Orthodox view of the English Standard Version & RSV II

[lanceg100]

Dear Friends,

I am curious to know what Orthodox Christians think of the English Standard Version of the Bible, and the second Catholic RSV Bible.

The ESV is a very light revision of the RSV, only a 6% text change, and it is now available with an Apocrypha. I think it is pretty good, except in 1 Timothy ch. 3, it says that the church is a pillar and bullwark of truth, rather than THE pillar & bulwark of the Truth.

I know that the Antiochian Archdiocese use to link to it from their web site, but no more. I wonder if that is because of the adjoining links to Crossway Books, which is very Evangelical & Reformed.

The RSV II Catholic edition like the first Catholic RSV Bible uses "hail full of grace" in Luke ch. 1, instead of "highly favored one," which I like.

The RSV II replaces "you" & "yours" for "Thou", "thee", "thy" and "thine," and uses the term "virgin" instead of "young woman" in Isaiah 7:14. It also uses the term, "only-begotten Son" in John 1:18 & John 3:16, which I prefer to "only son."

It is getting increasingly difficult to find the standard RSV, pretty much the only version available is the New Oxford Annotated Bible.

I know a lot of Orthodox prefer New King James, the Orthodox New Testament, and the Orthodox Study Bible. I have all of those too, but I have always been an RSV man, even though it is not based on the Septuagint & Byzantine Text.

[livefreeordie]

I bought the Cambridge Wide Margin Leather edition of the ESV and I love it.  After having it for the last 3 or 4 months, its the bible I pick up 100% of the time to read.

[quorum]

I feel for you! I just got back from a trip to the bookstore, trying to look for a good and scholarly Bible that was Orthodox-approved. I almost picked up the Second Catholic RSV published by Ignatius, which I think you're referring to, but was dismayed to see that that version didn't include the complete apocrypha (i.e. 3 and 4 Maccabees). It's a shame, as it was a very handsome edition. The other edition I looked at was the NOAB NRSV, but was wary of it due to the criticism I've read about it here and elsewhere. That, and it was incredibly expensive..

Edit: I'm not sure how a two year-old thread popped up on the front page as being new. My apologies for drudging this one back up! 

[Achronos]

I feel for you! I just got back from a trip to the bookstore, trying to look for a good and scholarly Bible that was Orthodox-approved. I almost picked up the Second Catholic RSV published by Ignatius, which I think you're referring to, but was dismayed to see that that version didn't include the complete apocrypha (i.e. 3 and 4 Maccabees). It's a shame, as it was a very handsome edition. The other edition I looked at was the NOAB NRSV, but was wary of it due to the criticism I've read about it here and elsewhere. That, and it was incredibly expensive..

Edit: I'm not sure how a two year-old thread popped up on the front page as being new. My apologies for drudging this one back up! 

Do NOT get the NRSV, it's terrible.

Here's the RSV of the NOAB, 41% off:
http://www.amazon.com/Annotated-Apocrypha-Standard-Expanded-Hardcover/dp/0195283481

[Achronos]

The Ignatius 2nd CE RSV is very good, but you'll miss a few books from the Apocrypha obviously.

ESV, actually has a 8-10% textual change from the RSV and some of the words they use (Instead of firmament in Genesis its rendered as canopy) just bother me and it does theologically slant towards Protestantism.

NOAB for life in my opinion until Nelson delivers a really worthwhile Orthodox Bible. I think the NKJV is not a template they should be basing the OSB on.

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