Revised Standard Version

[Ioustinos]

Hi folks!

Currently I read from the ESV but I have been wondering about the quality of the Revised Standard Version, which I understand the ESV is based upon.

I believe that the RSV was lead by Dr. Bruce Metzger and so I was curious as to where you folks would rank the RSV as a translation of the texts.

Should I stick with the ESV or should I look into the RSV?

Blessings,

Justin

 

[ContentInHim]

I just finished reading a fine old book about Zechariah. The author used the ESV for his scripture quotations and I rather liked the translation - thinking I might like to own one.

BUT I just purchased an RSV this summer and want to get through it first.

I love having all the translations available when I want to see how a passage is handled!

There, that was NO help to you at all, was it?

 

[D.W.Washburn]

The original RSV was a modern translation based on the KJV that used archaiac English for poetic passages. The translation was made from a critical Greek text and, I think, the Masoretic text of the OT. The NT was published in 1946 and the OT in 1953.

The NRSV, which Metzger worked on, was a new translation based on the RSV published in 1989. It is my "go to" translation, as it provides a nice balance of readability and literalness. It is reputed to have a "liberal" bias and uses some gender inclusive language in reference to groups of people, but not in reference to God.

The ESV is a newer translation, also based on the RSV in 2001. The translation team had a more conservative theological bias. I like the ESV better than I had thought I might, but I have two objections to it: it is sometimes unnecessarily sexist in its use of language and it reads the New Testament into the Old.

 

[BigNorsk]

The bible researcher's review of the RSV is pretty informative. http://www.bible-researcher.com/rsv.html

As is his info on the ESV http://www.bible-researcher.com/esv.html

I really can't think of an advantage the RSV would have over the ESV.

Marv

 

[ContentInHim]

Thanks, Big Norsk. Now I'm wondering what Standard Version the author of the book on Zechariah used - his book was written in the early 1900's. Sure thought it was ESV but can't be.

 

[D.W.Washburn]

Thanks, Big Norsk. Now I'm wondering what Standard Version the author of the book on Zechariah used - his book was written in the early 1900's. Sure thought it was ESV but can't be.

The American Standard Version was published in 1901.

 

[Macrina]

The pew Bibles in my church are RSV, so that's what I preach from every week.

The RSV is a good translation, although not as widely available as many; it is outnumbered by the NRSV.

It's very similar to the King James in style and tone, but has the benefit of fuller scholarship going into the translation. In many places, I think you'd find it was very similar to the ESV.

The NRSV is pretty much the standard for academic theology, so it's a good one to have on hand. It's also readable without sacrificing accuracy. It does have a slight liberal slant, which conservatives scholars tried to correct in the ESV, which comes out with a slight conservative slant.

If you're wanting something with Metzger's influence, try looking for an old edition of the Oxford Annotated Bible -- I think it's the third edition for which he edited the notes, but the 4th went in a different direction, IIRC.

Enjoy the Bible search!

 

[christianmomof3]

I have an RSV and I like it. Not a very scholarly answer I suppose. I have found a few verses that I do not like the wording of, but I don't think they are translated incorrectly, just differently than I am used to.

 

[Ave Maria]

The RSV is an excellent Bible translation. It is one of the best ones out there.

 

[marvmax]

I just finished reading a fine old book about Zechariah. The author used the ESV for his scripture quotations and I rather liked the translation - thinking I might like to own one.

BUT I just purchased an RSV this summer and want to get through it first.

I love having all the translations available when I want to see how a passage is handled!

There, that was NO help to you at all, was it?

You probably know about this but just in case you don't you have heard about www.biblegateway.com? Nothing like it when you need to compare verses with different versions.

Of course if you're reading the Bible you have to buy the version, but now I buy the cheapest version because I don't need to keep a dead tree version hanging around for refference.

 

[christianmomof3]

You probably know about this but just in case you don't you have heard about www.biblegateway.com? Nothing like it when you need to compare verses with different versions.

Of course if you're reading the Bible you have to buy the version, but now I buy the cheapest version because I don't need to keep a dead tree version hanging around for refference.

I like biblegateway too.
I also buy cheap Bibles now because I carry my Bible around with me a lot to read in different places and they usually start to fall apart. I told my husband that I thought the word of God was supposed to be indestructible but he said it was not indestructible, but incorruptible .
So, I got my RSV at the half price book store for less than $10 and it is the one I drag with me to the playground and the pool and whereever I am with the kids so I can pull it out and read it wherever I am. I do keep it in a fabric case with a handle, but it is starting to show wear and tear.

 

[marvmax]

The bible researcher's review of the RSV is pretty informative. http://www.bible-researcher.com/rsv.html

As is his info on the ESV http://www.bible-researcher.com/esv.html

I really can't think of an advantage the RSV would have over the ESV.

Marv

Great references.

 

[BigNorsk]

You might also be interested in the Joseph Smith Translation.

Kind of strange how even though Joseph Smith claimed to be correcting the KJV he didn't correct those things which we today know to be errors he just added text.

Marv

 

[marvmax]

I like biblegateway too.
I also buy cheap Bibles now because I carry my Bible around with me a lot to read in different places and they usually start to fall apart. I told my husband that I thought the word of God was supposed to be indestructible but he said it was not indestructible, but incorruptible .
So, I got my RSV at the half price book store for less than $10 and it is the one I drag with me to the playground and the pool and whereever I am with the kids so I can pull it out and read it wherever I am. I do keep it in a fabric case with a handle, but it is starting to show wear and tear.

I now keep my scriptures on my PDA so that I always have them with me. e-Sword has a great product that lets you keep a number of versions as well as commentaries and dictionaries all in something you can carry in your pocket. I love it.

 

[AngCath]

Hi folks!

Currently I read from the ESV but I have been wondering about the quality of the Revised Standard Version, which I understand the ESV is based upon.

I believe that the RSV was lead by Dr. Bruce Metzger and so I was curious as to where you folks would rank the RSV as a translation of the texts.

Should I stick with the ESV or should I look into the RSV?

Blessings,

Justin

between the two I would recommend RSV.

 

[D.W.Washburn]

I made the point earlier, but want to be sure it is clear.

Bruce Metzger headed up the translation committee for the NRSV, (New Revised Standard Version) and NOT the RSV.

 

[Ioustinos]

I made the point earlier, but want to be sure it is clear.

Bruce Metzger headed up the translation committee for the NRSV, (New Revised Standard Version) and NOT the RSV.

Thanks for pointing that out. Dr. Metzger was part of the RSV translation team when the edition with the Apocrypha. But he was the lead editor for the NRSV.