Dear friends, the English Standard Version will soon be available in early 2009 with the Apocrypha. I welcome this. The ESV is a light revision of the RSV (only a 6% text change). Apart from the New Oxford Study Bible still in print, the RSV is no longer available in a text edition that features all of the Greek Canon of the Old Testament. The ESV will provide this with a solid contemporary translation that is both literal and literary.

English Standard Version with Apocrypha on Amazon

From the product description on Amazon:

"The English Standard Version Bible captures as far as possible the precise wording of the original biblical text and the personal style of each Bible writer, while taking into account differences of grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages. The ESV thus provides an accurate rendering of the original texts that is in readable, high quality English prose and poetry. This Bible has been growing in popularity among students in biblical studies, mainline Christian scholars and clergy, and Evangelical Christians of all denominations.

Along with that growth comes the need for the books of the Apocrypha to be included in ESV Bibles, both for denominations that use those books in liturgical readings and for students who need them for historical purposes. More Evangelicals are also beginning to be interested in the Apocrypha, even though they don't consider it God's Word. The English Standard Version Bible with the Apocrypha, for which the Apocrypha has been commissioned by Oxford University Press, employs the same methods and guidelines used by the original translators of the ESV, to produce for the first time an ESV Apocrypha. This will be the only ESV with Apocrypha available anywhere, and it includes all of the books and parts of books in the Protestant Apocrypha, the Catholic Old Testament, and the Old Testament as used in Orthodox Christian churches. It will have a lovely pre-printed case binding, and will include a full-color map section, a table of weights and measures used in the Bible, and many other attractive features.

The English Standard Version Bible with Apocrypha is certain to become the preferred Bible in more conservative divinity schools and seminaries, where the Apocrypha is studied from an academic perspective. And it answers the need of conservative Christians in general for a more literal version of these books."





Blessings, Lance

A Byzantine Christian in a Postmodern World

Isn't the Ignatius Press RSV-CE--both first and second editions--a complete version of the RSV with the additonal books not used by some Protestants?

BOB

The ESV is a good translation. It's richer than the NIV and makes better use of the King's language than most of the modern translations I've come across.

As far as I know the RSV is the standard text for scholarship in many Protestant seminaries. I haven't noticed many changes between that and the RSV-CE.

The ESV smoothes out some of the mechanical language and polishes the poetry to bear well with English ears. It is impossible to have a full English translation of some of the Hebrew text. I don't know if they succeed at their poetic goals, but I have liked the end result of the ESV bible I have.

Terry

TERRY:

Thanks.

BOB

Is the ESV a translation of the Hebrew Text or the Septuagint?

I have the Orthodox Study Bible (Old and New Testament) and I enjoy the commentaries and notes.

They would be looking at the Hebrew text, for some words I have seen the Greek variant footnoted.

Protestants don't find the Septuagint to be credible. They would have had trouble selling the translation if it was from the LXX.

The Orthodox Study Bible will be the next bible I get. I have the RSV-CE and the ESV, this "ESV-CE" would not add much to my plate unless it is provided free online. The ESV is included on Bible Gateway, but that site has a warning and it takes some effort to see the Catholic edition of any expanded bible in their database.

Terry

Bob, that is true, but the the ESV will come with the longer Greek Canon, accepted by the Orthodox, which includes 3rd and 4th Maccabees, Psalm 151, 1st & 2nd Esdras.

As Terry pointed out, the text from at least the Palestinian canon is translated from the Hebrew, but the other books would be from the Greek. The ESV is simply a revision of the RSV, as Terry also pointed out. The Antiochian Orthodox diocese use to provide a link to the ESV on line.

I have a very nice Orthodox Study Bible, in leather which was given to me as a gift and I use it often. However, it is good to have an alternate translation, and I have always been an RSV man.

I also have a paperback RSV with the longer Apocrypha I tote with me all of the time, as well as the RSV New Oxford Annotated Bible, still in print with the longer canon.

Blessings,


Lance


A Byzantine Christian in a Postmodern World

"As Terry pointed out, the text from at least the Palestinian canon is translated from the Hebrew, but the other books would be from the Greek."

That is what I would have said if I thought about the question a little more.

Do they publish which manuscripts they used?
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"I also have a paperback RSV with the longer Apocrypha I tote with me."

The longer Apocrypha including 3 and 4 Maccabees? Does it include the Book of Enoch?

Terry

Lance:

Thanks for the clarification. I'll look for a copy when it's available.

BOB

Terry, I am sure they publish which manuscripts they use, but I do not have the info handy.

The Bible I have does not have Enoch. Here are the Apocryphal/deuterocanonical books it has:

* 1 Esdras
* 2 Esdras
* Tobit
* Judith
* Additions to the Book of Esther
* Wisdom of Solomon
* Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
* Baruch
* Letter of Jeremiah
* Prayer of Azariah
* Susanna
* Bel and the Dragon
* Prayer of Manasseh
* 1 Maccabees
* 2 Maccabees
* 3 Maccabees
* 4 Maccabees
* Psalm 151


You can read it on-line here:
Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha


Blessings,


Lance



A Byzantine Christian in a Postmodern World

Why do some Protestants protest against the use of the Septuagint which predates that of the Masoretic text?

They give primacy to the original languages. But I think that they overlook the fact that not only is the Septuagint older, but many of the prophetic passages about Christ in the Old Testament are quoted from the Septuagint, not from the Hebrew, and some of them only make sense in the Greek. Ancient Christians and many ancient Jews believed the Septuagint to be inspired in its own right.

I think many Protestants do indeed value the Septuagint, and we should of course study the original Hebrew.

But for those of us in the Byzantine Church, Catholic or Orthodox, the Septuagint is our official Old Testament text.


blessings,


Lance



A Byzantine Christian in a Postmodern World

Bob,
I dont think this is the case. This translation does not have the complete Septuagint Books. Orthodox have several books that are not included in the Catholic Canon, such as: 3 & 4 Maccabbees and several others.
Stephanos I
I for one would love to see a new RSV of the entire Septuagint with the best comments of both the Latin and Greek Fathers.

It is a grave mistake to base translations on the Massoretic text for the reason that Lance sites above.
Stephanos I
I read most of the translations but if I want to do a study on a teaching of dogma, I would investigate from the best sources whe have and also do as exhaustive study on the meaning of the Greek and Hebrew text.

The early Protestants did not appreciate the authority of the Seventy. It may have been a way of contrasting with the Church.

Martin Luther also did not appreciate the authority of James (which has that tricky saying about the fruit of faith). I think he wanted to throw out Hebrews, Jude, and the Book of Revelation too.

Terry