The Holy Bible: Lexham English Bible (LEB)

Annotated History & Bibliography

Read the Lexham English Bible

Overview

The Lexham English Bible (LEB) is a modern English translation published by Lexham Press/Logos Bible Software, created to be unusually transparent to the biblical languages—“as literal as possible, as readable as necessary.” Translator notes, typographic cues, and interlinear alignment help readers see the structure of the underlying text.1 The LEB is distributed under a generous license: it is free to use with attribution; you may not sell the LEB as a stand-alone product; and if you use more than 1,000 verses or pair it with a commercial product, you must report annual distribution figures. Electronic use should include live links to the official LEB and Lexham sites.2

Origins & Editorial Process

Developed by Logos Bible Software (now Lexham Press), the LEB New Testament was first released in 2010 and the Old Testament was completed in 2011; subsequent consolidated editions have been maintained digitally. W. Hall Harris III served as General Editor for the project.3 Lexham emphasizes a digital-first workflow so that corrections and clarifications can be issued without waiting for print cycles.4

Textual Basis & Translation Character

The LEB’s Old Testament is translated from the standard Masoretic tradition as represented in Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. The New Testament is translated from the Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (SBLGNT), edited by Michael W. Holmes. The translation explicitly signals idioms with ⟦corner brackets⟧ and marks supplied words in italics, with extensive notes for difficult constructions.56

Distinctive Features

1) Transparency tools. Translator notes, interlinear alignment, ⟦idiom⟧ markers, and italics for supplied words aim to make the bridge between Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek and English visible to the reader.6

2) Digital-first & permissive license. The LEB is widely distributed in apps and on major Bible sites, with a license designed to facilitate ministry, scholarship, and publishing—while guarding against selling the translation by itself and requiring clear attribution and reporting when appropriate.27

Reception & Use in the Church

The LEB’s clarity and openness have led to broad adoption across digital platforms (e.g., BibleGateway and YouVersion), alongside Logos/Verbum software and study tools. It serves well for public reading, devotional use, and comparative study next to a reader’s primary translation.87

Annotated Bibliography (Chicago style)

1) “Lexham English Bible (LEB) — Version Information.” BibleGateway. Licensing summary and textual basis (BHS; SBLGNT); practical guidance for attribution and reporting.25

2) “Lexham English Bible (LEB).” Logos/Lexham product page outlining translation aims and digital distribution; helpful overview for ministry contexts.4

3) “LEB Front Matter / Translation Notes.” Foreword and conventions (idiom brackets, italics, transparency design); essential for understanding how the LEB handles difficult texts.6

4) “The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (SBLGNT).” Official SBL resource describing the NT base text used by the LEB, edited by Michael W. Holmes.9

5) “LEB License—Linking & Usage Notes.” Restates key license terms and the electronic-use linking requirement (link LEB/Lexham English Bible and Logos sites).210

6) “LEB on YouVersion.” Evidence of broad availability and adoption in modern Bible apps and platforms.7

Footnotes

  1. Overview of LEB aims and transparency features (notes, interlinear linkage, literal/readable balance). ↩
  2. License summary (not for sale as stand-alone; attribution required; annual reporting if >1,000 verses or paired with a commercial product); electronic-use linking guidance. ↩
  3. Release chronology (NT 2010; OT completed 2011) and general editor (W. Hall Harris III). ↩
  4. Publisher overview and digital-first publication model under Lexham Press/Logos. ↩
  5. Textual basis statement (OT: BHS; NT: SBLGNT). ↩
  6. Translation conventions: ⟦corner brackets⟧ for idioms; italics for supplied words; extensive notes. ↩
  7. Platform availability (YouVersion) indicating broad usage in the church. ↩
  8. Presence on major platforms (e.g., BibleGateway) supporting public reading and study use. ↩
  9. SBL Greek New Testament (SBLGNT) reference page describing the edition used for the LEB NT. ↩
  10. Electronic-use linking requirement reiterated (link to lexhamenglishbible.com and logos.com). ↩