NRSV vs. NASB

[Fish and Bread]

For those familar with both the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB), I'm curious: Which do you prefer and why (The more specific, the better)?

John

 

[PaladinValer]

NRSV all the way:

1. It is liturgical, making it appropriate for worship
2. It is far more readable
3. It is idiomatically-correct (the NASB is far too word-for-word; yes, that is possible)
4. It contains the Deuterocanon (West and East)

 

[Fish and Bread]

NRSV all the way:

1. It is liturgical, making it appropriate for worship

Thank you for responding. What are some examples of liturgical elements present in the NRSV that are not present in the NASB?

John

 

[RobNJ]

.

 

[alban]

Well for me, the NASB isn't available with the Anglicized spellings whereas the NRSV does.

 

[RobNJ]

Well for me, the NASB isn't available with the Anglicized spellings whereas the NRSV does.

See another point in favor (NOT favour) of the NASB... it doesn't spell funny!!!




(YES, I'm kidding!!)

 

[PaladinValer]

Liturgy is the set form for public worship.

The NRSV follows this ancient formula. The NASB doesn't; it follows a tradition of humanity based on heterodox theology.

 

[Fish and Bread]

Liturgy is the set form for public worship.

The NRSV follows this ancient formula. The NASB doesn't; it follows a tradition of humanity based on heterodox theology.

Alright, I have to admit, I've not been doing real great today healthwise and am feeling kind of worn out, so maybe I'm not quite up to my usual level of cognition, but I have no idea what you mean. Are you saying that the NASB substitutes terms like "holy person" for "saint"? If you could provide some examples of comparative passages that you had in mind, I'd really appreciate it. I'm not trying to debate, rather just to understand your point of view so I can ponder it.

John

 

[PaladinValer]

The liturgy is the ancient method of worship. It has its basis in both Hebrew Jewish ceremony and Greek Pagan (and Egyptian, and Assyrian, and etc etc etc) ceremony. Through liturgy, religions around the world use a common form to worship the same deity/deities/force(s)/etc.

Christianity is a liturgical religion. As such, the Scripture should be treated as a liturgical text because that is what the Church intended it to be. Liturgical readings have been used since the Church was born; we have copies or at least fragments of truly ancient Christian liturgies.

When we read the Bible, we are reading a liturgical text; it is a common form that has been accepted as such since the Holy Canon was settled in the late 4th century. This included certain words, phrases, and forms that constituted an orthodox reading. Any person can be a "holy person," but not all saints are Saints. Many new translations, like the NASB and the NIV, are "sacramentarian;" they reject certain Traditional truths that have been a part of Christianity since Day One. They are non-liturgical, and while they may have uses, they should not be considered appropriate for worship nor should they be used primarily over liturigcal versions. They are supplements (and can be very useful at that) at best.

 

[RobNJ]

Or, just get the RSV... MUCH better than the NRSV downgrade!

 

[PaladinValer]

Downgrade?

Is outrage!

 

[RobNJ]

Is outrage!

THAT'S what I said, when I read the NRSV!!

 

[pmcleanj]

Well, last night my husband of 17.00000 years handed me a heavy box wrapped in gold paper which, when unwrapped, revealed a black-leather, gold-stamped, foiled-edge Harper Collins study edition of the NRSV*.

Those of you who were around the last time the preferred-version question was hashed out know that my own Bible is a New English Bible with Oxford Study Commentary, bought in the University bookstore back when I was still an atheist and read cover-to-cover at that time starting with the front matter before Genesis and reading forward, and now split right down the middle at the last page of Malachi which has fallen out. The NEB is now out of print, and can't be replaced.

This new NRSV, however, may be able to take its place. It's got not only the whole deuterocanon; but even 3 and 4 Maccabees!

My NASB, on the other hand, doesn't even have the books the Roman Catholics have, and hardly ever leaves the shelf. I bought it years ago because it was a loose-leaf bible that allows me to insert pictures and commentary to create my own study/childrens' bible. But the inelegance of the English left it unattractive as long as I had my NEB available; and even falling apart my NEB seemed more attractive than resorting to the NASB.

*and a CD-rom containing bible-reader, twelve bible versions, Strongs, Matthew Henry's commentary, four other commentaries and two bible dictionaries formatted for my PDA, but that's beside the point. Still, you've got to admit there's nothing so romantic as a lover who virtually showers you with Bibles!

 

[sin_vladimirov]

NEITHER
(Masoretic canon brrrrrrrrrr )



LXX (Septuagint) and ONT (Orthodox New Testament) RULZ





in ICXC
stefan+

 

[higgs2]

Well, last night my husband of 17.00000 years handed me a heavy box wrapped in gold paper which, when unwrapped, revealed a black-leather, gold-stamped, foiled-edge Harper Collins study edition of the NRSV*.

Those of you who were around the last time the preferred-version question was hashed out know that my own Bible is a New English Bible with Oxford Study Commentary, bought in the University bookstore back when I was still an atheist and read cover-to-cover at that time starting with the front matter before Genesis and reading forward, and now split right down the middle at the last page of Malachi which has fallen out. The NEB is now out of print, and can't be replaced.

This new NRSV, however, may be able to take its place. It's got not only the whole deuterocanon; but even 3 and 4 Maccabees!

My NASB, on the other hand, doesn't even have the books the Roman Catholics have, and hardly ever leaves the shelf. I bought it years ago because it was a loose-leaf bible that allows me to insert pictures and commentary to create my own study/childrens' bible. But the inelegance of the English left it unattractive as long as I had my NEB available; and even falling apart my NEB seemed more attractive than resorting to the NASB.

*and a CD-rom containing bible-reader, twelve bible versions, Strongs, Matthew Henry's commentary, four other commentaries and two bible dictionaries formatted for my PDA, but that's beside the point. Still, you've got to admit there's nothing so romantic as a lover who virtually showers you with Bibles!

What a sweetie! So, does this mean you just had an anniversary? How do you like the Harper Collins commentary vs. the Oxford Edition?

 

[Colabomb]

For those familar with both the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB), I'm curious: Which do you prefer and why (The more specific, the better)?

John

NASB, Very Literal, Very Non-Liberal.

(It rhymes!)

As mentioned though, it has no deuterocanon. I wish it did....

But, the RSV Does! No not a typo, I wrote RSV!!

 

[Zacharias]

Or, just get the RSV... MUCH better than the NRSV downgrade!

P.S. RobNJ you're Orthodox!

 

[Fish and Bread]

Hey, Freak4JC, you're Messianic! When did this happen? I've never had the opportunity to attend a Messianic shul before, but I did attend a Reform Jewish temple with a Jewish friend on Friday night -- very beautiful service and tradition. I can understand why you'd be drawn to it. I'm just glad you picked the Messianics and didn't give up on Jesus, though we'll certainly miss your involvement in the Anglican tradition!

John

 

[Zacharias]

Hey, Freak4JC, you're Messianic! When did this happen? I've never had the opportunity to attend a Messianic shul before, but I did attend a Reform Jewish temple with a Jewish friend on Friday night -- very beautiful service and tradition. I can understand why you'd be drawn to it. I'm just glad you picked the Messianics and didn't give up on Jesus, though we'll certainly miss your involvement in the Anglican tradition!

John

I became messianic a couple weeks ago and hope to attend a synagogue service some time.

G~d bless, Freak4JC

 

[Zacharias]

I became messianic a couple weeks ago and hope to attend a synagogue service some time.

G~d bless, Freak4JC

Just thought that I would add the Apostles were Jewish.