It is not that the ESV’s use of “self-controlled” for σώφρων is incorrect. Rather, “prudent” better preserves the breadth of σώφρων, with self-control being one important manifestation of the virtue.
When it comes to modern English translations of 1 Timothy 3:4-5—a critical passage for male rule in the home and church—this is a mark on the NASB, a black eye for the ESV, and a huge win for the KJV and NKJV.
