English Standard Version — ESV
I have a great desire for my children to memorize scripture and have signed up the oldest for a spelling bee type competition as I know she will think it great fun. My problem is I want to be consistent with scriptures. The church we go to has them memorize in NIV and NASB but I would much prefer KJV or NKJV. I read with interest your review of the different Bible versions in your book. I noticed that the copyright on your book is 2001 which is the same year as the English Standard Version. I liked what I read about it on the official web site but am wondering if you have an opinion on it before I jump in with both feet. Thank you. Roberta
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Newer is not necessarily better.
If you want something generally more literal, then go with the NASB over the ESV. If you want something closer to a majority textual base, then go with the NKJV over the NASB. If you want something more quotable, go with the KJV over the NKJV.
When I use a published translation, I generally go with the NKJV. I do often compare with other translations (I have dozens), but I most often compare with the NASB. I stopped looking at the ESV because I was consistently disappointed — not that it was so very bad, but that it was rarely (if ever) better than the others. The ESV does have a great cross-reference system — apparently borrowed from the old Revised Version cross-references developed by FHA Scrivener.
Harvey Bluedorn