The ESV: The New Inspired Version
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Once upon a time there were 70 translators (or was it 72?) who met in Alexandria. Although they were placed in separate rooms, these translators all arrived at the exact same translation of the Old Testament into Greek. Little did they know that their translation (er--translations, recensions, editions, versions, and interpretive glosses) would become the only Bible for the Christian church.
Long ago in an era far far away (but not that far!), God created the King James Bible in order to guarantee conformity to the governmental structure of the Church of England. 47 scholars--all from the Church of England--to ensure orthodoxy, became the sole mouthpiece of God. Unperturbed by pesky threats like updated manuscripts, it is the only version for the true believers of today.
In the beginning of the 1990s, the light shined in the darkness bringing forth a literal--"word-for-word" except when it comes to gender passage--ESV Bible version. But the feminism did not "understand," or was it did not "receive"? it. With the looming threat of the ever changing tides of a more gender inclusive church and additional scholarship beginning to lead scholars of various traditions astray, one "can have full confidence in the ESV, knowing that it will continue to be published as is, without being changed, for the rest of their lives, and for generations to come." Most translations wish to give you the best that biblical scholarship has to offer. Even The King James version of lore underwent many revisions over many years, before being solidified, but the unanimous(?) consensus of the modern ESV committee say, "Ni!"
Why? Fear not dear readers. The ESV represents the very Word of God entrusted to such sages as Wayne Grudem and so will be given back into the hands of God to live on forever as his sacred word. Published by LifeWay.
“In making these final changes, the Crossway Board of Directors and the Translation Oversight Committee thus affirm that their highest responsibility is to “guard the deposit entrusted to you” (1 Timothy 6:20)—to guard and preserve the very words of God as translated in the ESV Bible; to do so in full awareness of the fearful responsibility that this sacred trust entails; to understand that this can be accomplished only in complete dependence on the Lord’s grace, mercy, strength, providence, and wisdom; for the glory alone of our triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thus, with the work of translating the ESV Bible now completed, we would give our work back into the hands of the Lord; for him to use and to bless and to accomplish his purposes (Isaiah 55:11); for the sake of his church and the gospel, to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47)—knowing that “the word of the Lord remains forever” (1 Peter 1:25).
It is within the framework of this commitment, then, that we are pleased to provide the following list of the final changes to the ESV Bible text, thereby establishing the Permanent Text of the ESV Bible, unchanged forever, in perpetuity:”
Of course, some might say the powers that be have succeeded in making a very biased translation widely thought to be close to the original text and want to freeze it in time so that their version will not be changed to reflect updated scholarship and changing scholarly opinion on gender among other things that certain members are preoccupied with.
But that sounds shady and less grandiose.
-AQ
This post will never ever ever change to reflect any corrections to my holy, perfect and objective assessment.