Spread the Word: Outreach New Testament
The Bible translation Brett and I use for our daily reading and study is the English Standard Version (ESV) by Crossway and are very excited about their new product [Update: Coming out October 1st], the Outreach New Testament, and its implications for evangelism.
From the Spread the Word project website:
HT: Justin Taylor
Our vision is bold—we want everyone to have God’s Word.
Everyone in your family. All of your friends and co-workers. Everyone who comes in contact with your church. Everyone in your community. Everyone.
Our passion is to spread God’s Word around the world and to see whole communities affected by the life-changing gospel that is so clearly communicated in it.
That’s why we created the ESV Outreach New Testament that you can purchase and give away for only $.50 a copy!
This limited-time offer is only available through Christian bookstores in the U.S. Find a Christian bookstore in your area.
This full-size New Testament includes features to help newcomers read and understand it better:
- What the New Testament Is All About
- Introductions to each New Testament book.
- How to Read the New Testament: A basic guide for getting started.
- Where to Find Help When You Are… Leads you to the Bible’s answers to your needs.
- What the New Testament Says About… A guide to key Bible verses and words.
- Getting Started - A Thirty-Day Reading Plan: A perfect way for newcomers to dig in.
- Six-Month New Testament Reading Plan: Ideal for readers who want to get serious.
- God’s Plan to Save You: The plan of salvation, clearly outlined from New Testament verses.
- The ESV’s accurate, readable, and beautiful text is ideal for all readers who receive it.
Imagine the people you can reach with this beautiful and meaningful gift. For the cost of a cup of gourmet coffee, you can give copies to six or eight people who need God’s Word. The impact in their lives will be eternal.
Think creatively about how you might be able to distribute dozens or even hundreds of copies of the ESV Outreach New Testament… [A]nd make a difference in people’s lives for eternity.
Together we can spread the Word!—God’s Word—to people who need it.
This is an incredible opportunity for us as rebelutionaries to share the gospel with our family, friends, neighbors, classmates, co-workers, acquaintances, and even people we don’t know.
Brett and I encourage all of you to join us in spreading the word about this offer and, more importantly, to join us by spreading God’s Word to the people around you who don’t yet know Him.
It will be hard. It’s going to require you to step out of your comfort zone. But that’s what we’re called to as Christians and as rebelutionaries.
Sharing the gospel is our ultimate and most important hard thing.
September 1st, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Thank you for the annoucement. This is a really good deal!
September 1st, 2006 at 11:18 pm
I really appreciate Crossway doing this, and I think it’s a great deal, but I can’t help but feel strange about giving those I love a copy of just the New Testament. Yes, it’s the Word of God, but it’s not the entire Word of God, and I almost feel like I might be giving the impression that it’s a better, or at least more important, portion of the Word of God, which it certainly is not. I am not at all questioning the beliefs of Crossway or those involved with this ESV project, but I just do not want to give the impression that only the New Testament is what really matters for Christians.
September 2nd, 2006 at 12:12 am
Just a question, Why ESV, I have never seen one. My family uses NKJV. What is the difference?
September 2nd, 2006 at 5:30 am
Sirs,
How do you intend ‘Spreading the Word’ with a version of the English Bible that has more errors in it than The KJV?
The KJV is bad enough, so how do you explain your compounding of the problem with the ESV?
y2t
September 2nd, 2006 at 7:39 am
Just out of curiosity, y2t, if you don’t recommend the ESV or KJV, because of their “errors”, then what do you support? Only the original Hebrew and Greek texts? I’m just curious, because I come from a stringently only-KJV background, but will read the ESV taken as paraphrase and for studying, and I don’t look at the KJV as many do, “the perfectly infallible” - no, that is the original texts - but I do think that it is the most accurate translation that we have available. So… call me curious… what do you stand by?
September 2nd, 2006 at 8:54 am
It is good to have the Word of God easily available for outreach. But is the ESV a suitable version for such a wide audience of non-believers? See my post on this at the Better Bibles Blog.
September 2nd, 2006 at 10:24 am
Wow, what a neat idea! However, as Michael said, I would hesitate to give out a copy of just the NT. Do you know if there are any plans to offer the whole Bible for $1.50?
To those who are criticizing the ESV, I was brought up on the KJV alone, but recently purchased the ESV on the recommendation of the Harrises and my old babysitter. So far, I have been very pleased with it. I bring my ESV and KJV Bibles to church, but usually use the ESV during my pastor’s sermons, even though he uses the KJV. My pastor is fluent in both Greek and Hebrew and has studied both the NT and OT extensively, even memorizing most of the OT and all of the NT. Often during his sermons, my pastor will re-translate the text to give a more literal translation than what the KJV provides. A few weeks ago I was very pleasantly surprised when my pastor’s re-translation was almost exactly the same as what my ESV said! So, as far as I am concerned, that passage (Phillipians 1:27-30) at least is more accurate in the ESV than it is in the KJV.
Oh, and BTW, the ESV is actually a word-for-word translation, NOT a paraphrase. From the preface:
“The ESV is an “essentially literal” translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. As such, its emphasis is on “word-for-word” correspondence, at the same time taking into account differences of grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages. Thus it seeks to be transparent to the text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original.”
Sorry for the exceedingly long comment, guys!
September 2nd, 2006 at 10:54 am
Michael B and Adrielle: I definitely understand and appreciate your concerns. God\’s Word is clear that \”all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness\” (2 Timothy 3:16).
However, as a preliminary evangelism tool, the New Testament is the place to start. That is where the gospel is laid out. We could just as easily say that placing John 3:16 or another individual verse on a shirt or sign is raising that part of Scripture above the rest. The truth is that some verses and portions of Scripture present the gospel more clearly and, for the purpose of evangelism, that is the place we start. Not finish, but start. Does that make sense?
At the same time, complete Bibles are available at most dollar stores for only $1. The important thing is not that you use the ESV Outreach New Testament, but that you are sharing the gospel.
September 2nd, 2006 at 11:07 am
CountryGoalie / Hannah Elise,
I have made the statement the way I have, so that I cannot be falsely accused of being KJV onlyist, even though I seldom refer to modern translations. If any other modern translation had been mentioned I would have said the same thing. The ESV is not alone in its blasphemous wretchedness.
With the guidance of Jesus Christ through The Holy Spirit, I use the KJV with the support of Greek and Hebrew interlinear Bibles, Strong’s Concordance, Vines Dictionary and sometimes Adam Clarkes’ Commentary. The only other translation I use is The Amplified.
What I would recommend to all of you is Dr Ken Matto’s web site and Yahoo Group and he will send you a verse of Scripture each week, via e-mail, showing in graphic detail the wicked omissions in ALL the modern translations as compared with The KJV.
The KJV is not perfect because of Roman Catholic contaminations via the Vulgate translation, which the early English translators failed to rectify and purge from its pages, and that is why I refer to the Hebrew and Greek to discover The Truth.
I hope this explains fully my position on this most serious subject.
y2t
September 2nd, 2006 at 11:43 am
I appreciate the concerns of everyone who has commented thus far. However, the purpose of the post was to spark excitement for evangelism, not to spark debate over Bible translations.
It is without a doubt that all translations contain errors in accuracy and/or readability (whether too much or too little). It is right for us to pursue greater fidelity to the original texts. But in all of this we must not forget that we serve a sovereign God and that His Word (which He has promised will not return empty) is bigger than the errors of man. Further, although it is my hope to learn Hebrew and Greek to assist me in my study of Scripture, God does not require that we learn Hebrew and Greek in order to know His Truth. To say otherwise smacks of gnosticism. [Edit: Thanks, Nathan =P]
Further debate may be taken elsewhere, but it is done here. Let us not distract and discourage the good work of the gospel with foolish and unprofitable disputes (see Titus 3:8-10).
September 2nd, 2006 at 1:27 pm
Edited by Siteowner: Y2T, we appreciate your passion for rightly understanding the Word of God, despite our strong disagreement with many of your conclusions. However, as was said above, the discussion is done here. You would do better to take up such discussions with men who advocate the ESV translation and who are more studied in this area, such as John Piper, Wayne Grudem, and Al Mohler, to name a few. Thank you for understanding.
September 2nd, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Alex, you have some good thoughts. This gets me excited about evangelism for sure, and Crossway’s efforts to spread the New Testament are very honorable. I realize that it would be my resposibility to follow up with those to whom I am sharing the gospel and help them to understand that the New Testament is only a part of God’s Word, along with taking them through the gospel by showing them God’s Word. I truly thank God for Crossway and Christian publishers like them for the work they do, and that they have the vision to look far beyond the bottom line. The ESV is an excellent translation backed by an excellent publisher, and I’m extremely thankful for both.
September 2nd, 2006 at 7:55 pm
1. The idea does work. My family gave forty or fifty one-year Bibles to neighbors and friends for one Christmas. The edition is called “Seasons of Reflection” (NIV). Some later said they were reading it, who we didn’t think would. Only two neighbors returned the Bibles the next morning while we were at church, one with a three-page letter reproaching us for thinking we had the only way … but God has since opened other doors of friendship with them. We ourselves have been reading “Seasons of Reflection” for family bible time for about six years now. The online version is found at http://www.ibs.org/bibles/dailyreading/index.php
2. I read a similar verse about foolish disputes in 1 Timothy 1 this week. It contrasts faith and a clear conscience, which promote love, with disputes about the law, which promote controversy and pride. When Paul lists the right purpose of the law in 1 Tim. 1:8-11, he shows the law is to convict the guilty (me), shutting every mouth (Rom. 3:19), and point up the mercy in the gospel as the only way of justification, so that we speak from faith for others’ benefit (2 Cor. 4:13).
3. Alex, the word is “gnosticism”. I’m thankful that you didn’t translate my Bible.
September 2nd, 2006 at 8:33 pm
This is inspiring!
I have been a KJV-only girl for some time but purchased an ESV Bible a few months ago after researching its development and translation a little. I still read both. Regardless of what version we use, however, sharing the Scriptures freely and joyfully with a view to others knowing of God’s plan for the redemption of men to Himself, has got to be a good thing. Does God consider one version to be the “perfect” version? This is a hard question to answer. An important thing to remember is something Jesus once said to his disciples, when they complained that some men were preaching the gospel, yet had not walked with and followed Jesus as they did. Jesus basically said, “What does it matter as long as they are preaching the gospel?”
I hope the outreach New Testaments make their way to Australia
.
September 2nd, 2006 at 8:59 pm
Nathan: Thanks for the insights and the correction. Consider me thoroughly embarrased. =P
September 2nd, 2006 at 10:20 pm
Alex,
I am not against using different kinds of Bibles,, my family has many version, we just don’t have ESV and we use the NKJV together, because each of us have one. I was just curious what the difference was. I hope I didn’t sound like I was questioning your choice of Bible.
Well, it’s late, I am just checking in since I just finished watching Henry the V on PBS here. I am gonna be tired for church tomorrow. Good Night!
September 2nd, 2006 at 11:21 pm
Erin: Don’t worry, I wasn’t addressing you in my comments. I have many dear friends who still use the NKJV, even though many people in our church have switched to the ESV over the last few years.
I hope your original question has been answered a bit by the comments that have followed. God bless you!
September 21st, 2006 at 4:57 pm
Do ya’ll know how long this offer lasts? I know it’s almost a month after this was posted but still I… I work in a Christan bookstore in Katy, (just west of Houston) TX. We sell ESV but we havn’t heard about this (if we had I would have bought them all by now =)). If you know it would be a great help…
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:26 am
Hey shopgirl, actually the Spread the Word website now says that the offer won’t be starting until October 1st. So they’ll be out in a week and a half. =)
September 25th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
hmmm I see I should’ve left my other comment here.
please read my comment in your book list thingy and reply.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:44 pm
Alex: When you say your friend is still using the NKJ you make it sound like a “oh yeah still using that old thing”
I’ll put it straight to you.
I don’t like the newer versions of the Bible( not even the NKJ AV 1611 for me) because they take out important verses and leave or replace words(people ignore this). Anyone that has a bone to pick with the Bible will say the bible is full of errors no matter what.
Why should we keep buying newer versoins everytime one comes out?
What is better about the newer ones?
I know I may sound like a block-headed girl
please answer my qeustions.
September 27th, 2006 at 10:42 pm
Becky: I’m very sorry if it came across negatively. I didn’t mean it that way at all. Actually, the ESV was translated in the tradition of the 1611 KJV (which is actually different from the NKJV, which Erin and I were discussing) and is very similar to it. For example, if you compare Psalm 23 between the two translations, the only difference is that “maketh,” “restoreth,” and “thou” are “makes,” “restores,” and “you.” =D
So it’s not about buying “newer” translations. And you’re right, it shouldn’t ever be. I just believe the ESV is more accurate and faithful to the original text. And in this case, it is available in a way that encourages and facilitates the spreading of the gospel. That’s why we’re excited about this offer. =)
Thanks for the questions!
October 2nd, 2006 at 3:59 pm
Alex: I have yet another qeustion ( I know you’e sighing at this time)
In the ESV does it ever say verses are missing or lost?
So I like the older better, it’s like when people say the bible is a love letter from God it makes me think of old peoms and how they say “thee” and “thou”.
I’m glad you guys are excited about serving God, isn’t great to be doing something for him since he did everything for us?!