It’s something I should have done a long time ago. Before I came to Arizona (1998-2013), I varied which translation I used for preaching and teaching on a fairly regular basis. The New King James Version was my primary and preferred text, but I used the New American Standard, King James, and English Standard (starting around 2004 or 2005) in the pulpit and classes quite frequently. It never occurred to me that I should choose one translation as my “standard” preaching version. Now I see the benefit of doing so, but I did not think of it at the time. When I moved to Arizona I was using the ESV like most “young, restless, and reformed” preachers. There were things I liked about it and things I didn’t, but I didn’t give it much thought. I assumed I would move on to a different text at some point as I had done before. Then it happened. Everyone in the church began buying ESVs. I should have seen it coming. When it began, I should have quickly switched to the version I preferred. But I didn’t. And so, six years later, inconvenient as it is, I am transitioning. After January 1st, I will be using the NKJV for public Bible reading and (most) of my preaching and teaching.
I say (most), because I like the flexibility of being able to use a different version when and where it better expresses the underlying original. I may (will) still refer to other translations from time to time when teaching a given text. But the last six years have taught me--nay, thoroughly convinced me--the value of having a liturgical standard for Bible translation. The congregation knows what to expect and is able to follow along in the same translation if they choose. The Bible translation read in the pulpit should not vary week to week. There is an advantage to consistency. It promotes memorization. It contributes to the rhythm of weekly worship.
If that is so, why change? Don’t we have this already, to some extent, with the ESV? Yes, to the latter question, but the value of a standard translation for the pulpit does not mean it can never change. (Unless you all would like to use the Geneva Bible. I have a beautiful copy and would be happy to start using it!) We’ve had guest speakers that have used several different translations. Jacob recently started using the NKJV when leading worship and preaching. It was an adjustment, but the congregation easily adapted. Why change from the ESV to the NKJV? I have several reasons, but basically it comes down to the fact that I prefer it. It is the version in which I have done most of my memory work. It has a style and rhythm I am comfortable with having read and preached from it for years. I also prefer its underlying textual basis. For those of you that know something about textual criticism, I am a Majority Text advocate, though I regularly consult and work in the Critical (Nestle-Aland/UBS) Text when studying the NT. Studying textual criticism in seminary (and reading about and following debates over it almost constantly since then) have only made me more convinced of its superiority. It is not a hill to die on or anything that affects fellowship; I am simply convinced of the historical and theological superiority of the majority text tradition. But for all of these reasons, if consistency in the pulpit Bible is valuable, then I would rather be consistently using a translation I prefer.
So what should you do if you have an ESV? I recommend reading it: frequently, carefully, systematically, thoroughly, and repeatedly. Underline, annotate, and study the text. If you use it in the worship assemblies or Wednesday evening study, you will notice some differences starting January 5th. If this makes it difficult for you to follow along, you can always pick up an inexpensive NKJV to use at church. But this is not about undermining or deriding the ESV. The ESV is a good translation, a faithful representation of the Word of God. Yes, it differs in places from the NKJV, and Christian brothers can have reasonable and robust discussions about those differences in the text. But both are the work of conservative, Bible-believing scholars who take a conservative approach to translation and who seek to represent the underlying Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek faithfully. I simply prefer the NKJV/KJV, so that is what I will begin reading and preaching from starting Sunday, January 5th.
(We will continue to use the ESV for the Ten Commandments on the first Sunday of each month and the Corporate Confession of Sin from 1 Timothy 1:15 since these are already printed and have been memorized by a large part of the congregation.)
--JME (December 2019)
