Languages are spoken before they are written. And far more communication is done through the spoken word than through the written word. In fact, more people hear the Bible read than read it for themselves. Traditional translations of the Bible count on the reader’s ability to understand a written text. But the Contemporary English Version differs from all other English Bibles –past and present—that it takes into consideration the needs of the hearer, as well as those of the reader, who may not be familiar with traditional biblical language.

The Contemporary English Version has been described as a "user-friendly" and a "mission-driven" translation that can be read aloud without stumbling, heard without misunderstanding, and listened to with enjoyment and appreciation, because the language is contemporary and the style is lucid and lyrical.

The Contemporary English Version invites you to read, to hear, to understand and to share