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December 05, 2005
ESV
So I switched to the ESV translation of the Bible. Picked up my first burgandy bonded leather red-letter version today, it's only immediate draw back was the color but the store I went to, didn't have any other colors. :( You can thank partial influence from Matt Heerema (http://www.mattandnancy.org/) but also from a staff meeting we had last Tuesday with regard to calendar stuff, but we got off on a tagent discussing the merits of ESV versus NIV and NAS.
Two things while reading this afternooon caught my attention: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." (Matthew 6:24 ESV) But it had an attached footnote, "Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions." [NIV lacks the footnote, though the meaning can be derived from context.] (This is one of the formative life changing versus that God hit me over the head with.)
"And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:28-30 ESV) I loved the word 'arrayed'. It made me smile and think of "int alpha[26][26]" or something of that nature.
From our brief staff discussion, ESV is more literal like NAS, but easier to read, and does a better job than NIV or NAS at preserving the original intent of the author with regard to literature and stylistic writing. So, in some ways, it does read more artsey, but has been good. I'm hoping to finish Matthew today.
But in a lot of the well known versus in NIV, ESV has read almost identical [for what I have read so far]. I've not been bumped by switching translations, yet, though I am assuming (based on discussion) the prophets, psalms and proverbs might pose an interesting challenge since they are not narratives like the Gospels. The Epistiles should be interesting too. I wonder how Ephesians (my favorite book) will come out as?
And for those who are dying to know:
Favorite Book: Ephesians
Favorite Chapter: John 17
Favorite Verse: Genesis 2:18
:)
Posted by mtriley at December 5, 2005 01:09 PM
Comments
i have considered making the switch as well, probably as a christmas gift. i appreciate their balanced effort to be literal yet not make the writing sound mechanical or whatever.
Posted by: erik at December 5, 2005 02:49 PM
I got and esv about 2 months ago and i am enjoying it. It has been easy to read and understand.
I did notice last night while trying to follow along with the pastor that it was challenging due to the order of some words being changed. I think he was using a niv bible. (possibly nas)
Posted by: Ben362 at December 5, 2005 07:49 PM
I made the switch awhile ago too. I like it, it makes me think and is 'new'. One thing that took me awhile to catch is when they say 'passion' they mean lust. Once you get used to some of the wording, it's pretty easy to figure out.
Posted by: Dan at December 5, 2005 08:34 PM
Growing up I was taught in Christian Private schools that there was not much differences to the versions and these modern versions as in niv etc. should be accepted for they are easier to read for those did not grow up with the Bible. In other words a Bible for the next generation. Now I have stopped believing everything I hear from teachers and search for knowledge and truth. I am fully convinced that such perversions of the Bible have sprung up as weeds tanting our KJV. I believe that if you speak english, KJV is the only option. I could go for hours, but I must mention Acts 8:37 ever wonder why you can't find it in your NIV? Missing verses and even chapters of the Bible is not a modern translation but a political chess move
Posted by: Russell at March 30, 2007 02:06 AM