You may or may not notice a change taking place here on this blog. I have started using the New King James Version (NKJV) translation as my primary translation for Bible quotes and links, replacing the English Standard Version (ESV). This is a reflection of the change I have made in my personal life, as well. Despite my church’s use of the ESV for preaching and teaching, I personally love the traditional, yet readable text of the NKJV.

Why?

There are numerous reasons I’ve been weighing for the last year or so, but here are the top five reasons for my decision…

1. I am not a fan of the “Yoda talk” in the ESV. Seriously, why did they structure those sentences that way?
2. I have recently become very fond of the manuscript tradition of the Textus Receptus (TR).
3. The NKJV keeps the disputed verses in the text, while making use of footnotes to explain those differences.
4. The ESV, since its release in 2001, has been and continues to be updated, lowering my confidence in its text. The NKJV has never been updated since its release in 1982!
5. The NKJV is a translation that both my wife and I love. So much so that she is switching, as well!

The Trifecta

I have a trifecta of favorite translations that I regularly use and only one uses the TR for its NT translation ⏤ the NKJV! So do not misunderstand my decision; I am not and never will be a TR-only guy. The other two are the NASB95 and, of course, the ESV. I will continue to use both for reference. And since my church uses the ESV, I couldn’t get away from it if I wanted.

So, even though the ESV has played a significant role in my Christian development for many years, these are the reasons for the change. Going forward, unless otherwise indicated, you will see quotes from and links to the NKJV in my posts. ☧