Christian Standard Bible Text Revisions

January 2020

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that pursues both linguistic precision to the original languages and

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of being open to make changes when necessary. Based on review by our

Translation Oversight Committee and feedback from scholars, pastors, and

readers, we have tweaked certain passages to hone the CSB’s accuracy and

readability, as well as its consistency in grammar, style, and punctuation.

The improvements to the CSB total less than 1% change of the text. The

adjustments within the CSB Text Edition: 2020 are neither radical nor

extensive because the translation committee is happy with the work

previously carried out. Further, they do not intend to regularly update

the text with minor changes such as this. In an effort to serve our readers, we are pleased to provide this full list of 2020 CSB Translation Improvements. You can also view an abbreviated Overview of 2020 Improvements as well as a detailed explanation of the translation of mercy seat.

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Gn 1:21

So God created the large sea-creatures

<<footnote: Or created sea monsters>> and

every living creature that moves and swarms

in the water, according to their kinds. He also

created every winged creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

So God created the large sea-creatures

<<footnote deleted>> and every living

creature that moves and swarms in the water,

according to their kinds. He also created every

winged creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Gn 1:26

Then God said, “Let us make man in our

image, according to our likeness. They will

rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky,

the livestock, the whole earth, <<footnote:

Syr reads sky, and over every animal of

the land>> and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”

Then God said, “Let us make man in our

image, according to our likeness. They will

rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky,

the livestock, the whole earth,<footnote

deleted>> and the creatures that crawl on

the earth.”

Gn 1:27 Gn 1:28 Gn 2:3

So God created man in his own image;

he created him in<<footnote: Or man as

his own image; he created him as>> the

image of God;
So God created man in his own image;

he created him in<<footnote deleted>> the

image of God; he created them male and female. he created them male and female.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be

fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.

Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky,

and every creature that crawls <<footnote:

Orand all scurrying animals>> on the earth.”

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be

fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.

Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky,

and every creature that crawls<<footnote

deleted>> on the earth.”

God blessed the seventh day and declared

it holy, for on it he rested from all his work

of creation. <<footnote: Lit work that God

created to make>>

God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of

creation. <<footnote deleted>>

Gn 3:4 Gn 3:5

“No! You will not die,” the serpent said to

“No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent

• the woman.
• said to the woman.

“In fact, God knows that when you eat it your

eyes will be opened and you will be like God,

<<footnote: Or gods, or divine beings>>

knowing good and evil.”

“In fact, God knows that when you eat it

your eyes will be opened and you will be like

God,<<footnote deleted>> knowing good

and evil.”

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Gn 3:13

So the LORD God asked the woman, “What is

this you have done?”

So the LORD God asked the woman, “What

have you done?”

Gn 3:15

I will put hostility between you and the

woman,

I will put hostility between you and the

woman,

and betweenyour offspring and her offspring.

He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

and between your offspring and her

offspring.<<footnote added: Lit your seed

and her seed>>

He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

Gn 4:5 Gn 4:6 Gn 4:15

but he did not have regard for Cain and his

offering. Cain was furious, and he looked

despondent. <<footnote: Lit and his face

fell>>

but he did not have regard for Cain and his

offering. Cain was furious, and he looked

despondent. <<footnote deleted>>

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look

despondent?”<<footnote: why has your

face fallen>>

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you

furious? And why do you look despondent?

<<footnote deleted>>

Then the LORD replied to him, “In that case,

whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance

seven times over.””<footnote: Or suffer

severely>> And he placed a mark on Cain

so that whoever found him would not kill him.

Then the LORD replied to him, “In that case,

whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance

seven times over.” <<footnote deleted>>

And he placed a mark on Cain so that whoever

found him would not kill him.

Gn 4:20 Gn 4:21 Gn 4:25

Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the

nomadic herdsmen. <<footnote: Lit the

dweller of tent and livestock>>

Adah bore Jabal; he was the first <<footnote

added: Lit father>> of the nomadic

herdsmen. <<footnote deleted>>

His brother was named Jubal; he was the

father of all who play the lyre and the flute.

His brother was named Jubal; he was the first

<<footnote added: Lit father>>of all who

play the lyre and the flute.
Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,

for she said, “God has given me another child

in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.“
Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,

for she said, “God has given me another

offspring in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.“

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Gn 6:2

the sons of God saw that the daughters of

mankind were beautiful, and they took

any they chose as wives <<footnote: Or

women>> for themselves.

the sons of God saw that the daughters of

mankind were beautiful, and they took any

they chose as wives <<footnote deleted>>

for themselves.

Gn 6:6 Gn 7:8

the LORD regretted that he had made man

on the earth, and he was deeply grieved.

<<footnote: Lit was grieved to his heart>>

the LORD regretted that he had made man

on the earth, and he was deeply grieved.

<<footnote deleted>>

“From the clean animals, unclean animals,

birds, and every creature that crawls on the ground,”

“From the animals that are clean, and from

the animals that are not clean, and from

the birds and every creature that crawls on the ground,”

Gn 7:21

Every creature perished — those that crawl

on the earth, birds, livestock, wildlife, and

those that swarm <<footnote: Lit all the

swarming swarms>> on the earth, as well

as all mankind.
Every creature perished — those that crawl

on the earth, birds, livestock, wildlife, and

those that swarm <<footnote deleted>> on

the earth, as well as all mankind.

Gn 8:1

God remembered Noah, as well as all the

wildlife and all the livestock that were with

himintheark.Godcausedawind<<footnote:

Or spirit>> to pass over the earth, and the

water began to subside.

God remembered Noah, as well as all the

wildlife and all the livestock that were with

him in the ark. God caused a wind <<footnote

deleted>> to pass over the earth, and the

water began to subside.

Gn 8:13

In the six hundred and first year, in the first

month, on the first day of the month, the water

that had covered the earth was dried up. Then

Noah removed the ark’s cover and saw that the surface of the ground was drying.

In the six hundred first year, in the first

month, on the first day of the month, the

water that had covered the earth was dried up. Then Noah removed the ark’s cover and

saw that the surface of the ground was drying.

Gn 8:17

“Bring out all the living creatures <<footnote:

Lit creatures of all flesh>>that are with you

— birds, livestock, those that crawl on the

earth — and they will spread over the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”

“Bring out all the living creatures <<footnote

deleted>> that are with you — birds,

livestock, those that crawl on the earth —

and they will spread over the earth and be

fruitful and multiply on the earth.”

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Gn 9:2

“The fear and terror of you will be in every

living creature on the earth, every bird of the

sky, every creature that crawls on the ground,

and all the fish of the sea. They are placed

under your authority. <<footnote: Lit are

given in your hand>>

“The fear and terror of you will be in every

living creature on the earth, every bird of the

sky, every creature that crawls on the ground,

and all the fish of the sea. They are placed

under your authority. <<footnote deleted>>

Gn 9:5

“And I will require a penalty for your lifeblood;

I will require it from any animal and from any

human; if someone murders a fellow human,

I will require that person’s life. <<footnote:

“Lit any human; from the hand of a man his

brother I will seek the life of the human.>>

“And I will require a penalty for your lifeblood;

I will require it from any animal and from any

human; if someone murders a fellow human,

I will require that person’s life. <<footnote

deleted>>

Gn 9:15 Gn 9:16

“Iwillremembermycovenantbetweenmeand

you and all the living creatures:<<footnote:

Lit and creatures of all flesh>> water will

never again become a flood to destroy every creature.

“I will remember my covenant between me and you and all the living creatures:

<<footnote deleted>>water will never again

become a flood to destroy every creature.

“The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look

at it and remember the permanent covenant

between God and all the living creatures

<<footnote: Lit creatures of all flesh>> on

earth.”

“The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look

at it and remember the permanent covenant

between God and all the living creatures

<<footnote deleted>> on earth.”

Gn 10:4 Gn 11:1 Gn 11:2

And Javan’s sons: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim,

and Dodanim. <<footnote: Some Hb mss,

Sam, LXX read Rodanim; 1Ch 1:7>>

And Javan’s sons: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim,

and Dodanim. <<footnote revised: Some

Hb mss, LXX read Rodanim; 1Ch 1:7>>

The whole earth had the same language and

vocabulary. <<footnote: Lit one lip and the

same words>>

The whole earth had the same language and

vocabulary. <<footnote deleted>>
As people <<footnote: Lit they>> migrated

from the east, they found a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.

As people <<footnote deleted>> migrated

from the east, they found a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.

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Gn 11:3

They said to each other, “Come, let us make

oven-fired bricks.” (They used brick for stone

and asphalt for mortar.)
They said to each other, “Come, let’s make

oven-fired bricks.” (They used brick for stone

and asphalt for mortar.)

Gn 11:4

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let

us make a name for ourselves; otherwise,

we will be scattered throughout the earth.”

And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a

city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let’s

make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we

will be scattered throughout the earth.”

Gn 12:1 Gn 12:3

The LORD said to Abram: Go out from your

land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
The LORD said to Abram: Go from your land,

your relatives, and your father’s house to the

land that I will show you.
I will bless those who bless you,

I will curse anyone who treats you with

contempt,
I will bless those who bless you,

I will curse anyone who treats you with

contempt,

and all the peoples <<footnote: Lit clans>>

on earth

and all the peoples <<footnote deleted>>

on earth

• will be blessed through you.
• will be blessed through you.

Gn 12:5

He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all

the possessions they had accumulated, and the people they had acquired in Haran, and

they set out for the land of Canaan. When

they came to the land of Canaan,

He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, all

the possessions they had accumulated, and the people they had acquired in Haran, and

they set out for the land of Canaan. When

they came to the land of Canaan,

Gn 12:7

The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To

your offspring I will give this land.” So he built

an altar there to the LORD who had appeared

to him.

The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To

your offspring <<footnote added:Litseed>>

I will give this land.” So he built an altar there

to the LORD who had appeared to him.

Gn 12:11 Gn 12:17

When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to

his wife Sarai, “Look, I know what a beautiful

woman you are.

When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to

his wife, Sarai, “Look, I know what a beautiful

woman you are.

But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his

household with severe plagues because of

Abram’s wife Sarai.

But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his

household with severe plagues because of

Abram’s wife, Sarai.

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Gn 13:8

So Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we

are relatives. <<footnote: Lit brothers>>

So Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we

are relatives.<<footnote deleted>>

Gn 13:10

Lot looked out and saw that the entire plain of

the Jordan as far as <<footnote: Lit Jordan

as you go to>> Zoar was well watered

everywhere like the LORD’s garden and the

land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD

destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
Lot looked out and saw that the entire plain

of the Jordan as far as <<footnote deleted>>

Zoar was well watered everywhere like the

LORD’s garden and the land of Egypt. (This

was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and

Gomorrah.)

Gn 13:15 Gn 14:13

“for I will give you and your offspring forever

all the land that you see.

“for I will give you and your offspring

<<footnote added: Lit seed>> forever all

the land that you see.

One of the survivors came and told Abram the

Hebrew, who lived near the oaks belonging

to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol

and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a

treaty with <<footnote: Lit were possessors

of a covenant of>> Abram.

One of the survivors came and told Abram the

Hebrew, who lived near the oaks belonging

to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol

and the brother of Aner. They were bound by

a treaty with <<footnote deleted>> Abram.

Gn 14:24

“I will take nothing <<footnote: Lit nothing

to me>> except what the servants have eaten.

But as for the share of the men who came with

me — Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre — they can take their share.”

“I will take nothing <<footnote deleted>>

except what the servants have eaten. But as for the share of the men who came with me

— Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre — they can take

their share.”

Gn 15:15 Gn 16:1

• But you will go to your fathers in peace and
• But you will go to your ancestors in peace

• be buried at a good old age.
• and be buried at a good old age.

Abram’s wife Sarai had not borne any children

for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave

named Hagar.

Abram’s wife, Sarai, had not borne any

children for him, but she owned an Egyptian

slave named Hagar.

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Gn 16:2

Sarai said to Abram, “Since the LORD has

prevented me from bearing children, go to