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”(Constitution Article II 1); 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); 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 he are th 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 oflife, and outof the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18–19 KJV); and

WHEREAS, Concordia Publishing House (CPH) and the Synod currently use the English Standard Version (ESV) translation of the Bible for most purposes; and

WHEREAS, The copyright for the 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 (Crossway, www.cross way.org/statement-of-faith/, accessed Feb. 28, 2023); and

WHEREAS, Crossway retains the right to change the text of the ESV and has done so on multiple occasions making hundreds of changes (Crossway, “Word Changes in the ESV Bible Text – 2011”, Bible Researcher, Feb. 28, 2023, www.bible- researcher.com/esv2011changes.pdf), with the result that the prior versions are no longer licensed, similar to the situation that occurred when the New International Version (1984) of the Bible—at one time, a primary translation used by the Synod—was withdrawn by its copyright owners; and

WHEREAS, This creates an untenable situation with respect to printed materials of the Synod, because it allows a third party— Crossway—to forcibly change the content of written resources of the Synod by withdrawing the copyright to the prior versions of ESV, unless Synod can persuade Crossway to allow Synod to use alternate wording at Crossway’s sole discretion; and

WHEREAS, 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 “bond servant” 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” as though we should be ashamed to be called “a slave of Christ” (1 Cor. 7:22 ESV [pre-2011]); and

WHEREAS, Such continuing changes in translation create a sort of “plastic text” which hinders the common ali ty of text necessary for memorization and undermines confidence in the translation as a whole; therefore be it

Resolved, That in order for the Synod to discern for itself the preferred translation of Holy Scripture, the Synod in convention direct the Synod, CPH, and agencies of Synod to use, for Scripture quotations in their printed materials for public worship and teaching, only sustainable translations of Holy Scripture, meaning translations that either are in the public domain, or have a copyright license that allows Synod, in its sole discretion, to continue to use and republish such translation without being subject to the veto power or permissive rights of any outside body.