Bible translation
English Standard Version (ESV): history, style and where to read it
The English Standard Version is an essentially literal translation published by Crossway in 2001. It descends from the Revised Standard Version tradition and is popular with preachers and study groups for its dignified, word for word style. The ESV is not available in The Living Bread yet; you can read the NIV or NASB in the app, or the free Berean Standard Bible here, and find the ESV at its publisher.
At a glance
| Full name | English Standard Version |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | ESV |
| First published | 2001 (text final 2016) |
| Publisher or sponsor | Crossway |
| Language | English |
| Translation philosophy | Word for word (essentially literal) |
| How it reads | Literary, dignified |
| In The Living Bread | Not yet in The Living Bread |
Who made the ESV and when
Crossway, an evangelical publisher in Illinois, released the ESV in 2001 after a translation oversight committee of more than a hundred scholars and pastors, with J. I. Packer as general editor, revised the 1971 text of the Revised Standard Version. The choice of the RSV as a starting point gave the ESV a place in the long line of English Bibles that runs from Tyndale through the King James Version.
The text was lightly revised in 2007, 2011 and 2016. The 2016 edition is presented as a permanent text that Crossway does not intend to change further. The ESV is a copyrighted work and Crossway sets generous but specific limits on how much can be quoted.
How the ESV translates
The ESV calls its method essentially literal: it keeps close to the original wording and structure, while allowing the translators to adjust where a literal rendering would mislead. It keeps many traditional terms and echoes of earlier English translations so the Bible feels continuous with the church's past.
Readability and typical use
It has a stately, literary tone that suits reading aloud in worship and reading slowly at a desk. Some sentences are demanding, particularly in Paul's argument, but the vocabulary is mostly familiar.
Strengths
Strong in preaching and study circles, steady in its rendering of repeated words so that readers can follow a theme across books, and carried in many printed study Bibles.
Cautions, stated fairly
It follows the older practice of using masculine terms in some places where a more recent translation chooses a more inclusive expression for the whole people of God. Readers have different views on that, and the footnotes help. As with any literal translation, a thought for thought version can be a useful companion.
Familiar renderings, in our own words
Readers who know the Revised Standard Version will recognize many phrasings, and those who know the King James Version will find that the ESV keeps a similar solemnity in the Psalms and the Gospels while replacing thee and thou.
Who should choose the ESV
Choose the ESV if you want a literary word for word text for study or preaching; in The Living Bread, the NASB and the free Berean Standard Bible are the nearest equivalents today.
Where to read the English Standard Version
Not yet in The Living Bread The ESV is not available in The Living Bread yet. We would rather say so plainly than send you to a page that cannot show it. In the meantime you can read the NIV or the NASB inside the app, or the free Berean Standard Bible here. To read the ESV itself, go to its publisher, Crossway at esv.org.
Our AI answers and MCP server never quote copyrighted translations, only public domain text. Compare every translation to find the closest match to the one you were seeking.
Related translations
- New American Standard Bible (NASB)Word for word. Precise, a little formal.
- Christian Standard Bible (CSB)Balanced (optimal equivalence). Clear, modern, readable.
- New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)Word for word (as literal as possible, as free as necessary). Scholarly, steady.
- New International Version (NIV)Balanced. Clear, everyday English.
- Berean Standard Bible (BSB)Balanced, leaning literal. Modern, clear.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I read the ESV in The Living Bread?
- Not yet. The ESV is not available in The Living Bread. You can read the NIV or the NASB in the app, or the free Berean Standard Bible here, and you can find the ESV at Crossway, its publisher.
- Is the ESV the same as the Revised Standard Version?
- No, but they are related. The ESV began from the RSV text and was revised by a new committee, so the two share much wording while differing in many places.
- Is the ESV better than the NIV?
- They have different goals. The ESV is more literal and the NIV is more balanced. Neither is better in every way; choose by what you need the text to do.
The Word became flesh
The ESV is one of many faithful ways into the same story. Whichever translation you choose, the point of Scripture is the One it gives you: Jesus Christ, who said that we are to love one another as he loved us. Read a little each day, read it with someone, and ask him to open the page.
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