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The Lexham English Bible (LEB) was published by Logos Bible Software in 2012. It is solely electronic and available for free as part of the Logos software package, as a translation option on BibleGateway.com, or as a download in TXT, XML, EPUB, and other formats.
Lexham English Bible – Translation Method
The basis of the text of the Lexham English Bible is the Lexham Hebrew-English Interlinear Old Testament and the Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament. The LEB uses the “formal equivalence” method of translation, resulting in a quite literal rendering. Reviewers have gauged the Lexham English Bible as slightly more literal than the New American Standard. The publishers of the LEB have strived to be as transparent as possible in the translation process, providing interlinear versions that keep the Greek and Hebrew words in their original order as well as provide root words and define each word contextually and noncontextually. In this way, the whole process of translation can be observed. To make the literal text more readable, the LEB uses italics to identify English words that are inferred but not included in the original text and brackets for idiomatic expressions that are difficult to translate literally. The interlinear texts themselves were taken from the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (primarily taken from the Masoretic Text) and The Greek New Testament (SBL Edition) and the Nestle-Aland 27th Edition of the Greek New Testament. These source texts were supplemented with The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament and A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature.
Lexham English Bible – Pros and Cons
Probably the greatest strength of the Lexham English Bible is its literal rendering of the original text. The translators of the LEB have taken seriously their responsibility to relate to English readers what God has said. The availability of interlinear texts and the ease of seeing the process of translation is a great feature, especially for those interested in scholarly study of the text. The fact that the LEB is free to download is also a plus. As with other literal translations, the word-for-word emphasis makes the LEB a little clunky in spots. However, the LEB is designed to be used in conjunction with a reader’s favorite version. More than a supplemental study tool, the Lexham English Bible is a solid translation in itself.
Lexham English Bible – Sample Verses
John 1:1, 14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and took up residence among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 3:16 – “For in this way God loved the world, so that he gave his one and only Son, in order that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life.”
John 8:58 – “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am!’”
Ephesians 2:8–9 – “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.”
Titus 2:13 – “. . . looking forward to the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ . . .”
