The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Not a bad translation, I only hold against it that it removes the divine name. ( )

The NRSV: a revision of the RSV, itself a revision of the ASV, a revision of the KJV. A formal equivalence, "word-for-word" translation.

The NRSV is an excellent translation; there is a reason why many in scholarship use it. It faithfully renders the substance and meaning of the Hebrew and Greek texts but is not afraid to smooth out difficulties in the original in order to make the text meaningful to the English reader. In some instances this allows the reader of the NRSV to better grasp the meaning of a given passage than if they had read it in another version. The NRSV includes information from the Dead Sea Scrolls and other new discoveries, including in the text an addendum to 1 Samuel 10 (corroborated by Josephus) not provided in other translations.

The big criticism leveled at the NRSV involves its movement toward "gender-inclusive language." There is reason to critique the translation on this level since it ends up distorting the meaning of some texts in order to maintain that standard. Adelphoi, literally "brothers" but also translated in other versions as "brethren," is sometimes "brothers and sisters," but also at times is rendered as "friends" or even "comrades"! The latter two translations have implications and connotations foreign to the original Greek term. Thankfully, the editors have placed the literal rendering in the notes.

Even though it is often maligned, the NRSV remains a solid word-for-word, formal equivalence translation, and is worth consulting during serious Bible study. It would even be useful for frequent use in order to best ascertain the meaning of challenging texts as long as one keeps the translation's limitations and notes in mind.

Edition: The World compact edition of the NRSV features introductions to the major sections of the Bible, the essential notes of the text, a clear font type, and is compact and thus easily transportable. The text size is fairly small because of the compact size, but such is the nature of the beast. A one year Bible reading plan, a synopsis of the Gospels, and a list of prayers in the Bible are provided in the back; helpful resources and some not always found in compact editions of the Bible. This edition also provides the pronunciation markings for Hebrew and Greek names. On the whole, a nice, efficient, and easily used edition of the NRSV. ( )

NO OF PAGES: 1151 SUB CAT I: Bible Translation SUB CAT II: SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible containing the 'Old' and 'New' Testaments. This is a pew bible.NOTES: SUBTITLE:

I had to resort to an audiobook to make it through the New Testament, but it worked. While the reader was a bit dramatic, he helped keep people separate and gave appropriate emphasis in the correct places. I chose this translation because I had heard it was the most "scholarly" and it seemed to be pretty legitimate.

As for the New Testament itself, it was interesting to compare the actual writing to what preachers and conservative Christians think the Bible actually says. The strongest impression is found in the four gospels, where Jesus consistently preaches about love for all and getting along with one another. There's no hate, but lots of emphasis on not judging other people. It's sad how distorted this message becomes when in the mouths of the wrong people. Once you get into the letters of Paul and so forth, more of the judgmental ideas start to surface. But if you focus on what Jesus says, it's really all about loving each other.

I think this needs several listens to really understand, so I look forward to going through it again at some point in the future. ( )

Self-Pronouncing Edition, The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version,