What’s the Standard?

Standard, as a noun usually carries the idea of something that is established by authority or general consent as a model or rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value, quality, etc.; as an adjective usually carries the idea of conforming to an accepted or established rule, well-established, accepted as normal.

I had never thought much about this, until I heard Peter Van Kleeck, Jr. mention it in interview with Jeff Riddle at Stylos blog. Though modern textual critics work overtime trying to convince us that the original text of scripture has not been preserved and that we therefore have no standard – Bible translators using their products “work overtime” trying to convince us they have created a standard. There are at least ten modern translations that include “Standard” in the name of their Bible.

• American Standard Version
• Christian Standard Bible
• English Standard Version
• Holman Christian Standard Bible
• International Standard Version
• Legacy Standard Bible
• Literal Standard Version
• New American Standard Bible
• New Revised Standard Version
• Revised Standard Version

Nevertheless and regardless of what people think of the King James Version translation of the Bible, it is the “English Standard” Bible. It has been around and in use for 410 years and is what every Bible aspires to be or desires to replace.