Contemporary English Version

The Contemporary English Version is a complete translation of the Bible, rendered from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek and working from modern critical editions of the original-language texts. It was designed explicitly for clarity when read aloud and for readers across a broad range of literacy levels, and it is classed as a fresh translation rather than a revision of an earlier English version. Its guiding philosophy is one of functional equivalence with an emphasis on oral clarity, an approach that places it among the twentieth-century translations that sought accessible contemporary English rather than the traditional idiom inherited from the King James line. Among its distinctive features are short sentences and explicit referents, both of which reflect the linguistic method behind the version rather than paraphrase. It has been widely used in settings where scripture is heard rather than studied silently, including public reading, worship, and instruction.