The Standard Version of the New Testament, 2025 edition, aims to be a highly accurate and very literal translation, while at the same time maintaining a high standard for how the text is presented in the English language. For a video introduction to the SV, to download the complete SV New Testament in PDF format, and for more resources, please go to https://TheStandardVersion.org. FROM THE PREFACE It is a remarkable fact that in this entire universe, there is only one thing that never changes, and that is the word of God (1 Peter 1:24-25). But while the word of God itself does not change, the translation of that word as it is found in the Bible must change from time to time to meet the present need.... THE BASIS OF A SATISFACTORY TRANSLATION On this one will I look: On him who is poor And of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. — Isaiah 66:2 This word, spoken in Old Testament times through the prophet Isaiah, applies to all who today would serve the Lord in the work of translating the holy Scriptures. That is, the first requirement for producing an adequate translation of God’s word is that we must be those who “tremble at His word.” No translation will ever be perfect, but still we must fear that we would obscure any of the meaning of the original text, and do our utmost to faithfully convey that meaning into our own language. Woe unto him who adds to or takes away from the word of God! (Rev. 22:18-19). Letting the Bible Speak for Itself One of the most remarkable characteristics of the Bible is that, while it was completed almost 2,000 years ago in the context of what we would now speak of as an ancient civilization, it is nonetheless able to transcend that time and culture and speak in a living way to people in every time and culture. Indeed, this is one of the great proofs of its divine authorship. And yet, the Bible is still a product of the culture it transcends. That is, even as it transcends the culture in which it was written, it retains some of the marks of that culture. It is an ancient book, written in a paternalistic society, and if we attempt to efface such characteristics in our translation we will in fact be erasing some of the basic characteristics of the Bible, at least in terms of its style. Thus, we did not attempt, in the Standard Version, to translate the New Testament into a simpler, more common, colloquial style of English, just to fit the modern reader…. So, to provide a version that meets the need of our time, we believe the basic requirement is to be faithful to the text, even if that demands more of the reader. In brief, an acceptable translation of the Bible allows the Scripture to speak for itself. The Basic Need ….The basic need of the English translator of the Bible today is to have a proper fear before the Lord concerning His word; a basic spiritual comprehension of the Scriptures; and a proper facility in the English language. These are the building blocks that will support a translation of the Bible into English that is of the highest standard. It is the goal of this version to meet that standard, so that God’s people, and indeed all those in the English-speaking world, may have access to His word again in the best possible way. Whether we have accomplished this goal we leave to all our brothers and sisters in Christ, and ultimately to the Lord Himself, to judge.