New American Standard Bible

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The Bible is the best-selling book of all time.[1]

Between 5 to 7 billion Bibles have been published.

The New American Standard Bible (NASB) is a modern English language translation of the Bible. It is fully accessible online. This translation is considered one of the finest, and more conservative, of the modern versions.

It is based on the 1901 American Standard Version, but seeks to provide a smoother reading in contemporary English. Archaic English "thee's" and "thou's" are replaced and words and phrases have been updated to the extent that their familiar meanings have changed. Sentences beginning with "and" have been changed, sometimes substituting "then" or "but" depending on the context. Through consultation with original Hebrew and Greek texts, some passages have been corrected.

The original NASB claims to be the most accurate English Bible translation, conveying the meaning without changing it to suit modern views. Promoters of this version declare that "it has been widely acclaimed as 'the most literally accurate translation' from the original languages. ... With the NASB, anyone can discover what the original text really says, word for word, because it is considered the most literal translation of the Bible in the English language, consistently following the oldest and best manuscripts. ... The updated NASB remains the most literally accurate Bible in the English language."[2]

While the NASB is certainly more accurate than most modern translations, it has defects:

  • it erases references to Hell, containing only 15 references to Hell while the KJV has 54 references to it
  • it includes many passages of doubtful authenticity, which do not exist in the earliest manuscripts
  • it has some gender-neutralizing that changes the meaning, such as replacing the KJV's "sons of God" with the gender neutral (and very different concept) of "children of God"[3]
  • its translation of the Beatitudes in Luke 6 has liberal overtones that change the likely original meaning
  • in the parable of the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:15), the NASB diluted the powerful phrase "Is your eye evil, because I am good?" by using different words for "evil" and "good"
  • it translates Luke 1-8 (Translated)#1:45 by changing "from the Lord" to "by the Lord" in connection with the angel's message to Mary
  • its own language is becoming arcane

The rights to the NASB are owned by the Lockman Foundation, an interdenominational nonprofit group which also has the rights to the Amplified Bible. The NASB should not be confused with the New American Bible, which is a Catholic translation.

Dr. Frank Logsdon

Dr. Frank Logsdon, a member of the translation committee, was later convinced that the Catholic manuscripts from which modern Bibles are translated are, in fact, bad manuscripts. He renounced all connections to the NASB and now promoted the Authorized Version as the perfect word of God.[4]

External links

References

  1. The Bible is the best selling book of all time, Guinness Book of Word Record
  2. http://www.lockman.org/nasb/
  3. See, e.g., Feminist Bible.
  4. Bible Translator Says, 'I'm In Trouble With The Lord.', Chick Publications [1]