance.

Now one has to wonder why Crossway and the Standard Bible Society would be so secretive about the changes in the two editions. But the reality is that they were so secretive that they wouldn't even offer a list of changes to OakTree, but forced the Accordance engineers to prep a brand new etext for use in the software--something that was much more time consuming and expensive than it would have been simply to have a list of the changes and apply them to the earlier module.

A week ago, on June 17, OakTree released the ESV-SE module for an upgrade price of $10 or $30 for new users. I bought my copy of the update early last week and began running comparisons of the 2001 and 2007 editions and publishing the results here on my blog.

As I've been comparing the texts, I've come across errors in both the 2001 module and 2007 module and have been dutifully reporting these back to OakTree as I've found them. Yet tonight after sending in a few errors I found in the 2001 text (which you'll remember was kept as a separate module all of last week), I received an email instructing me with the following: "Since the new ESV is now what was the ERSV-SE, there is no point is sending corrections to the old ESV module. Please just send any you find on the ESV-SE or the version 2 of the ESV. See the notice on the Forum and News page."

I had no idea that there had been any kind of change. But sure enough, upon checking the Accordance website, the ESV-SE module has been removed, and now an update has been posted that will replace a user's original 2001 ESV module with the 2007 edition. The update is now free, in spite of a statement last week that a $10 charge had been placed on the ESV-SE module to cover the cost of prepping the three modules (text, notes, and cross references) for the ESV-SE.

A statement has been made on both the Accordance Blog and the Accordance Forums that:

Due to a misunderstanding, last week we released the updated ESV as a separate second edition, following the model we had used for the New Living Translation. We now understand that Crossway prefers that this update replace the original ESV rather than considering it a second edition. This means that the original and updated ESV can no longer be viewed in parallel and compared using the Text Compare feature.

Well, they can still be viewed in parallel on this user's MacBook, because I still have both modules. However, after I finish publishing the changes in the New Testament, I'll probably go ahead and update my modules. Otherwise I would never be able to get updates to the text as it's improved. However, if anyone really wants to keep both versions--assuming the ESV-SE module was purchased--the text from the 2001 edition could be exported to text and then re-imported creating a custom user Bible.

Of course, I really can't imagine why anyone would want to do this. Again, the changes are not that significant. Obviously, Crossway contacted OakTree asking them to remove the separate module. But why? Is it because the comparison is embarrassing to them? Is it because it supports my contention that the 2001 edition was rushed and changes from the RSV were not as extensive as they could have and should have been?

Yes, there are mistakes in the 2001 version, but these are forgivable--especially by diehard ESV aficionados. And I can't see how sales could be hurt by the comparisons. First of all, the ESV is going gangbusters in sales, incredibly hitting the #3 spot on the CBA list for June. And second, in my opinion, the only thing my comparisons can do for Crossway is to encourage ESV users to go out and get the new edition, thus increasing their sales even more.

So I don't know what the big deal is. There was a separate Accordance module that allowed for comparisons with the original. So what? In the end, by blog has the potential to reach more people with the changes than the software did. My blog is accessible to anyone who runs a search on Google for "ESV changes."

And I get a lot of these very hits, and have ever since my posts last year.

---

Related:
- 2007 ESV Changes: Genesis - Deuteronomy
- 2007 ESV Changes: Joshua - Esther
- 2007 ESV Changes: Job - Song of Solomon
- 2007 ESV Changes: Isaiah - Malachi
- 2007 ESV Changes: Matthew - Acts
- 2007 ESV Changes: Romans - Philemon
- 2007 ESV Changes: Hebrews - Revelation
- Truth Unchanged Not Changed That Much: A Preliminary Survey of Updates to the ESV New Testament
- Truth Unchanged Changed? Revised ESV Release Imminent: Solid Evidence
- Official Word from Crossway: No Complete ESV Revision until 2007
- Sign of the End Times: Singular They in the ESV
- More on 1 John 3:24 in the ESV: Change Is Coming

Tags: ESV

This post closes out the changes in the Old Testament between the 2001 and 2007 editions of the ESV. Originally, I was going to have separate posts for the Major and Minor prophets, but the few number of alterations in the Minor Prophets didn't really warrant a separate entry.

	2001 ESV	2007 ESV
Isa 2:6	For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortunetellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners.	For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners.
Isa 5:26	He will raise a signal for nations afar off, and whistle for them from the ends of the earth; and behold, quickly, speedily they come!	He will raise a signal for nations far away, and whistle for them from the ends of the earth; and behold, quickly, speedily they come!
Isa 7:8	For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. (Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces so that it will no longer be a people.)	For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people.
Isa 8:1	Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters,‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hashbaz.’	Then the LORD said to me, “Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters,‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz.’
Isa 8:3	And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hashbaz;	And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz;
Isa 8:6	Because this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah,	Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah,
Isa 8:13	But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.	But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
Isa 10:30	Cry aloud, O daughter of Gallim! Give attention, O Laishah! O Poor Anathoth!	Cry aloud, O daughter of Gallim! Give attention, O Laishah! O poor Anathoth!
Isa 14:22	“I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” says the LORD.	“I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” declares the LORD.
Isa 26:12	O LORD, you will ordain peace for us; you have done for us all our works.	O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.
Isa 28:24	Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? does he continually open and harrow his ground?	Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? Does he continually open and harrow his ground?
Isa 31:4	For thus the LORD said to me, “As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called out against him is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise, so the LORD of hosts will come down to fight* on Mount Zion and on its hill.	For thus the LORD said to me, “As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called out against him he is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise, so the LORD of hosts will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.
Isa 37:16	O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.	O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.
Isa 45:15	Truly, you are a God who hides yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior.	Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
Isa 48:14	Assemble, all of you, and listen! who among them has declared these things? The LORD loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.	Assemble, all of you, and listen! Who among them has declared these things? The LORD loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.
Isa 49:13	Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! for the LORDhas comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.	Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORDhas comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.
Isa 51:9	Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, that pierced the dragon?	Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon?
Isa 53:1	Who has believed what they heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?	Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
Isa 53:10	Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.	Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 59:14	Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter.	Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter.
Isa 66:19	and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations.	and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations.
Jer 2:20	For long ago I broke your yoke and burst your bonds; but you said, ‘I will not serve.’ yes, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down like a whore.	For long ago I broke your yoke and burst your bonds; but you said, ‘I will not serve.’ Yes, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down like a whore.
Jer 9:26	Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”	Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”
Jer 11:11	Therefore, thus says the LORD, behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them.	Therefore, thus says the LORD, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them.
Jer 18:11	Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the LORD, behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’	Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the LORD, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’
Jer 22:2	Hear the word of the LORD, O King of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates.	and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates.
Jer 23:23	Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God afar off?	Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away?
Jer 29:11	For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.	For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jer 29:13	You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart,	You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Jer 31:19	For after I had turned away, I relented, and after I was instructed, I slapped my thigh; I was ashamed, and I was confounded, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’	For after I had turned away, I relented, and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh; I was ashamed, and I was confounded, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
Jer 31:38	Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when the city shall be rebuilt for the LORDfrom the tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.	Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when the city shall be rebuilt for the LORDfrom the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.
Jer 32:17	Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who has made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.	‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.
Jer 38:10	Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, “Take three men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”	Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, “Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”
Jer 44:30	Thus says the LORD, behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and sought his life.”	Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and sought his life.”
Jer 46:14	Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes; Say, ‘Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour around you.’	Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes; say, ‘Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour around you.’
Jer 48:3	Hark! A cry from Horonaim, ‘Desolation and great destruction!’	A voice! A cry from Horonaim, ‘Desolation and great destruction!’
jer 49:3	Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! put on sackcloth, lament, and run to and fro among the hedges! For Milcom shall go into exile, with his priests and his officials.	Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth, lament, and run to and fro among the hedges! For Milcom shall go into exile, with his priests and his officials.
Jer 50:20	In those days and in that time, declares the LORD, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none. And sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.	In those days and in that time, declares the LORD, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none, and sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.
Jer 52:31	And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he became king, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison.	And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he became king, graciously freed Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison.
Ezek 3:7	But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me. Because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.	But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.
Ezek 16:30	How lovesick is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute,	How sick is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute,
Ezek 21:9	Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord; Say: “A sword, a sword is sharpened and also polished,	Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord, say: “A sword, a sword is sharpened and also polished,
Ezek 33:19	And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by them.	And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by this.
Ezek 37:11	Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.’	Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’
Ezek 44:19	And when they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall put off the garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers. And they shall put on other garments, lest they communicate holiness to the people with their garments.	And when they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall put off the garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers. And they shall put on other garments, lest they transmit holiness to the people with their garments.
Ezek 46:20	And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so communicate holiness to the people.”	And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so transmit holiness to the people.”
Ezek 48:35	The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD is there.	The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.
Dan 2:26	The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?”	The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?”
Dan 7:9	As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.	As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.
Dan 11:11	Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight with the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand.	Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand.
Jon 2:4	Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; Yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’	Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’
Mic 4:3	He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore;	He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore;
Mic 5:2	But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.	But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Mic 7:19	He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.	He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
Hab 1:13	You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and are silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?	You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
Zech 9:9	Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.	Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Zech 14:14	Even Judah will fight against Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be collected, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance.	Even Judah will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be collected, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance.
Mal 2:16	For the man who hates and divorces, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”	For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”
Mal 3:10	Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.	Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

See also:
• Genesis - Deuteronomy
• Joshua - Esther
• Job - Song of Solomon
• Matthew - Acts
• Romans - Philemon
• Hebrews - Revelation

Tags: ESV

Below is the third set of changes between the ESV 2001 and 2007 editions. This post focuses on Wisdom Literature or Job through Song of Solomon.

Iyov has been diligent to check my references and most of the errors in previous posts have come from hyphenated words. In performing a bit of translational textual criticism, my hunch is that the original ESV 2001 modules for both Accordance and Logos both came from scans of the ESV Classic Reference Bible because most of the mistakes found in the etexts have been at hyphenated breaks that occur in this specific edition. The Logos module of the 2001 edition is slightly more up to date than the Accordance module, but this isn't too surprising since Logos and Crossway seems to have a fairly close business relationship as evidenced in the ESV Reverse Interlinear NT. This makes it even more interesting that OakTree would release the 2007 update before Logos.

We've also discovered that evidently Crossway has made some of these changes along the way before the 2007 release, such as changing upwards to upward in 2 Chron 31:17 as demonstrated in the last post (see also the discussion in the comments). Early releases contained the words upwards, but there have been editions of the ESV before the 2007 edition that also contained the changed word, upward. I'm not certain how many other changes were also added between the editions. Nevertheless, I'm posting here any alteration from the 2001 edition that I find.

The changes made in the Wisdom Literature below are fewer than the number in the previous post of the Historical Books. Nevertheless, some of these are more interesting. Again, comments and discussion are welcome and encouraged.

	2001 ESV	2007 ESV
Job 39:29	From there he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it afar off.	From there he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it from far away.
Psalm 2:2	The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,	The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
Psalm 8:2	Out of the mouth of babes and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.	Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
Psalm 10:1	Why, O LORD, do you stand afar off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?	Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Psalm 11:4	The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test, the children of man.	The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
Psalm 19:4	Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,	Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,
Psalm 28:6	Blessed be the LORD! for he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.	Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
Psalm 35:21	They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! our eyes have seen it!”	They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”
Psalm 40:6	Sacrifice and offering you have not desired, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.	In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.
Psalm 40:8	I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”	I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
Psalm 40:14	Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt!	Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!
Psalm 42:3	My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?”	My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”
Psalm 42:10	As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?”	As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”
Psalm 53:6	Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.	Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Psalm 64:5	They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, who can see them?	They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, “Who can see them?”
Psalm 65:2	O you who hears prayer, to you shall all flesh come.	O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.
Psalm 70:2	Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt!	Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!
Psalm 80:19	Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! let your face shine, that we may be saved!	Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Psalm 86:14	O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seek my life, and they do not set you before them.	O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them.
Psalm 106:7	Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the Sea, at the Red Sea.	Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
Psalm 107:8	Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men!	Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Psalm 107:15	Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men!	Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Psalm 107:21	Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men!	Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Psalm 107:31	Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men!	Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Psalm 109:31	For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.	For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
Psalm 139:16	Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.	Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Prov 6:33	Wounds and dishonor will he get, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.	He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
Prov 20:14	“Bad, Bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.	“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.
Prov 24:22	for disaster from them will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?	for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
Prov 30:15	The leech has two daughters; “Give” and “Give,” they cry. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:	The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:
Eccl 7:22	Your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others.	Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
Eccl 9:2	It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.	It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.
Eccl 9:7	Go, eat your bread in joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.	Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
Eccl 10:20	Even in your thought, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.	Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.
Song 4:14	nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all chief spices—	nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all choice spices—

See also:
• Genesis - Deuteronomy
• Joshua - Esther
• Isaiah - Malachi
• Matthew - Acts
• Romans - Philemon
• Hebrews - Revelation

Tags: ESV

This post is my second in an attempt to create an exhaustive list of the changes made between the 2001 and 2007 editions of the English Standard Version. Again, I am posting them without comments of my own, but encourage discussion in the comments of this post.

Below is the list of changes beginning in Joshua and going through Esther (although no changes actually occur in the latter book):

	2001 ESV	2007 ESV
Josh 10:14	There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD obeyed the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel.	There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel.
Josh 11:5	And all these kings joined their forces and came and encamped together at the waters of Merom to fight with Israel.	And all these kings joined their forces and came and encamped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
Judges 2:20	So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice,	So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people has transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice,
Judges 6:17	And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speaks with me.	And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me.
Judges 6:21	Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.	Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.
Judges 6:24	Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and called it, The LORD is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.	Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and called it, The LORD Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.
Judges 8:1	Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight with Midian?” And they accused him fiercely.	Then the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this that you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they accused him fiercely.
Judges 11:6	And they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our leader, that we may fight with the Ammonites.”	And they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our leader, that we may fight against the Ammonites.”
Judges 11:8	And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have turned to you now, that you may go with us and fight with the Ammonites and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”	And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have turned to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the Ammonites and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
Judges 11:9	Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight with the Ammonites, and the LORD gives them over to me, I will be your head.”	Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight against the Ammonites, and the LORD gives them over to me, I will be your head.”
1 Sam 1:14	And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put away your wine from you.”	And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.”
1 Sam 10:3	Then you shall go on from there further and come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.	Then you shall go on from there farther and come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.
1 Sam 11:3	The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.”	The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.”
1 Sam 13:18	another company turned toward Beth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.	another company turned toward Beth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
1 Sam 16:14	Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.	Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.
1 Sam 16:15	And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.	And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.
1 Sam 16:16	Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.”	Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.”
1 Sam 16:23	And whenever the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.	And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.
1 Sam 17:19	Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.	Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
1 Sam 23:14	And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.	And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
1 Sam 23:15	David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.	David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.
1 Sam 27:11	And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “Lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.’ ” Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines.	And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.’” Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines.
2 Sam 8:4	And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for a hundred chariots.	And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots.
2 Sam 18:9	And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great terebinth, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.	And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak,and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.
2 Sam 24:23	All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “The LORD your God accept you.”	All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the LORD your God accept you.”
1 Kings 2:24	Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.”	Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.”
2 Kings 5:5	And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothes.	And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
2 Kings 5:22	And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two festal garments.’ ”	And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’”
2 Kings 5:23	And Naaman said, “Be pleased to accept two talents.” And he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two festal garments, and laid them on two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi.	And Naaman said, “Be pleased to accept two talents.” And he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi.
2 Kings 19:15	And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said: “O LORD the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.	And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said: “O LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.
2 Kings 21:6	And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with wizards. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.	And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
2 Kings 22:16	Thus says the LORD, behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read.	Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read.
1 Chron 4:31	Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-su-sim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David reigned.	Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David reigned.
1 Chron 7:9	And their enrollment by genealogies, according to their generations, as heads of their fathers’ houses, mighty warriors, was 22,200.	And their enrollment by genealogies, according to their generations, as heads of their fathers’ houses, mighty warriors, was 20,200.
1 Chron 19:19	And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Syrians were not willing to save the Ammonites any more.	And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Syrians were not willing to save the Ammonites anymore.
2 Chron 1:5	Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of the LORD. And Solomon and the assembly resorted to it.	Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of the LORD. And Solomon and the assembly sought it out.
2 Chron 9:18	The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, which were attached to the throne, and on each side of the seat were arm rests and two lions standing beside the arm rests,	The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, which were attached to the throne, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests,
2 Chron 21:2	He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.	He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
2 Chron 21:19	In course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers.	In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers.
2 Chron 30:14	They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the Kidron valley.	They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the Kidron Valley.
2 Chron 31:17	The enrollment of the priests was according to their fathers’ houses; that of the Levites from twenty years old and upwards was according to their offices, by their divisions.	The enrollment of the priests was according to their fathers’ houses; that of the Levites from twenty years old and upward was according to their offices, by their divisions.
2 Chron 33:6	And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with wizards. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.	And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
2 Chron 34:24	Thus says the LORD, behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah.	Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah.
2 Chron 34:32	Then he made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.	Then he made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin join in it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
2 Chron 36:9	Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.	Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.
Ezra 6:21	It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by everyone who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the LORD, the God of Israel.	It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the LORD, the God of Israel.
Ezra 7:8	And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.	And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
Neh 1:9	but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your dispersed be under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’	but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’
Neh 3:15	And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David.	And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David.
Neh 9:29	And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey.	And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey.
Neh 9:35	Even in their own kingdom, enjoying your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works.	Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works.
Neh 11:30	Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its villages. So they encamped from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom.	Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its villages. So they encamped from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
Neh 13:24	And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but the language of each people.	And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people.

See also:
• Genesis - Deuteronomy.
• Job - Song of Solomon
• Isaiah - Malachi
• Matthew - Acts
• Romans - Philemon
• Hebrews - Revelation

Tags: ESV

A mild revision of the English Standard Version has been released this year, and this new series which I will roll out over the next few days will attempt to provide an exhaustive list of changes between the 2001 and 2007 editions of the ESV. The first glimpse of these changes was seen last year when the ESV Reverse Interlinear became the first publication to contain the revised New Testament. At that time, I offered a preliminary survey of changes between the two editions simply based on my search for differences in the text.

Earlier this week, OakTree Software released the updated edition of the ESV as a separate module from the original one. The changes between the editions are relatively minor, but I had petitioned OakTree earlier this year to keep the modules separate for sake of comparison. For whatever reason, Crossway and the Standard Bible Society opted not to release a list of the changes in spite of the fact that there was earlier indication that they would. Evidently, the changes were such a tightly kept secret that they wouldn't even give a list of changes to OakTree, but rather gave them a brand new etext that had to be prepped along with footnotes and cross-references. Undoubtedly, a simple list of corrections would have made the update a much easier task, but as Helen Brown noted in the comments over at the Accordance Blog:

If Crossway had supplied a list of corrections, our work would have been trivial, but we had to start over with a new etext and redo all three modules. In order to stay in business we do have to try to cover our costs.

Her last statement is in reference to the $10 upgrade fee (very reasonable in my opinion) charged to those who had the original ESV text in Accordance.

Now that I have both the 2001 and 2007 ESV editions available as separate modules in Accordance, I can use the comparison tool to find what should be an exhaustive list of changes between the editions. As I've already said, the changes are fairly minor in the big scheme of things. Unlike the significant change in the 1996 and 2004 editions of the NLT, the ESV update is really more of the standard "second run" with a few minor fixes that most translations experience (consider the 1978 and 1984 editions of the NIV, but compare John 1:18 in both).

Some of the changes are related to spelling or grammar, and a few reflect mild theological change (see Num 21:3 for instance). I am going to list the changes without commentary (other than to say Gen 30:35 is quite the chuckler), but I encourage discussion of the significance of any of these changes in the comments for this post. Over the next few days, I will display changes throughout the entire Bible between the two editions of the ESV.

For now, here is the Pentateuch:

	2001 ESV	2007 ESV
Gen 2:19	So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.	Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
Gen 24:60	And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate them!”	And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!”
Gen 25:20	and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to be his wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean.	and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife.
Gen 26:17	So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the valley of Gerar and settled there.	So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there.
Gen 30:35	But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in charge of his sons.	But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons.
Gen 37:22	And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.	And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.
Gen 37:24	And they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.	And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Gen 38:12	In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.	In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
Gen 44:18	Then Judah went up to him and said, “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.	Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.
Ex 17:15	And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD is my banner,	And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner,
Ex 20:11	For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.	For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Ex 22:16	If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.	If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.
Ex 29:27	And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the priests’ portion that is contributed from the ram of ordination, from what was Aaron’s and his sons.	And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the priests’ portion that is contributed from the ram of ordination, from what was Aaron’s and his sons’.
Ex 32:31	So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people have sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold.	So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold.
Lev 19:31	Do not turn to mediums or wizards; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.	Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.
Lev 20:6	If a person turns to mediums and wizards, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.	If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
Lev 20:24	But I have said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the LORD your God, who have separated you from the peoples.	But I have said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
Lev 20:27	A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.	A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.
Lev 23:6	And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.	And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
Lev 26:46	These are the statutes and rules and laws that the LORD made between him and the people of Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai.	These are the statutes and rules and laws that the LORD made between himself and the people of Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai.
Num 4:7	And over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the regular show bread also shall be on it.	And over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the regular showbread also shall be on it.
Num 21:3	And the LORD obeyed the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah.	And the LORD heeded the voice of Israel and gave over the Canaanites, and they devoted them and their cities to destruction. So the name of the place was called Hormah.
Num 21:14	Wherefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon,	Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon,
Num 21:18	the well that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people delved, with the scepter and with their staffs.” And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah,	the well that the princes made, that the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter and with their staffs.” ¶ And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah,
Deut 9:26	And I prayed to the LORD, ‘O Lord GOD, destroy not your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.	And I prayed to the LORD, ‘O Lord GOD, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
Deut 18:11	or a charmer or a medium or a wizard or a necromancer,	or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,

See also:
• Joshua - Esther
• Job - Song of Solomon
• Isaiah - Malachi
• Matthew - Acts
• Romans - Philemon
• Hebrews - Revelation

Tags: ESV

This post does not purport to be a review of the ESV. Rather, this blog entry will focus specifically on a particular edition of the ESV: the newly released ESV Single Column Reference Bible (SCR from this point forward).

The SCR is one of a number of new editions of the ESV from Crossway that incorporates a text with minor updating from the original 2001 edition. The first text to incorporate the updated text was the ESV Reverse Interlinear released late in 2006. An updated text including the Old Testament was released earlier this year. Disappointingly, the publishers (or perhaps the translation committee) have chosen not to release a list of changes between the two editions. Of course that doesn't stop one from hunting or the changes the old fashioned way, simply by comparing texts. Last year, I released a short list of changes in the New Testament I had discovered between the 2001 and 2006 editions. As a student of translations and translation history, this kind of issue interests me very much. In the upcoming days or weeks, look for a post with any additional changes in the ESV OT that I may find.

Frequent visitors to This Lamp know that I have a fondness for wide-margin Bibles. I have a NASB wide-margin Bible in which I still add notes and reflections even to this day. And it used to be helpful as a teaching Bible--having my notes so handy--until I became convicted that the NASB was no longer the best Bible from which to teach. Nevertheless, I recommend to my own students and to friends and church members who ask that they buy a wide-margin Bible so that they might truly interact with God's Word in a physical way, a literally tangible way.

Unfortunately, of all the major 21st century Bible versions (ESV, The Message, NET, NLTse, HCSB, TNIV), only the ESV offers a truly usable wide-margin Bible--and they actually offer more than one. In addition to the SCR discussed here, Crossway also offers an edition called "The Wide Margin Refefence Bible," as well as their Journaling Bibles and Deluxe Reference Bibles, all of which have a wider marging to some degree for note-taking. [Yes, Holman publishes an HCSB Ministers Bible with wide-margins, but the pages are so thin that they curl, and bleed-through is a problem, regardless of what kind of pens are used. The TNIV is available in a "squared" edition, but not only is it a thinline (not ideal for note-taking), but it is in two columns of text, and the wide margin only gives the note-taker access to the outer column of text; so this too is unusable for serious note-taking. For a brief time, Tyndale offered what was one of the best wide-margin Bible formats I've ever seen in its Notemakers Bible, but this is not only out of print, but was only available in the NLT1. There are no wide-margin offerings at all in the NLTse--not even poor ones.]

Nevertheless, Crossway really seems to get wide-margin Bibles unlike any other publisher I've seen. I've heard from three different Bible publishers that wide-margin Bibles simply do not sell well. That may be, but it's your teachers, preachers, and serious students of the Bible who will most likely use and benefit from a wide-margin Bible. And these are the folks that often influence what Bibles--especially Bible translations--that other believers use. And while it may be anecdotal evidence, my survey of wide-margin Bibles that I posted last year remains my #1 referenced webpage on This Lamp, receiving google hits everyday. Look for this survey to be updated in the near-future.

Crossway not only seems to understand the above particular value of a wide-margin Bible (as evidenced by their varied editions of wide-margin Bibles), they also understand how a note-taker can use available space to the best advantage when taking notes. This is certainly made clear in the Single-Column Reference Bible.


Click on the above image to access Crossway's PDF sample of the ESV Single Column Reference Bible.

First, although made obvious by the title, this Bible has a single-column, which in my opinion is the best format for not only reading, but also note-taking. Serious note-takers love to see white space because we don't merely see an area without text, we see potential space for our notes. And with a single-column, we get bonus space in poetic and narrative passages (especially those with dialogue). According to the cardboard sleeve that came with the Bible, the SCR comes with 1 1/4" (the website says 1 1/8" but I don't have a ruler handy to know which is correct) of space in the outer margins for notes. While this isn't the widest amount of space available across the spectrum of all wide-margins out there, it is indeed a reasonable amount, and more space than some (such as the HCSB Minister's Bible).

What may seem at first to be an odd choice in modern Bibles, the SCR forgoes paragraph format for an older style of verse-by-verse layout. I've even seen this aspect of the SCR criticized elsewhere, but I have to think that this choice was purposeful. Yes, in general, I'd say that paragraphed formatting is better so that one reads any particular verse in a greater context. Verses taken by themselves often have a potential to be exegetically misused. However, for anyone with the intelligence to pay attention to the paragraph marks included with the text, this shouldn't be a problem. And as I said, I believe that such a formatting decision must have been purposeful because anyone who has ever taken notes in a Bible such as the classic NASB single-column reference Bibles knows that a verse-by-verse format allows for even more room to write, and it allows the brief note or two (as space allows) to be nestled in the absolute closest proximity to the text.

The SCR includes cross references (thus it's designation as a reference Bible). In my opinion a Bible for note-taking doesn't necessarily have to have a cross-reference system, but in the SCR, the publishers did something with the cross references that I've suggested for years--they moved them to the inside of the text rather than placing them at the outer margins. In my NASB that I use to take notes, one distracting aspect is the gulf between the text and my notes created by the cross reference system placed outside the text. The ESV SCR eliminates this problem by moving the cross reference system entirely to the inside margin. Again, this is evidence that the creators of this edition seriously thought through the note-taking process. Further, on those pages where the cross references are sparse, the reader gains even more space for notes!

My nitpicks with this edition are extremely minor. The typesize (10 pt.) could be slightly larger in my opinion, although obviously that would mean enlarging the dimensions of the page size (6.5" x 9.25") a bit. Of course, maybe this is just me as I've had to resort to reading glasses in the last couple of years for which I blame too many books and too many hours at computer screens. Nevertheless with the typesize at 10 pt., this is certainly not a small print Bible, and does not receive the criticism I gave the ESV Journaling Bible a while back. Also, the thin lines in place primarily for aesthetic reasons on the top, bottom and inner margins might bother some who want to take notes even in these places, especially if that person has a tendency to draw lines from notes to certain words or phrases like I do.

The ESV Single Column Reference Bible also comes with the standard brief book introductions, concordance and full-color maps that one would expect. At almost 1800 pages, the text is not rushed, but thankfully at 1.7" thick, it's not a thinline either. In reality, this is a serious note-taker's Bible. For the ESV aficionado who wants to directly interact with the text, this is surely the Bible of choice.

Tags: ESV

In his recent post, "Just Another ESV Rant," Gary Zimmerli, owner of the Friend of Christ blog says that he's no longer recommending the ESV. From now on, he'll be recommending translations like the TNIV and NLTse.

For the full post, see my latest entry at TNIV Truth.

Tags: TNIV, NLT, ESV

Is the ESV translation team working on, or at least planning an ESV version of the Apocrypha?

There's a very cryptic message on Crossway's ESV FAQ page:

Will there be an edition that includes the Apocrypha?

Crossway Bibles won’t be publishing an edition with the Apocrypha, but another publisher may. As we learn more, we will post it here.

Wow. Another publisher may. I have no idea how long this information has been on the FAQ page, or perhaps if it's always been there.

Until the 19th century, most, if not all Protestant translations included the Apocrypha, usually in a separate section between the Testaments. The Apocrypha is indispensable for understanding the cultural setting of the New Testament, although the large majority of Protestants do not consider these books canonical.

I'm intrigued by the idea of an ESV Apocrypha because I simply would not have expected it from the team behind the ESV. However, the ESV is based upon the old RSV which included these extra OT books, so this is certainly not outside the realm of possibilities. And such a decision is not without precedent. Not too long ago the publishers of another evangelical version, the New Living Translation, quietly introduced an edition with the apocryphal/deuterocanonical books.

On a related note, recently, I made the suggestion that we need a TNIV Apocrypha.

Nevertheless, interesting stuff. If anyone knows anything specific about an ESV Apocrypha in the works, be sure to let us know.

HT: Larry

Tags: ESV, Apocrypha

Over the last couple of days, I've been having a friendly conversation about Bible translation over at Kevin Sam's blog, Word Alone. I first discovered Kevin's website after he had commented on my posts here on This Lamp. And when I say it's a friendly conversation, I'm not being sarcastic. Although I may disagree with a few of Kevin's points and some of his wording, he is to be commended for not falling into the trap of using unnecessary negative rhetoric, which I sadly find in many of these kinds of conversations.

One of the points that I had disagreed with Kevin on had to do with the claim often made by proponents of the ESV this their translation of choice is literal like the NASB but more readable. In my examination, I find this to be a highly exaggerated claim. My feeling toward the ESV is that it is weakened by its reliance on antiquated phrasings in the RSV (upon which it was based) and there's really no excuse that these have never been corrected. I often point to two representative verses as proof of my disbelief that the ESV is more readable than the NASB. One is Matt 7:1:

“Judge not, that you be not judged.” (ESV)

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” (NASB)

Try reading the ESV rending of Matt 7:1 out loud. The ESV employs an awkward use of a reverse negative ("Judge not"). The problem is that no one I know of speaks this way on a regular basis unless you want to count Yoda in the Star Wars movies (and he lived a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away). Even with the reputation that the NASB has for literalness and even woodenness, its translators had the sense to remove a great many of its uses of reverse negatives in its 1995 update (although some remain). Granted, you can find reverse negatives in just about any translation, but I would suggest that the ESV has more than any modern translation of the last 15 years or so because they were never removed when updating the RSV. This makes it less readable in these verses than the NASB and just about any other translation.

Another example I point to regarding the ESV's exaggerated claim of readability is a verse like Heb 13:2:

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (ESV)

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (NASB)

Just because a word is in the dictionary does not make it standard English. The ESV's retention of the RSV's archaic and antiquated unawares is downright odd. I can't imagine anyone outside of perhaps a hillbilly community still using unawares today. These are merely two examples, but they represent a great many more. Yes, there are some places in which the ESV is more readable than the NASB, but the ESV is incredibly uneven because of its dependence on antiquated words and sentence structures in the RSV. My goal is not to knock the ESV so much as to challenge the outrageous claims of some of its proponents.

In response to the above two verses I suggested, Kevin said that the TNIV had flaws as well and gave Rom 1:3 as an example:

In Rom. 1:3, it changed it to "regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David." In the ESV ... it uses "flesh." I think Paul wanted to use "flesh" to express the idea of "body." The TNIV might be a bit too loose in using "earthly life." It's only a possible intended meaning but not necessarily what Paul actually wanted to express in using "flesh."

While I do acknowledge that all translations have weaknesses, I personally don't see a problem with Rom 1:3 in the TNIV. The rendering "according to the flesh" [κατὰ σάρκα] in the ESV (and a number of other formal equivalent translations) while certainly reflecting a literal rendering, really doesn't communicate that much. Although there's part of me that likes a translation that renders σάρξ as "flesh" because it triggers in my mind the underlying Greek word, I know for a fact that for the average church-goer and for every non-church-goer, "according to the flesh" is a meaningless phrase. Most of my readers here know what "according to the flesh" means because they have the background for understanding it. But try to step outside your learning and think about the phrase from the ESV: "concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh." That is just unintelligible to those who don't have a knowledge as to what the phrase means because it reflects an idiom that is not in current English usage (especially outside the church). At best, use of "flesh" in this sense is insider church language, and I would still suggest that many sitting in an average Sunday School class couldn't give you an accurate explanation.

Obviously all Paul is saying is that Jesus was a descendent [υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος] of David only in regard to his earthly body. He's being very careful not to imply that David actually came before Christ because in reality, Christ is eternal. Therefore, the TNIV's rendering "who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David" fully communicates Paul's intention. Yes, the ESV is more literal in the strictest sense, but in way similar to the point I was trying to prove in "Grinding Another Man's Grain," if literal is unintelligble, it is certainly not accurate.

Also note that the TNIV indeed has a footnote to this verse that says "Or who according to the flesh" which I feel is an INCREDIBLY responsible way to handle the verse. It gives a very readable rendering in the text and a literal rendering in the footnote. The best of both worlds, wouldn't you say?

Now on a related note, I've been mildly reflecting on Mark Driscoll's announcement that Mars Hill Church (Seattle, Washington) would replace the NIV with the ESV as their primary translation. Now on the face of things, that's perfectly fine with me. Every church should use the translation that best works in their context. They have a right and obligation to sort through such choices. My problem lies not with the choice, but with Driscoll's rhetoric as he elevates the ESV over translations he considers inferior.

As one of his reasons for choosing a new translation, Driscoll states "The ESV upholds the truth that Scripture is the very words of God, not just the thoughts of God." The context of the statement comes from two paragraphs earlier in which he writes, "we should transition from the NIV (more of a “thought-for-thought” translation) to the English Standard Version (ESV, more of a “word-for-word” translation) as our primary pulpit translation." In my opinion the statement made by Driscoll which I have highlighted in bold above betrays a lack of understanding of the differences between formal and dynamic equivalent translation methods.

However, this is case in point again to the fact that the ESV cannot stand up to the claims made by its proponents. Take for example Rom 1:3 discussed above. The ESV does not translate that verse literally throughout. In fact, it doesn't translate a significant Greek word found in the original text at all.

Rom 1:3, [περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυὶδ κατὰ σάρκα] in English literally reads "concerning his son who was born [γενομένου] from the seed [σπέρματος] of David according to the flesh."

Therefore, the ESV isn't entirely literal in this verse either. The ESV's rendering of "concerning his Son, who was descended from David" completely omits either γενομένου or σπέρματος. I would have suggested they are leaving out the former, but according to the ESV Reverse Interlinear, it's the latter. Regardless, if, as Driscoll says, the "ESV upholds the truth that Scripture is the very words of God, not just the thoughts of God," why then does the ESV offer a "thought-for-thought" (dynamic equivalent) translation for "γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυὶδ" in Rom 1:3? Is the ESV shortchanging the word(s) of God? Is not every single word important? Is σπέρματος not inspired? According to Driscoll's own standards for why he chooses the ESV, the ESV itself cannot stand up. (Also compare with the NASB rendering of Rom 1:3 in which both Greek words are translated.)

Now, if you've read this blog for any amount of time at all, you'd know that I would have no problem with the ESV's rending of "concerning his Son, who was descended from David" any more than the TNIV's "who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David." Translation is more complex than simply looking up the definition of a Greek word and supplying an equivalent English word. Suggestion of such by Driscoll and others demonstrate a significant naiveté on the subject of translation method.

My contention is not with the ESV. But I do have great problems with the inaccurate rhetoric that I often hear from proponents and endorsers of this translation. I have favorite translations, and I have written about a number of them on this blog. While I talk of their qualities that I like and appropriate uses for them, I go out of my way to try to do so without needlessly putting down other versions of the Bible. I've probably been harder on the ESV on this blog than on any translation, but usually it's been in a context of addressing the audacious and often fallacious claims made for it by ESV supporters. This idea that literalness equals greater accuracy or literalness equals greater faithfulness to the original text is pure nonsense if the rendering is so literal that the author's intent and meaning is unintelligible to readers and hearers. Antiquated vocabulary and sentence structure do not give a translation greater authority--it merely limits readership in an contemporary setting.

The New Testament was written in Koiné Greek--the common trade language of the day--a language accessible by the masses. If a Bible version uses renderings that are not understandable to the masses, renderings that sound like they were written in any previous generation or written in some highly exalted form--regardless of how literally accurate--then that translation is not in keeping with the spirit or the manner in which the New Testament was written.

Tags: ESV, TNIV, NASB, Translations

Brian Wallace, Youth and Outreach Worship Minister at Hampton Presbyterian Church in Gibsonian, Pennsylvania, has blogged about why he has dropped the ESV and switched to the TNIV for "preaching, teaching, and recommending."

In his recent blog entry, "Why I Use the TNIV," Wallace describes his journey to using the new translation after using the NIV as a teenager and the ESV through most of seminary.

His basic reasons for using the TNIV boil down to accuracy and readability. Wallace notes that the TNIV translates Greek words such as ἀδελφοί / adelphoi as "brothers and sisters" when the context warrants it rather than simply "brothers" as more traditional translations are apt to do (to its credit, the ESV usually notes "brothers and sisters" as an alternative translation in the footnotes).

Regarding readability, Wallace finds this issue to be particular important to his target ministry group: junior and senior high school students. Wallace notes that "they’re not stupid by any means - but I need to be using a translation that uses langauge they can understand." As an example, he discusses Luke 15:17 from the parable of the Prodigal Son:

ESV: But when he came to himself, he said, "How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!"

TNIV: When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!"

Brian Wallace, who has studied both Greek and Hebrew says that not only is the TNIV his main translation for use with students, but also the main translation he uses himself.

Tags: ESV, TNIV

If you're an ESV aficionado who likes the translation just as its been since 2001, I've got some news you'll be glad to hear. But if you are someone who had any hopes of significant changes in an ESV revision, you may be gravely disappointed.

In August This Lamp broke the story about an upcoming revision of the ESV with official word from Crossway. However, we were informed that the completely updated text would not appear until 2007, confirmed to be January 2007 recently on the ESV blog. Right now the only updated text available is that of the New Testament, found in The English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament.

A reverse interlinear is a bit of an unusual reference work, and I will review it at a later date. But my focus in this blog entry is on the actual changes made to the ESV text which is why I've obtained a copy of the ESV Reverse Interlinear. As mentioned the changes surveyed here apply only to the New Testament.

I'm not sure how to refer to this edition of the ESV text to distinguish it from the first edition published in 2001. I should be clear that the changes made to the text are nowhere near the extent of change made in something like the the 2004 second edition of the New Living Translation. In fact, from what I can tell, the changes are few and far between which no doubt will disappoint those who were hoping for significant changes to the text. The changes have been referred to on the ESV blog as "minor textual updates," so for now, I will refer to this edition as the "updated ESV."

I found it interesting that the ESV copyright inside the ESV Reverse Interlinear still referred to the 2001 publication year in spite of the fact that this is a slightly different text. Surely this is an oversight, and I would expect an updated copyright on the full-text Bibles to be released in January. Further, although the ESV Reverse Interlinear comes with a CD containing the ESV Bible Reference Library (Logos/Libronix), unfortunately the text is not that of the update. For a moment I hoped I had access to the revisions in both testaments.

Where does one begin when finding changes between the original ESV text and the updated ESV? Obviously, I don't have the time (or patience) to compare every verse in the ESV NT line by line, so I looked to sources that have critiqued the text of the ESV. I mean, I assumed that a translation committee would have targeted significant issues that had been pointed out. I thought this was the obvious route to take. Specifically, I have looked at the analysis of the ESV at Better Bibles Blog, the ETS Review of the ESV by Rodney Decker, and a review by Allan Chapple. The contributors to the Better Bibles Blog do not officially endorse any particular Bible version, but are primarily interested in what makes for good Bible translation. Decker, at the time of his writing of his review, was essentially positive toward the ESV--claiming it as his #2 preferred translation behind the NIV--in spite of his critique. Of the three critiques, Chapple is the most negative, but I do believe his assessment is quite fair because it evaluates the ESV by the claims that the publishers have made for it.

The table below lists NT verses that I could find in the updated ESV. If the verse was questioned in one of the two above-mentioned sources, but is not displayed below, it was not changed. Feel free to make specific inquiries in the comments and I will update this post with any further changes found.

	2001 ESV	Updated ESV
Mark 8:34	And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."	And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
John 19:17 [note change in capitalization]	and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.	and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
Acts 1:3	To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.	He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
1 Cor 11:30	He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.	And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
1 John 3:24	Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.	Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Jude 14	It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,	It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,

Yes, it's a short list, isn't it? I'm sure there are more changes, and I'll modify this post as I discover them, but as I said above, the changes are few and far between (too bad I don't have access to both versions for use in the handy new Accordance text comparison feature). The ESV has been plagued by criticism such as "archaic word use," "baggage from the RSV," and the feeling that it felt rushed to publication (my actual sentiment). I suppose there's good news for those of you who were perfectly pleased with the ESV the way it was: you can simply write the updates into the margins of your Journaling Bible.

After spending the last four hours going through three different sources critiquing the ESV, I am genuinely surprised that the update was not more extensive than what I've found so far. When I started writing this post, I felt like the above table would have literally dozens of entries. I wondered if it wouldn't take me two or three days to actually upload this post to my blog.

But all the major criticisms of the ESV still hold true. The inverted negatives remain (Matt 7:1), the use of archaic words like "lest" are still found in abundance, and incorrect translations are retained for what I can only guess is the sake of tradition. Even "unawares" remains in Heb 13:2--ouch! I would have nearly bet money that Heb 13:2 would have been updated.

In my opinion, I really feel like the ball was dropped somewhere with the ESV update. If anyone was hoping for a contemporary translation in the Tyndale tradition, this is simply not it. For contemporary language in the Tyndale tradition, I'd have to still recommend the NRSV. For an accurate literal translation, I still believe the NASB is far superior to the ESV, and Allan Chapple's review specifically bears that out in a number of places. In the final analysis I'm no longer sure exactly what niche the ESV is supposed to fill in today's selection of English Bible translations because while parts of it are an improvement over the RSV, it suffers from not going far enough and not remaining consistent throughout.

Look, if the ESV speaks God's word to you, as I always say, keep reading it. It befuddles me, though, to think that a translation of the Koine Greek New Testament--that is, God's Word communicated in a common tongue--would communicate the scriptures in a manner that is not consistent with common contemporary language at all. At least no one that I know speaks in reverse negatives. Well...maybe Yoda.

But hey, maybe Crossway simply knows its market. Maybe readers of the ESV want something that sounds like it came from a different generation. Just realize that such sentiment is not keeping with the spirit in which the New Testament was written. If you were sitting on the fence regarding the ESV, hoping that the update would significantly fix things, I believe it's time to move on. If you're still on the fence, read Chapple's review and note that none of the problems he pointed out have been fixed. As I said, the NASB makes a better literal choice in a Bible translation. If you want a contemporary, but accurate translation, I always recommend the TNIV. If that's not for you, and you want something that adheres to the Colorado Springs Guidelines, I heartily endorse the HCSB as a superior choice over the ESV, the only other CSG translation.

Perhaps the rest of you can wait for the ESV II in 2012...or will that be called the RESV?

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Previous Related Posts:
- Truth Unchanged Changed? Revised ESV Release Imminent: Solid Evidence
- Official Word from Crossway: No Complete ESV Revision until 2007
- Sign of the End Times: Singular They in the ESV
- More on 1 John 3:24 in the ESV: Change Is Coming

Tags: ESV

Last month, I posted a blog entry, "Sign of the End Times: Singular They in the ESV" regarding the ESV wording of 1 John 3:24, "Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them."

The post, as its title implied, was meant in fun as a number of ESV proponents have been critical of the use of singular they in the TNIV. At the time, I felt that the ESV rendering of 1 John 3:24 was simply an error on the part of the editors and I said so:

What's the real story here? The use of them for αὐτῷ in the ESV rendering of 1 John 3:24 comes from the legacy of the RSV which reads, "All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them." As standard practice the RSV (rightly) did not capitalize pronouns referring to deity. So to keep from confusing the reader, the RSV translators changed the singular ὁ τηρῶν ("the one keeping" or "the one who keeps") to a plural ("all"). In changing the antecedent subject to a plural, it was necessary to change the corresponding pronoun to a plural as well ("them").

What's interesting is that the ESV translators, in revising the RSV, changed the subject in 1 John 3:24 back to a singular, but failed to do change back the corresponding pronoun to match its antecedent. Why? Well, my hunch is that in keeping with the reality that the use of singular they has never left informal modes of communication and therefore sounds perfectly natural to most hearers, I believe the ESV translators simply overlooked it.

So on Monday of this week over on the ESV blog, they announced that the ESV English-Greek Reverse Interlinear New Testament had finally been made available. On the Bible Translation Discussion List, David Dewey pointed out that the page of the Interlinear shown on the ESV blog displayed a change in 1 John 3:24. The revised ESV rendering of the verse reads

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God and God in him.

I have to believe the particular page displayed was chosen on purpose and that Stephen Smith, the webmaster at Crossway, was sending a wink to the folks who had noticed the ironic issue in the original ESV rendering of the verse.

So, I should say, bravo to the ESV revisers. They have made two changes here. Outside of using a singular they, changing the αὐτῷ (literally him, a dative 3rd person masculine pronoun) to "God" AND changing αὐτὸς (literally he, a nominative 3rd person masculine pronoun) also to "God" best communicates the meaning of the original text. And when translators choose to communicate the meaning of the text over the literal words, I believe we call this dynamic equivalence.

Tags: ESV, 1 John

Peter Kirk over at Better Bibles Blog can't stop jumping up and down in excitement. He's even using double quotation marks. Seems that quite by accident, he's discovered a bona fide occurrence of a singular they in the ESV:

“Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them.” (1John 3:24, ESV).

The change in person from the Greek is undeniable: καὶ ὁ τηρῶν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ μένει καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν αὐτῷ. The last word in the Greek, αὐτῷ, is a 3rd person singular which is literally him. But in the ESV, αὐτῷ is translated as them, a 3rd person plural (which is technically a gender neutral/inclusive change to boot!). Consider the very literal rendering of the NASB: "The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him." This may be the one instance where I approve of capitalizing pronouns for deity, because without them the verse would be very confusing if translated literally.

For the ESV to contain a singular use of they is highly ironic because some of the minds behind the ESV--particularly Grudem, Poythress, and Ryken--have been very critical of the TNIV's use of the singular they in verses such as Rev 3:20, and elsewhere (including 1 John 3:24). In fact, at www.genderneutralbibles.com, the changing of pronouns is labeled as an inaccurate translation practice:

This verse also illustrates another serious result of systematically changing singulars to plurals in thousands of cases: The TNIV will ultimately lead to a loss of confidence in tens of thousands of plural pronouns in the Bible. Preachers and Bible teachers cannot rightly use the TNIV to make a point based on the plurals “they/them/their/ those” or the second person pronouns “you/your/yours” because they can no longer have confidence that those represent accurately the meaning of the original. Maybe the original was plural ("their") but then again maybe "their" is a gender-neutral substitute for a singular ("his"). Maybe the original was 2nd person ("you") but then again maybe “you” is a gender-neutral substitute for a 3rd person singular pronoun ("he") or a singular noun ("a man"). How can ordinary English readers know? They can’t. So no weight can be put on those pronouns. “He” in the NIV has become “we” or “you” or “they” in the TNIV thousands of times.

Such criticism is surprising not only because of 1 John 3:24 in the ESV, but also the recent demonstration that the ESV translators changed pronoun person AND number in verses such as in Hosea 2:6 and Hosea 2:14 merely for the sake of clarity (the same thing for which they criticize the TNIV translators for doing).

A few weeks back, I suggested in another blog entry that a sign of acceptance for any change in grammar is its use in respectable literature. I used the TNIV as evidence that the singular they was becoming acceptable (again) from a grammatical standpoint. So, surely when such changes in grammar are also used by the very people who deplore the change (the ESV translators), it must be even greater proof that the change is not only becoming acceptable, but inevitable. Or maybe it's just a sign of the end times

What's the real story here? The use of them for αὐτῷ in the ESV rendering of 1 John 3:24 comes from the legacy of the RSV which reads, "All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them." As standard practice the RSV (rightly) did not capitalize pronouns referring to deity. So to keep from confusing the reader, the RSV translators changed the singular ὁ τηρῶν ("the one keeping" or "the one who keeps") to a plural ("all"). In changing the antecedent subject to a plural, it was necessary to change the corresponding pronoun to a plural as well ("them").

What's interesting is that the ESV translators, in revising the RSV, changed the subject in 1 John 3:24 back to a singular, but failed to do change back the corresponding pronoun to match its antecedent. Why? Well, my hunch is that in keeping with the reality that the use of singular they has never left informal modes of communication and therefore sounds perfectly natural to most hearers, I believe the ESV translators simply overlooked it. And this is case in point for what I've said previously: the ESV feels very much like a translation that was rushed. I will be very interested to see if the upcoming revision to the ESV doesn't fix this verse, and if I were a betting man (I'm not), I would guess that 1 John 3:24 is altered in the revised ESV.

Look, I've got quite a few friends who use the ESV as their primary Bible. Fine. I use the ESV in parallel with other translations, but not as a primary Bible. In spite of that, I would by and large recommend the ESV over many of the translations of a generation ago. I strongly believe in using modern translations of the Bible for a variety of reasons. But having said all that, I must state that I really don't like the Bible wars because they just seem to get too nasty and they detract us from our mission to reach a lost and dying world with the hope-filled message of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, in light of the ESV's use of a singular they, AND in light of the ESV's alteration of person and number in the pronouns of Hosea 2 (and possibly elsewhere), I propose a truce in the Bible wars. If God speaks to you through the ESV, then praise the Lord for it. But if God speaks to me through the TNIV; and to my wife through the NLT; and to even another through the NRSV, NASB, NIV, CEV, GNB, or whatever--let's just all thank God that he not only communicated his will and his saving acts in history through a written record that we call the Bible, but also that we have a variety of translations in our own language in which to read it. And let us no longer think ill toward or look down upon those who read a different translation than we do ourselves. There are more pressing issues at hand...

Tags: ESV, singular they

No two ways about it, the Bible is a large book. Publishers go out of their way to get around this fact with thinline, compact, and personal size Bibles. Another way they fudge on the size is to use a narrowed typeface. Of course, often this sacrifices readability for a smaller footprint.

A few weeks back when I wrote my review of the New Living Translation, I demonstrated how much more wordy the second edition is over the first by displaying Genesis 1 from both editions in parallel columns. Also making the second edition more text-heavy than the first, according to the NLT website, were the "Many marginal notes ... added to help the reader study manuscript differences and to show the relationship between a literal translation and the rendering in the NLT." All of this makes for a potentially larger Bible. In fact, between more words in the text and added marginal notes, the NLT2 is 10% longer than the NLT1!

Faced with this reality, Tyndale publishers turned to Brian Sooy, creator of the Veritas typeface found in most ESV Bibles and two editions of the earlier 1996 edition of the New Living Translation. Sooy worked with famed calligrapher, Timothy Botts to design a brand new typeface. As stated in "From Genesis to Revelation: Lucerna," we read:

Like any design project, this one had a brief with some technical criteria, to help define and solve the design problem.

• Achieve a better character count (to maximize space and ultimately save paper)
• Eliminate artificial condensing of standard fonts (such as ITC Giovanni).
• Have visual similarities to ITC Giovanni, by Robert Slimbach.
• Make the font "stronger"
• Achieve as good as or better character count than ITC Weidemann or Century Old Style.
• Achieve better character count while maintaining readability.

Tim Botts said afterwards: "I was especially jazzed with the way the new One Year Bible turned out -- a 10% longer text in a stronger typeface -- yielding the same page count! To think we competed with Century OS and Weidemann -- and I think -- won."

We chose some key characters to design with similarities to ITC Giovanni - which Tyndale has been using for many Bibles, condensed 10% for space savings. This was also to show design management that the font would have that warm and friendly look that they had come to appreciate with Giovanni, and that they didn't want to lose. Overall Lucerna has its own character and visual appeal, with limited influence by ITC Giovanni.

So the font is a design solution to these technical and aesthetic considerations. Lucerna has indeed yielded printing/paper savings for Tyndale due to its space-saving design and should prove highly legible for the targeted demographic readers.

Sooy himself named the font. They played around with the name "Tyndale Book," but ultimately chose Lucerna because it is Latin for "lamp" and seemed to go along with Psalm 119:105-- “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (NLT). The graphics displayed a few paragraphs above were the best I could find to demonstrate the look and style of both Lucerna and Veritas. However, you can also see them simply by referring to actual copies of the ESV and NLT second edition.

While recently visiting the history of the Bible exhibit, Ink & Blood (see my review here), Sooy had a surreal moment. As he toured through the antique Bibles, some of which resulted in martyrs' deaths, Sooy realized that he, too, had managed a contribution to the history of the English Bible:

What struck me the most as I stood looking at the Bibles, reading the stories of the translators, and considering their impact on history – is that nobody was trying to kill me (that I know of) or persecute me (other than the left-wing side of the political spectrum) for contributing to publishing a Bible.

It seemed to me to be a strange culmination of events: I had purchased my first Macintosh (The SE30) in 1990, and released my first typeface intended for Bibles in 1995 (Veritas). Seven years later, I began Lucerna, and the first Bibles typeset in it were released in 2004.

It's difficult to describe the sensation I had while standing in the middle of all this history. The Lucerna Project was significant both personally and professionally, and I am aware that I have been given the opportunity to contribute to the history of the Bible. But why me? I'll always be grateful for the opportunity.

Both the Lucerna and Veritas typefaces are clear and easy to read. These are much better than the narrowed fonts that are in some Bibles, especially thinlines. As I said at the beginning of this post, the Bible is a big book. I hope that publishers will remember that not every Bible coming off the press has to necessarily be a thinline or a compact Bible. There are lots of us out here who don't mind carrying a larger Bible if that means that the text will not be crowded and the pages will not be too thin to write our notes on.

I note that the Veritas font is available for purchase, but Lucerna is not. Veritas was created independently with Bibles in mind, but Lucerna was created under contract for Tyndale. Nevertheless, I wonder how easy it would be to use a font like Veritas (cost = $75) and simply print my own wide-margin Bible. The idea seems more appealing everyday...

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For Further Reading:
• "From Genesis to Revelation: Lucerna"
• "From Parchment to Postscript" (Design Matters Blog)
• "Outreach Edition Font" (ESV Blog)

HT: "Picking the Font for the NLTse" (Andrew Dodson's Blog)

Photo of Brian Sooy borrowed from http://www.flickr.com/photos/69297311@N00/sets/654658/

Tags: NLT, ESV

Two days ago, in a blog entry, "Truth Unchanged Changed," I noted a discovery posted by David Dewey on the Bible Translation Discussion List that the preview of the forthcoming ESV Reverse Interlinear pointed to a revised ESV text. Speculation about when Crossway would release the revision has been building over the past few weeks, and the change in the ESV's reading of ACTS 1:3 seemed to indicate such a release would be soon. I suggested in the original blog that if nothing else, we would see a partial text "released initially by way of the ESV Reverse Interlinear since this volume is now being printed." Dewey himself responded to my post in the comments asking "Can we invite them [Crossway], through your blog, to come clean and to put an end to all this speculation?"

Well, the all-seeing eye of Crossway has struck again and this morning they answered the invitation. Stephen Smith, webmaster for Crossway/Good News Publishers and the ESV Bible Blog, sent me an email that not only acknowledged the updated ESV, but also gave a general timetable for the revision's release. In the email, he wrote that we "won’t see any changes to the ESV in print--apart from the reverse interlinear--before 2007."

Here's the official word from Crossway which Smith gave me permission to quote:

We do plan to make a limited number of changes, similar to what most other translations have done a few years after they were first released for publication, though our sense is that the number of changes that we anticipate will be quite a bit less than typically is the case. The vast majority of these involve only minor changes in grammar, punctuation, and footnotes. We are still in process regarding the finalization and implementation of these changes, which we will probably begin to implement sometime next year (2007).

So we will see the updated ESV New Testament via the Reverse Interlinear in the next few days/weeks as it rolls off the printing press and then the entire ESV Bible sometime next year. I would assume that electronic editions will follow thereafter. This is not all that different from the release of any translation since usually the New Testament is seen before the entire Bible. Although the official word seems to downplay the extent of changes in the ESV revision, I know a lot of people hope that it addresses some of the issues pointed out elsewhere.

Stephen Smith also confirmed that the general trends of the ESV in the blogosphere that I reported earlier today are essentially consistent with Crossway's own data, and was kind enough to give me another internet tool with which to play.

Thanks, Stephen, for accepting the invitation to use This Lamp as a venue for an official word on the forthcoming changes in the ESV.

Tags: ESV, Crossway

Speculation about a revision to the ESV goes all the way back to May of last year when it was announced that the Translation Oversight Committee would be meeting "to consider suggestions that have been made concerning the ESV text." A few weeks back, I tried to get solid information from Crossway regarding the rumored forthcoming revision to the English Standard Version. It seems that the powers-that-be at Crossway are near omniscient regarding such speculation on the internet because I was told in an emailed response that my suggestion in the comments on another blog about the "any day" revision release was inaccurate. I had never mentioned in my initial email to Crossway my speculation about such things. I was told that my message would nevertheless be forwarded higher up for a more official response, but I've yet to hear anything. This is not too big of a surprise. Rumors of Bible revisions, like that of new computer models, can eat into the sales of existing inventory.

Then yesterday, in a post on the Bible Translation Discussion List, David Dewey, author of A User's Guide to Bible Translations, wrote these words:

There has been increasing speculation about when a revised ESV might appear. The answer looks like being next month. There is a clue - even hard evidence - on the ESB blog site. A few entries ago (on August 2) they posted details of the forthcoming reverse interlinear. This includes a reproduction of the start of Acts 1. Close observation reveals that verse 3 has been revised. The existing ESV (including even the new journalling edition) has, 'To them he presented himself alive...' The interlinear has the rather more natural, 'He presented himself alive to them.' Does this suggest that most of the revisions will be to awkward word order? And if one revision is found in just four verses, how many changes might there be in total?

Am I not suprised that Crossway have included their revisions in the interlinear. To have kept the unrevised text would have been foolish: typesetting an interlinear is enormously expensive and it is not something you are going to want to drop for a second edition in a hurry.

You've got to hand it to Dewey. I had seen the post on the ESV Blog myself, but I certainly didn't take the time to compare the text in the photo to the actual ESV text currently available.


But he's certainly right. The rather awkward phrasing of Acts 1:3 in the current ESV, "To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God" has been changed in the ESV Reverse Interlinear to "He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God" [emphasis added to designated revised wording].

One has to wonder if the writer of the ESV Blog displayed this particular page from the first chapter of Acts on purpose as a hint of the forthcoming release or if it was something that just slipped through? Regardless, the text has been changed in v. 3, and I would agree with Dewey's speculation that a revised ESV text may be released very soon, or at least released initially by way of the ESV Reverse Interlinear since this volume is now being printed. It will be interesting to see if the revision won't merely be introduced quietly--with no fanfare--so as not to cannibalize sales of current editions.

Nevertheless, the question regarding how extensive the revision will be is of most interest to me and undoubtedly many others. I will admit that although I regularly use the ESV as a parallel text for comparison's sake, I've never really warmed to it as a Bible translation. I have nothing personal against the ESV, but I've never been quite as excited about it as a number of my peers (I have much greater preference for the HCSB as a recent formal equivalent translation, and I teach from the HCSB at church). I've described the ESV elsewhere as often feeling rushed--that is, certain archaic renderings left over from the RSV (and some even from the KJV) that I feel should have been updated in a 21st Century English translation were simply left as is. I realize that the backers of the ESV were going for a more traditional translation, but it just often seems to be awkwardly traditional in places. For some specific examples, see the "ESV Translation Problems" section on Wayne Leman's ESV Links Page.

Special thanks to Wayne Leman, moderator of the Bible Translation Discussion list and contributor to Better Bibles Blog, for sending me Dewey's post last night hours before I received it this morning in the list digest.

Tags: ESV