Easy-to-Read Version
Encyclopedia
The Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) is an English translation of the Bible
done by the World Bible Translation Center. It was originally published as the English Version for the Deaf (EVD) by BakerBooks.
Deaf readers sometimes struggle with reading English because sign language is their first language. The World Bible Translation Center (WBTC) decided to do a translation that would make reading the Bible easier for them. The EVD uses simpler vocabulary and shorter sentences to make it simpler to understand. Ervin Bishop did most of the translating for the WBTC. He used a thought-for-thought or functional equivalence method of translation.
The ERV uses 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. (The Septuagint is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures.) For the New Testament, the ERV uses the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament
(fourth revised edition, 1993) and Nestle-Aland Novum Testament Graece (twenty-seventh edition, 1993).
The ERV caused controversy in the Churches of Christ. (The WBTC is an outreach of the Churches of Christ.) Goebel Music wrote a book critiquing this translation titled Easy-to-Read Version: Easy to Read or Easy to Mislead? It criticized the ERV's method of translation, textual basis, and wording of certain passages.
In 2004, a major revision of the ERV was finished. It used broader vocabulary and greater use of gender-inclusive language. The EVD was left unchanged, so it and the ERV now have different texts. Both Bibles are available online from the WBTC's website.
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
done by the World Bible Translation Center. It was originally published as the English Version for the Deaf (EVD) by BakerBooks.
Deaf readers sometimes struggle with reading English because sign language is their first language. The World Bible Translation Center (WBTC) decided to do a translation that would make reading the Bible easier for them. The EVD uses simpler vocabulary and shorter sentences to make it simpler to understand. Ervin Bishop did most of the translating for the WBTC. He used a thought-for-thought or functional equivalence method of translation.
The ERV uses the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (1984) as its Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
text with some readings from the Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
. Also, it follows the Septuagint when its readings are considered more accurate. (The Septuagint is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures.) For the New Testament, the ERV uses the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
(fourth revised edition, 1993) and Nestle-Aland Novum Testament Graece (twenty-seventh edition, 1993).
The ERV caused controversy in the Churches of Christ. (The WBTC is an outreach of the Churches of Christ.) Goebel Music wrote a book critiquing this translation titled Easy-to-Read Version: Easy to Read or Easy to Mislead? It criticized the ERV's method of translation, textual basis, and wording of certain passages.
In 2004, a major revision of the ERV was finished. It used broader vocabulary and greater use of gender-inclusive language. The EVD was left unchanged, so it and the ERV now have different texts. Both Bibles are available online from the WBTC's website.