I'm thinking in investing in the new ESV Study Bible, but I have some questions. Is it as good as the publicity suggests? I would prefer the anglicized version published by Collins. But can I get access to the free online stuff if I buy the Collins edition? The anglicized text is important for me because I don't like reading the Bible in stupidised Americeen 'English'. I mean, 'color' for 'colour', 'ax' rather than 'axe' and 'dirty critters' instead of 'unclean creatures'. What's the point in that? Answers on a postcard please, or if you prefer, leave a comment.
Update:
Justin Taylor of Between Two Worlds, who works for Crossway, the USA publisher of the ESVSB says,
"Collins does do a number of anglicised ESVs, but they are not doing the ESVSB. They are simply importing our edition of it, which would include the free online access."
So there we have it.
18 comments:
ask Justin Taylor. theologica.blogspot.com
I wasn't aware that there was an anglicised ESV Study Bible, I know you can get the ordinary ESV like that.
I have bought it and I get on fine with it - the americanisms I just ignore. It is useful and balanced in perspective.
I think the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible is far better. The ESV-SB is still a great Bible, but after comparing several notes throughout both the OT and NT, the depth and even elegance of the SOTR-SB is very clear, plus having the confessions and catechisms in the back (and cross-referenced in the notes) is icing on the cake.
Before you buy, I would compare the ESV-SB notes (you can get free pdf samples at their website) with the SOTR-SB notes:
http://www.wtsbooks.com/pdf_files/9780310923602.pdf
My 0.02p -
- I don't think that Collins is selling the ESVSB with the Anglicized (and that's an Oxford 'z', not an Amurrican 'z') base text; they're simply selling an import.
- there is no spoon ... err, CD-ROM. "Just" online access to the full study Bible, with some helpful online features (I find this a very, very handy resource!).
- you can get quite a good feel for it from the samples available on the ESVSB "blog"; try the posts under the "Notes" category for starters.
Hope that helps!
I stand corrected David. How embarrasing to dis Americeen spellings using Americanized English!
I didn't know that there was an anglicized version of the ESV Study Bible - interesting. As a Brit who has just come back from the States after 5 years I suppose I've become used to the differences in our languages :)
But, that being said, I will add my 2p worth and say that, yes, it is as good as the publicity suggests. For starters, it is my first ESV (I use the NASB most of the time) and I'm enjoying the language. The notes are helpful and where more than one interpretation may be taken for a particular passage we are told about them all.
On top of that, the articles and illustrations are superb. They alone would be worth the investment in my opinion. The fact that you can get access to the whole thing online, making in electronically searchable, boosts the value even more.
I would borrow my friends copy until I recently received my own and I'm always dipping in to it. Highly recommended.
If you do get it, don;'t pay the rrp. I got mine for 27.99 from wesley owen at new word alive. there are other deals out there, jsut don't fork out the whole 39.99, shop around.
ps Have you told mrs exile of your spending plans? hehe
A PlayTrade dealer on Play.com is offering ESVSB for £29.73. It will be a birthday pressie from Mrs. Exile. She doesn't know that yet...
According to Justin Taylor of the "Between Two Worlds" blog,
"Collins does do a number of anglicised ESVs, but they are not doing the ESVSB. They are simply importing our edition of it, which would include the free online access."
So, that clears things up. I'll have to make to with ax instead of axe blah blah blah....
I've ordered a copy from PTS Bookshop. With staff discount shouldn't cost me more more than £20. It's the cool looking diagrams and maps that swung it for me.
You'll be pleased to know that the ESV avoids 'ax' for axe.
Oh good. Buy what about "dirty critters"?
I live in Canada, so trust me, we know what you mean about American spellings. I switched over to U.S. for my blog, because a lot of my readers are American, but then I switched back on principle. Right now it depends how awake I am while blogging.
My greater concern had to do with whether there would be too strong a reformed theology bias in the notes. Most sections are fairly balanced, though there were parts of John's Gospel where the bias was evident.
We've used this with our children, reading both text and notes aloud, and this is a Bible rich in background information. If I can smuggle a few copies of the Collins edition in, I probably will, but the Crossway edition holds prior Canadian rights.
Paul,
I have a Collins Anglicized ESV Bible already, but not the ESVSB, although my copy should be delivered early next week. Unfortunately it doesn't look like Collins will be doing a "real English" ESVSB.
We use the NKJV as church, which is only avaliable these days in Americeen. Roosers crow, Joseph's coat has many colors, the prophet's ax swam...
What you call the "Reformed bias" seems to me like accurate exegesis of the text! :-)
My copy was delivered yesterday. I think it may well get a lot of use. The notes are a little brief for proper study, sermon prep etc. That's why we have commentaries. But it's handy to have some explanitory notes for devotional reading. Pictures and diagrams are excellent. Who has not read through Exodus and wondered what on earth the Tabernacle looked like?
I suppose I should give up scouring the Internet for an ESV Anglicised Study Bible then :o(
Yes siree!
Some websites describe ISBN 9780007437665 as an Anglicized ESV Study Bible, but it has tiny print, is out of print, and apparently is wrongly described and not actually anglicized. I've been looking for actual British study Bibles. I've found ISBN 9780005128084, an out of print Good News Study Bible, which doesn't have all that many study notes; the Oxford Study Bible, which has the REB text with secular American notes, and is only available as a paperback; the New Jerusalem Bible with full notes (based on French notes), which doesn't describe itself as a study bible but pretty much is; and Nicholas King's translation which describes itself as a study bible but isn't so much - although it does have a lot of thoughtful commentary. Are there any others?
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