After almost a decade, the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Holy Bible is undergoing revisions that will take a year and a half to implement.
The ESV Translation Oversight Committee (TOC) announced that the reason for these changes is to improve accuracy and clarity.
These changes include 68-word edits in the text, as well as 57 footnotes and punctuation adjustments in 14 verses.
The biggest change most notably will be to Genesis 3:16. In 2016, the ESV verse translated the Hebrew preposition el as "contrary to," which meant the verse said, "Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you."
The new translation, which is actually reverting back to ESV's 2001 edition, will say, "Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."
The Revised Standard Version (RSV), New American Standard Bible (NASB) and New King James Version (NKJV) all have this verse translated the way ESV is changing it.
"The interpretive options can now be seen in the alternative renderings provided in the footnotes: 'Or to, or toward, or against,'" the TOC said. "The conjunction 'but' has been changed to 'and' in Genesis 3:16 and 4:7 so as not to impose a contrast that is not explicit in the Hebrew text."
Changes in Scripture aren't frequent, however, the TOC shares that they are open to revisions whenever new archaeological, linguistic or textual discoveries offer more clarity.
"We know that no Bible translation is perfect, but we also know that God uses imperfect and inadequate things to his honour and praise. So to our triune God and to his people, we offer what we have done, with our prayers that it may prove useful, with gratitude for much help given, and with ongoing wonder that our God should ever have entrusted to us so momentous a task. To God alone be the glory!"
For anyone interested in seeing the full list of revisions being done to the ESV, click here.