I stumbled upon some interesting information recently I thought I would share with you about an easy-to-read version of the Bible. Are you as over-whelmed as I am when you see all of the different English translations today? You wonder which ones are accurate, which ones have been translated by scholarly, reliable people, and why are there so many different versions available.
For me this is especially true since there are so many translations which profess to be versions that are easier to read. Let’s face it, most modern versions are easier to read than the King James Version simply because its English dates back to the 1600s. Shakespeare is not easy for me to read, either.
Easy-to-Read Version
One of those newer versions is called the “Easy-to-Read Version of the Bible (ERV).” It is a Bible translated by the Bible League International. Their ministry is to take the message of the gospel into some of the poorest and smallest villages in the world. They have translated the Bible into some of the simplest vocabularies available.
It fascinated me to learn their scholars used the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (1984) as its Old Testament text with some readings from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Also, it follows the Septuagint when its readings are considered more accurate. For the New Testament, the ERV uses the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament (4th revised edition, 1993) and Nestle-Aland Novum Testament Graece (27th edition, 1993). These are the same texts that I used in my Hebrew and Greek classes at the Seminary.
It amazed me even more to learn that the English version of the ERV is only one of 24 languages into which they have developed Bibles, including Arabic, Mandarin, Croatian, Thai and Vietnamese. Their translation teams have also completed New Testaments in 9 additional languages.
The Bible League International has four initiatives in their ministry. They provide Bible studies in native languages for the purpose of evangelism and discipleship. They teach people to read and write using Biblical based texts. They provide training and support for church planters and missions. Finally, they are involved in translating the Bible into easy-to-understand translations.
The ERV accurately expresses the meaning of the original text. While the Bibles are excellent for children, they are also exceptional at taking the gospel to poorer, less educated people. Written at a third-grade vocabulary, respected scholars say these translations are some of the easiest English – and other language – translations ever published.
The Bible League International has a podcast called The Word in Action which shares stories from around the world where they have taken the message of the Bible to under-resourced areas. You can subscribe through Spotify or wherever you receive your podcasts.