To Use Only Sustainable Bible Translations

Official Workbook overture source text

8-07 
To Use Only Sustainable Bible Translations 
WHEREAS, We accept without reservation that the Scriptures of 
the Old and the New Testament are “the written Word of God and 
the only rule and norm of faith and of practice” (Const. Art. II); and 
WHEREAS, Passages of Holy Scripture are used throughout the 
hymnals, catechisms, and other printed resources of the Synod: “All 
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for 
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in 
righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16 KJV); translations should be both 
consistent (for memorization and instruction) and faithful; and 
WHEREAS, As Luther writes in the Small Catechism Preface (9), 
“Choose, therefore, the form of words which best pleases you, and 
adhere to it perpetually” (H.E. Jacobs ed., Book of Concord, 
[Philadelphia: General Council, 1908], 360); and 
WHEREAS, Our printed resources must use accurate and 
consistent translations of Holy Scripture from the original biblical 
languages into the language of the people: “For I testify unto every 
man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man 
shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that 
are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the 
words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part 
out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things 
which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18–19 KJV); and 
W
HEREAS, The copyright for the English Standard Version 
(ESV) is not controlled by the Synod but is owned by Crossway, a 
pan-Reformed entity that does not subscribe to a Lutheran 
understanding of the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s 
Supper (see crossway.org/statement-of-faith); and 
WHEREAS, Crossway retains the right to change the text of the 
ESV and has done so on multiple occasions making hundreds of 
changes (see bible -researcher.com/esv2011changes.pdf), with the 
result that the prior versions are no longer licensed, similar to the 
situation that occurred when the 1984 New International Version of 
the Bible (at one time, a primary translation used by the Synod) was 
withdrawn by its copyright owners, for
cing the Synod to change 
translations after only 25 years; and 
WHEREAS, This creates an untenable situation with respect to 
printed materials of the Synod, because although Concordia 
Publishing House (CPH) asserts that it has the right to use the prior 
translation to reprint existing materials, Crossway is not obligated 
to a llow CPH to issue newly published written resources of the 
Synod that use the original versions of the ESV and moreover, if 
one buys a non-CPH ESV Bible today, it will differ from what CPH 
produces; and 
W
HEREAS, Contemporary or political considerations should not 
impact the faithful translation of God’s Word, yet the ESV has 
chosen to replace the word “slave” in its original translation with 
the word “bondservant” in many verses because, according to the 
ESV editors, “the word ‘slave’ currently carries associations with 
the often brutal and dehumanizing institution of slavery particularly 
in nineteenth-century America” ( esv.org/preface
) as though we 
2026 Convention Workbook
440 FINANCE