Why the ESV?

[jhwatts]

It seems most reformed individuals use the ESV. Why is this?

I would have thought most would use a Geneva.

Just curious.

 

[JM]

It seems most reformed individuals use the ESV. Why is this?

I would have thought most would use a Geneva.

Just curious.

The Geneva has been updated so we do find interest in the use of it. I use the Authorized Version (with Scottish Psalter 1650) which is the final form of the Reformational translations.

I'll try to post more latter.

jm

 

[J0SHUA]

I like anything but the KJV, as I believe the KJV has errors, but ESV is my favorite because of the accuracy, choice of wording, and smooth reading.

 

[JM]

All translations have errors, that isn't the issue and as for acuracy, most Reformed folks agree that it is an acurate translation. People disagree about the manuscripts, underlying princples of and method of translation.

jm

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

It seems most reformed individuals use the ESV. Why is this?

I would have thought most would use a Geneva.

Just curious.

When the Reformation Study Bible was first released, the ESV was the exclusive translation included. A number of prominent Reformed leaders helped to promote the ESV, including R.C. Sproul. And for good reasons laid out in the little book "Translating Truth: The Case for Essentially Literal Bible Translation" with a forward by J.I. Packer, and articles by C. John Collins, Wayne Grudem, Leland Ryken, Vern S. Poythress, Leland Ryken, and Bruce Winter.

With so many informed among the Reformed embracing the ESV, it would be ignorant for the uninformed (especially in the original languages) Reformed laymen such as I to take issue or say that those informed are somehow misinformed. So whether it has been through prominent Reformed leaders, the local Reformed pastors, personal Bible study, or a combination of all the above, the ESV has grown on the hearts of Reformed folk.

 

[JM]

I forgot about this thread...

Dr. Beeke and others from Puritan Reformed Seminary put forth arguments for an ecclesiastical text such as the KJV. The Free Reformed church uses the KJV as it's ecclesiastical text and pew Bible (if I'm not mistaken). The ESV has a massive marketing campaign pushing for it's use. This isn't a bad thing necessarily but I'm a little leery of anything with that much hype. The New Reformation Bible will have the updated ESV and updated notes.

jm

 

[stenerson]

I bought the New Geneva Study Bible NKJV years ago "mid 90's" because RC Sproul was promoting it back then. My church uses the ESV in reading and preaching.

 

[JM]

Sproul is supporting the update of the Reformation Study Bible out in 2015.

 

[AMR]

Sproul is supporting the update of the Reformation Study Bible out in 2015.

If I heard correctly in one of my monthly Ligonier CD messages, the new update will also be available in the NKJV. I hope this is the case as this is my preferred research translation. I have the earlier RSBs in both the NKJV and ESV translations. The notes are good but not as good as those in Pratt's edited Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible which also included all the major Reformed Confessions with cross references in the verse notes. Unfortunately (to me at least) he used the NIV translation and will not be updating to the ESV or any other translation. At Pratt's ThirdMill much of the content from the SRSB is online.

 

[JM]

It would be cool to see Pratt's work combined in the Reformation Bible.

_______________________________________________________________

I emailed to ask if the Spirit of the Reformation was going to be reprinted with a different translation, here was the response:

We were just a work for hire on this and didn’t own any rights.

We are working on our own online version. But it will take quite a while to recreate our own model. But we want to see multiple versions. Please pray for us in this.