For the first Sunday of the new liturgical year, I’m continuing the comparison between the ESV-CE and the NRSV. Today, I’ve chosen the first reading from Isaiah.

Sunday, November 29th, 2020 — First Sunday of Advent (Year B)
First Reading: Isaiah 63:16b-17, 64:1, 3-8
(The verse numbering above applies to both the ESV-CE and NRSV. The NABRE numbering is slightly different)

ESV-CE:

You, O LORD, are our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is your name.
O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways
and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down
that the mountains might quake at your presence
When you did awesome things that we did not look for
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence
From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
We have all become like one who is unclean
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
But now, O LORD, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter
we are all the work of your hand.

NRSV:

You, O LORD, are our Father;
our Redeemer from of old is your name.
Why, O LORD, do you make us stray from your ways
and harden our heart, so that we do not fear you?
Turn back for the sake of your servants,
for the sake of the tribes that are your heritage.
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the mountains would quake at your presence
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
because you hid yourself we transgressed.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls on your name,
or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

5 thoughts on “ESV-CE vs. NRSV: 1st Sunday of Advent”

  1. > Hope some publisher makes a leather large print Esvce.

    Anthony – me too! Not giant print, just large – 10 to 12 point font works for me. The ESV Thinline Large Print works for me. I think it’s 10 point. I wouldn’t want it any smaller but that works.

    My NCB Bible’s 14 font is HUUUGE! That’s too big for me.

    1. NCB is too huge. Hopefully spck’s 9.5pt release should be extremely readable. Only drawback, no leather release.

    2. Steve,

      I agree and wish Catholic Book Publishing Corp. would release the NCB in a medium edition like the NABRE one. The bible is a brick! It’s ridiculously big. It’s too bad the giant print edition is the ONLY edition because it’s actually a good translation with very good notes.

  2. I know this is a bit off-topic since it isn’t a Catholic Bible, but I thought some of you might like to know that the New American Standard Bible (NASB) has recently published a major update, the first since 1995.

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