Best ESV Commentaries (with Reviews)

The English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible has become a favorite translation for many bible readers since Crossway first introduced the “essentially literal” translation in 2001. As the use of the ESV has increased, so have reference tools, like Bible commentaries, that employ the translation.

Pastors who preach from the ESV, teachers who teach from the ESV, and readers who study using the ESV, have found these resources very helpful.

Series	Notes	Browse
The Gospel According to the Old Testament	Reformed perspective; for anyone	Amazon
Lectio Continua Expository Commentaries	Reformed perspective; expositional approach	Amazon
Preaching the Word	Revised versions (white covers) use the ESV	Amazon
Reformed Expository Commentaries	Reformed perspective; expositional approach	Amazon
John Walvoord Prophecy Commentaries	Evangelical, conservative, dispensational	Amazon

Revised Standard Version (RSV) Commentaries

The ESV translation, though based on the original languages of the bible, is a revision of the Revised Standard Version (RSV) translation of the bible.

Crossway got permission from the National Council of Churches, who owned the rights, to use the RSV.

In the original edition of the ESV, which has since been revised, about 6% of the RSV was revised, updated, or edited in some fashion.

This means that the RSV and ESV translations still have a lot in common.

Below is a list of commentary series based on the RSV translation.

Series	Notes	Browse
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture	quotes, insights from the early church fathers	Amazon
International Theological Commentaries	moderately critical perspective	Amazon
Interpretation	moderately critical, theological focus	Amazon
New Century Commentaries	broadly evangelical	Amazon
Old and New Testament Library	some volumes critical, some evangelical	Amazon

Revisions to the ESV

Since its initial publication, the ESV has undergone some minor revisions:

• In 2007, the ESV underwent a 500-word revision, and the publisher did not identify the updated text as a revised edition. The changes included grammar, consistency, and clarity. A noteworthy change was found in Isaiah 53:5, where the phrase “wounded for our transgressions” was changed to “pierced for our transgressions.”

• In 2011, another edition was issued, in which 275 verses were revised. Crossway said the intention of the changes was to correct grammar, improve consistency or increase precision in meaning.

• In 2016, Crossway announced the “ESV Permanent Text Edition,” with 52 word changes in 29 verses. Presently, they will only consider “minimal and infrequent” updates to reflect “textual discoveries or changes in English over time.”

ESV Study Bibles

Study bibles are a great resource for readers to get introduced to the history, theology, literature, and application of the bible.

There are great study bibles that use the English Standard Version translation. Below is a list of many of the best editions.

Title	Notes	Browse
ESV Archaeology Study Bible	notes written by field-trained archaeologists	Amazon
ESV Study Bible	20,000 notes; endorsed by John Piper	Amazon
ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible	showing how Christian doctrine arises the Bible	Amazon
Fire Bible	helps Pentecostal pastors and lay leaders	Amazon
The Lutheran Study Bible	Lutheran perspectives and lectionary	Amazon
The New Inductive Study Bible	32-page explanation of the inductive study method	Amazon
Reformation Study Bible	team of 75 pastors and theologians led by R.C. Sproul	Amazon
The Ryrie Study Bible	premillennial perspective	Amazon
Thompson Chain-Reference	“self-contained library” of bible study tools	Amazon

Also see:

Study Bible Comparison Chart

Best Bible Commentary Series

Reference Bible vs. Study Bibles