ESV Bible Translation Update
The ESV Translation Oversight Committee (TOC) is a standing committee of the Crossway Board of Directors. The purpose of the TOC is to carry forward the publication of the English Standard Version Bible translation and to preserve the ongoing accuracy and fidelity of the ESV Bible for this generation and generations to come.
The Stability and Future of the ESV
With this purpose in mind, we are committed to maintaining a faithful, stable, and standard ESV Bible text that will meet the reading, memorizing, preaching, and liturgical needs of Christians worldwide. Crossway does not plan to introduce frequent text updates, and it has been nearly ten years since the last update in 2016. At the same time, we desire to be as faithful as possible to the inspired and infallible Word of God, while remaining open to considering changes that improve accuracy and clarity, taking into account new archaeological, linguistic, and textual discoveries.
In light of this commitment, the TOC met over the summer of 2024 to consider a limited number of changes to the ESV text. Briefly summarized, the committee made text changes to 36 Scripture passages involving 42 verses, resulting in a total of 68 word changes. Given that there are nearly 757,400 words in the ESV, this represents a change of about one word per 11,000 words in the ESV text. In addition to the above text changes, a limited number of changes were made to 57 footnotes, and a few additional changes were also made to punctuation in 14 verses.
Given that more than 540 editions of the ESV are currently in print worldwide, the rollout of the text update will take nearly two years to complete. The first copies of the new ESV text editions will be released in the spring of 2025, and, Lord willing, almost all of them will be published by the fall of 2026.
Two Notable Changes
One notable revision in this update involves Genesis 3:16 and 4:7. The committee changed the ESV 2016 translation of the Hebrew preposition 'el from “contrary to” back to the original ESV 2001 translation “for” —which provides a more natural translation in continuity with the historic stream of formal equivalent English Bible translations (for example, the RSV, NASB, and NKJV), and which preserves the range of interpretive options in the Hebrew. The interpretive options can now be seen in the alternative renderings provided in the footnotes: “Or to, or toward, or against.” The conjunction “but” has been changed to “and” in Genesis 3:16 and 4:7 so as not to impose a contrast that is not explicit in the Hebrew text. As general editor for the ESV Bible, J. I. Packer (1926–2020) often reminded the committee, “We respect readers when we pass along to them the job of interpretive work, not going beyond what the linguistic details require and not foreclosing the interpretive options.”
Another notable update appears in John 1:18. “The only God” has been updated to “God the only Son,” with “God” corresponding to theos and “only Son” to monogenēs (as in John 1:14). This translation incorporates the concept of descent (which is an implication of monogenēs in context) and maintains concordance with the other occurrences of monogenēs in the New Testament. The idea of sonship is evoked by monogenēs in the context of “Father” in John 1:18 and 1:14. The rendering “only son” for monogenēs in several ancient translations of the New Testament for Luke 7:12, 8:42, and Hebrews 11:17 indicates the propriety of a similar rendering in the verses referring to the Son of God. The footnote for John 1:18 has also been revised to reflect more clearly the manuscript variations, including alternative renderings such as “the only God who” and “the only Son,” allowing readers to engage with the full textual tradition.
To God Alone Be the Glory!
Since the ESV Bible was first published in 2001, more than 315 million copies have been published and distributed—with most copies being given away freely through ministry partners around the world—reminding us of the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:7: “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” This encouraging growth testifies to God's providence and abundant blessing.
The words of the Bible are the very words of God. For this reason, the ESV translation committee and the Crossway Board of Directors have undertaken their work with full awareness of the gravity this entails, relying on the Lord’s grace, mercy, strength, and providence—for the glory of God alone.
As the ESV Preface reads:
We know that no Bible translation is perfect, but we also know that God uses imperfect and inadequate things to his honor and praise. So to our triune God and to his people, we offer what we have done, with our prayers that it may prove useful, with gratitude for much help given, and with ongoing wonder that our God should ever have entrusted to us so momentous a task. To God alone be the glory!
We are so thankful for all those who love the truth and beauty of the very words of God—words inspired by the Holy Spirit in their original writing, words that are without error in all that Scripture teaches, words that are trustworthy and true for all of life and forever.
On behalf of the ESV Translation Oversight Committee and the Crossway Board of Directors, we are pleased to provide the following comparison of the changes approved and adopted by the Crossway Board in the summer of 2024.