I'm looking at different translations of a particular word (ESV “enslavers” in 1Ti 1.10).

In comparing translations, I made a mental list to look up: NASB, NET, NKJV, NRSV, RSV, KJV.

I just realized that I forgot about even looking at the NIV. I almost never use the NIV anymore; it has now apparently got to the point where I don't think about it.

For the record, I prefer to use the ESV as my primary English translation, though I usually bring both an ESV (pocket sized) and my trusty UBS3 Greek NT with me to church or to studies, and I prefer to follow along in the Greek when the reading is in the NT.

Why do I prefer the ESV? Well, it isn't condescending. It has a certain style to it. And, as I've worked through the Pastoral Epistles, I've done a good bit of comparing Greek to English at a fairly detailed level. And I like the way the ESV handles things moreso than the NASB. I was on an NKJV kick for awhile, but that was primarily because they told me via footnotes when they went with a majority reading, or when they went with the UBS/NA reading. English translations need to be better about marking where they follow variants; the NKJV is one of the few that does it consistently and well.

But I like the ESV. So I'll be using it as my primary English text.