What I do think is unfortunate though is the faith that people have placed in the big names that have put forth the Bible as the Bible for English speaking Christians. It has quickly become my primary Bible for both personal use and public teaching.” And this claim of word-for-word exactness is among the most common responses I receive when I ask “why do you use the ESV.” The ESV is now the 4th best selling bible in America.
One endorsement of the ESV bible reads “The ESV embodies both word-for-word exactness and easy readability. However, this bible is not a bible that is, as you might say, true to what I most often hear it is, an accurate, essentially literal translation. I use it because it is in a line of translations that stems from the one I grew up with, the Authorized Version (KJV). I most often use the ESV Bible (though not really on this blog which tends towards NRSV) because it is the Bible I find at once most accessible, somewhat familiar, and used by those around me. The Bible is the most important text in Christianity and people grow attached to whatever version they do use.