New Revised Standard Version
The NRSV Bible with the Apocrypha
Full name:	New Revised Standard Version
Abbreviation:	NRSV
Complete Bible published:	1989
Textual Basis:	NT: High Correspondence to Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece 27th edition. OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia with Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint influence. Apocrypha: Septuagint with Vulgate influence.
Translation type:	Dynamic equivalence, with some gender neutral paraphrasing.
Reading Level:	High School
Copyright status:	Copyright 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Religious Affiliation:	Ecumenical, but generally mainline Protestant
Genesis 1:1-3
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, released in 1989, is a thorough revision of the Revised Standard Version (RSV).^{[verification needed]} Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Novum Testamentum Graece is the name (in the Latin language) of the Greek language version of the New Testament. ... The Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, or BHS, is an edition of the Hebrew Bible published by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft (German Bible Society) in Stuttgart. ... The Dead Sea Scrolls comprise roughly 900 documents, including texts from the Hebrew Bible, discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves in and around the Wadi Qumran (near the ruins of the ancient settlement of Khirbet Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea) in the West Bank. ... The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ... The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ... The Vulgate Bible is an early 5th century version in Latin, partly revised and partly translated by Jerome on the orders of Pope Damasus I in 382. ... Dynamic equivalence is an approach to translation in which the original language is translated thought for thought rather than word for word as in formal equivalence. ... The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (usually identified as National Council of Churches, or NCC) is a religious organization currently (2006) consisting of 35 Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, African-American and historic peace Christian denominations in the United States, and is widely regarded as a leading... John 3:16 (chapter 3, verse 16 of the Gospel of John) is one of the most widely quoted verses from the Christian Bible. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... The Revised Standard Version (RSV) is an English translation of the Bible published in the mid-20th century. ...

There are three editions of the NRSV:

1. the NRSV standard edition, containing the Old and New Testaments (Protestant canon);
2. the NRSV with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books in addition to the Old and New Testaments (this edition is sometimes called the NRSV Common Bible;
3. the NRSV Catholic Edition containing the Old Testament books in the order of the Vulgate.

There are also Anglicised editions of the NRSV, which modify the text slightly to be consistent with British spelling and grammar.^{[verification needed]} Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Canon law is the term used for... In Judeo-Christian theologies, apocrypha refers to religious Sacred text that have questionable authenticity or are otherwise disputed. ... Categories: Stub | Bible versions and translations ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Note: Judaism... The Vulgate Bible is an early 5th century version in Latin, partly revised and partly translated by Jerome on the orders of Pope Damasus I in 382. ...

History

The NRSV was translated by the Division of Christian Education (now Bible Translation and Utilization) of the National Council of Churches, an ecumenical Christian group. There has also been Jewish representation in the group responsible for the Old Testament.^{[citation needed]} The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (usually identified as National Council of Churches, or NCC) is an association of 35 Christian faith groups in the United States with 100,000 local congregations and more than 45,000,000 adherents. ... The word ecumenical comes from a Greek word that means pertaining to the whole world. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Only one of the translators of the RSV, Harry Orlinsky, was also involved with the NRSV. However, the Chairman of the NRSV translators, Bruce Metzger, had been involved with the RSV Apocrypha in 1957.^{[verification needed]} Bruce Metzger pictured on the cover of his autobiography Reminiscences of an Octogenarian Bruce Manning Metzger (born 1914) is a professor emeritus at Princeton Theological Seminary and Bible editor who serves on the board of the American Bible Society. ... In Judeo-Christian theologies, apocrypha refers to religious Sacred text that have questionable authenticity or are otherwise disputed. ...

This translation is meant to replace the Revised Standard Version, and to identify it in context with the many other English language translations available today. It is called the New Revised Standard Version because it is a revision of the Revised Standard Version,(1952) which was a revision of the American Standard Version,(sometimes called the "Standard Bible"),(1901), which was an American English revision of The Revised Version (or English Revised Version),(1885), which is itself a revision of the King James Version of 1611. The NRSV is the translation most often used in academic circles and Protestant seminaries.^{[verification needed]} The Revised Standard Version (RSV) is an English translation of the Bible published in the mid-20th century. ... The Standard American Edition, Revised Version, more commonly known as the American Standard Version (ASV), is a version of the Bible that was released in 1901. ... This page is about the version of the Bible; for the Harvey Danger album, see King James Version (album). ...

Principles of revision

Improved manuscripts and translations

The Old Testament translation of the RSV was completed before the Dead Sea Scrolls were generally available to scholars. The NRSV was intended to take advantage of this and other manuscript discoveries, and to reflect advances in scholarship since the RSV had been released.^{[verification needed]} Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Note: Judaism... The Dead Sea Scrolls comprise roughly 900 documents, including texts from the Hebrew Bible, discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves in and around the Wadi Qumran (near the ruins of the ancient settlement of Khirbet Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea) in the West Bank. ...

Elimination of archaism

The RSV retained the archaic second person familiar forms ("thee and thou") when God was addressed, but eliminated their use in other contexts. The NRSV eliminated all such archaicisms.

Gender-neutral language

In the preface to the NRSV, Bruce Metzger wrote for the committee that "many in the churches have become sensitive to the danger of linguistic sexism arising from the inherent bias of the English language towards the masculine gender, a bias that in the case of the Bible has often restricted or obscured the meaning of the original text." [1] The RSV observed the older convention of using masculine nouns in a gender-neutral sense (e.g. "man" instead of "person"), and in some cases used a masculine word where the source language used a neuter word. The NRSV by contrast adopted a policy of gender-neutral language: "The mandates from the Division specified that, in references to men and women, masculine-oriented language should be eliminated as far as this can be done without altering passages that reflect the historical situation of ancient patriarchal culture." Bruce Metzger pictured on the cover of his autobiography Reminiscences of an Octogenarian Bruce Manning Metzger (born 1914) is a professor emeritus at Princeton Theological Seminary and Bible editor who serves on the board of the American Bible Society. ... A patriarch (from Greek: patria means father; arché means rule, beginning, origin) is a male head of an extended family exercising autocratic authority, or, by extension, a member of the ruling class or government of a society controlled by senior men. ...

One of the conventions NRSV uses is to expand gender-specific phrases. For example, if a translation used "brothers" to refer to a group that is not known to be all male, NRSV may use "brothers and sisters." Where such adjustments are made the more literal translation is noted in a footnote.

Translating the deuterocanonicals

The RSV translation of the deuterocanonical books was made after the fact as an ecumenical gesture. The NRSV translated these works as part of its initial effort, though the standard edition omitted these books.^{[citation needed]} The deuterocanonical books are the books that Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Oriental Orthodoxy include in the Old Testament that were not part of the Jewish Tanakh. ...

Approval of the NRSV

Many of the older "mainline" Protestant churches officially accept the NRSV or commend it to their members. For example, the Episcopal Church added the NRSV to the list of translations in Canon II.2 which are approved for reading in church services, and the Presbyterian Church (USA) website commends the translation. It is also the official pew Bible of the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ.^{[verification needed][citation needed]} This article is about the Episcopal Church in the United States. ... Emblem of the PC(USA) The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) or PC(USA) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. ... This article is about the current Christian denomination based in the United States. ... Disambiguation: This article is about the United States denomination known as United Church of Christ. ...

The Community of Christ, a church with roots in the Latter-day Saint movement in the United States, uses the NRSV of the bible frequently as one of its approved translations of the bible^{[verification needed][citation needed]} RLDS redirects here. ... The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the Mormonism movement or the Mormon movement) is a religious movement beginning in the early 19th century that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism and to the existence of numerous churches whose members call themselves Latter Day Saints. ...

Most Evangelical denominations including most Baptists have not accepted the RSV or the NRSV^{[citation needed]}

Although the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approves only the New American Bible for liturgical use, the NRSV is quoted in the English-language edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (which also quotes from the RSV), and is authorized for liturgical use in Canada because it was approved in episcopal conferences there prior to the Vatican barring it for liturgical use elsewhere.^{[citation needed]} Several versions of the Bible, including the NRSV, carry an imprimatur.^{[verification needed]} The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (also known as the USCCB) is the official governing body of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. ... In 1970, the New American Bible (NAB) was first published. ... From the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning the work of the people, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may be refer to, or include, an elaborate... The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Catholic Church, first published in French in 1992 by the authority of Pope John Paul II.[1] Subsequently, in 1997, a Latin text was issued which is now the official text of reference... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Controversies

While the NRSV quickly became the de facto standard in many denominations, some of its translation decisions were criticized.^{[verification needed][citation needed]} Look up translate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The NRSV retained the RSV decision to translate the Hebrew "almah" in Isaiah 7:14 as "young woman" instead of "virgin", though a footnote acknowledged that the Greek Septuagint read "virgin" (that is, "parthenos"). The Gospel of Matthew also translated the word into Greek as "parthenos" (virgin), and English translations prior to the RSV had followed the Greek. The traditional translation of the phrase "will conceive" was also rephrased as the present tense "is with child" as its counterpart in Matthew 1:23 did. Other nontraditional translations were also criticized (e.g. preferring "wind" for "rûach" in Genesis 1 instead of "spirit"). The word Hebrew most likely means to cross over, referring to the Semitic people crossing over the Euphrates River. ... Isaiah the Prophet in Hebrew Scriptures was depicted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo. ... The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ... The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον, Kata Maththaion or Kata Matthaion) is a synoptic gospel in the New Testament, one of four canonical gospels. ... For other uses, see Genesis (disambiguation). ...

The gender-neutral language policy of the NRSV was also criticized.^{[citation needed]} Previous translations in this tradition (from the RSV to the Tyndale Bible) valued strict adherence to the original text over concerns about readability or gender neutral language. The NRSV departs from this tradition. In particular, the NRSV frequently--but not always--substitutes the word "person" or "adult" when the literal text reads "man." For example, 1 Corinthians 13:11 in the RSV read: "when I became a man, I gave up childish ways," while the NRSV rendered this passage "when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways." (Italics added for emphasis.) Because the NRSV frequently departs from a literal translation of the text to serve modern concerns about gender-neutrality, critics argue it departed from the heritage of preserving the literal text of scripture that was the distinguishing feature of translations in the Tyndale/King James tradition. (There were already a very large number of modern translations on the market that utilized gender neutral language.)

Some critics argued that the translation inappropriately reflected modern feminist concerns.^{[verification needed]} For example, the NRSV tends to translate adelphoi as "brothers and sisters". Critics claimed that this rendering was a condescension to feminism, especially since several passages discussing church leadership are either rewritten or have footnotes casting doubt on whether women can hold leadership positions in the church. The Greek word adelphoi can mean either "brothers" or "siblings" (i.e., "brothers and sisters"), depending on the context.^{[citation needed]} However, conservatives charge that since the context is not always clear on whether or not women were included in the original audience (particularly in the Epistles), the translators should have erred on the side of caution and used the word "brothers" or "brethren" (the term used by the old RSV). The word epistle is from the Greek word epistolos which means a written letter addressed to a recipient or recipients, perhaps part of exchanged correspondence. ...

Some conservatives have accused the NRSV of tampering with the text to promote wealth redistribution, as with the translation of Acts 4:32. The reading of the old RSV was: For the literature genre, see Acts of the Apostles (genre). ...

• "Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common."

But the NRSV translated the verse as follows:

• "Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common." (emphasis added).

This could be seen as simply a more readable, literary rendering. On the other hand, it could be seen to bias the reader toward the interpretation that the early Christians rejected private property and embarked on a communal lifestyle. This page deals with property as ownership rights. ... Community is a set of people (or agents in a more abstract sense) with some shared element. ...

Conservative reactions

Conservative evangelical dissatisfaction with the NRSV, combined with a desire for a more up-to-date translation in the Tyndale-King James tradition, led to the publication in 2001 of the English Standard Version (ESV).^{[citation needed]} It eschewed the gender-neutral terminology of the NRSV and reversed many controversial RSV and NRSV translation decisions; for example, in Isaiah 7:14 it returned to the translation of "almah" as "virgin", as against the RSV/NRSV rendering, "young woman". This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The word evangelicalism often refers to... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... The English Standard Version (ESV) is an English translation of the Bible. ... In Roman times, Vestal Virgins were strictly celibate or they were punished by death. ...

In spite of Orthodox participation in the translation, Orthodox churches have mostly been cool^{[verification needed]} to the NRSV.^{[citation needed]} Annotated versions of the RSV were accepted by some Orthodox, but the Orthodox Study Bible chose the New King James Version New Testament as a starting point, and the Old Testament committee chose to make a new translation of the Septuagint rather than use any existing English translation or returning to the original Hebrew. Orthodox criticism of the NRSV generally followed conservative Protestant lines, but in addition criticized the use of the Masoretic text as the Old Testament textual basis. In 1990 the synod of the Orthodox Church in America decided not to permit use of the NRSV in liturgy or in Bible studies.^[1] It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Eastern Christianity. ... The Orthodox Study Bible is a translation of the Christian Bible currently in production by the Orthodox Church. ... The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern Bible translation, published by Thomas Nelson, Inc. ... The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ... The Masoretic Text (MT) is the Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible (Tanakh). ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. ... The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church in North America. ...

Study editions

• The Harper Study Bible (1991, ISBN 0-310-90203-7)
• The HarperCollins Study Bible with Apocrypha (1997, ISBN 0-06-065527-5)
• The Spiritual Formation Bible (1999, ISBN 0-310-90089-1)
• The Access Bible with Apocrypha (1999, ISBN 0-19-528217-5)
• The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha, 3rd edition (2001, ISBN 0-19-528478-X)
• The New Interpreter's Study Bible with Apocrypha (2003, ISBN 0-687-27832-5)
• The Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible with Apocrypha (2005, ISBN 0-06-067108-4)

The Oxford Annotated Bible is a study Bible published by the Oxford University Press which has utilized the Revised Standard Version (RSV) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). ...

References

1. ^ Bishop Tikhon. Bishop's Pastoral Letter on the New Revised Standard Version. Retrieved on 2007-04-22.

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• National Council of Churches: About the NRSV
• Preface to the NRSV from the National Council of Churches website
• oremus Bible Browser
• THE NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION: A REVIEW by Arthur L. Farstad in Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society, Autumn 1990—Volume 3:2 (a conservative POV on the translation)
• Pastoral letter of Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco explaining the 1990 decision of the OCA Synod not to permit use of the NRSV
• Sixty-Four Shadows of Man in the NRSV, criticism of gender-inclusive language in the NRSV
• A searchable online New Revised Standard Version