How We Got the Bible
Lesson #19--So
Which Translation Should I Use? (Part 4)
IV. The New American Standard Bible (1963-1971)
A.
"The
New Testament of the New American Standard Bible, prepared by fifty-eight anonymous
scholars under the sponsorship of the Lockman Foundation of La Habra, California, first
appeared in 1963. The complete Bible (Old Testament and New Testament) was issued on July
31, 1970 ... More than 16 million copies of the Bible have been distributed."
(The English Bible from XN to NIV, 2nd Ed., Jack P. Lewis, Baker Book House, 1992, pg. 165).
Outside sources confirm that Dr. Reuben Olson served as chairman of the editorial board
and that the translators were compensated for their work, which spanned ten years. It is
claimed that 25,000 hours of research were expended on the New Testament alone.
B. Here are the stated goals of the Lockman Foundation for
the N.T.:
"1. These publications shall be true to the original Greek.
2. They shall be grammatically correct.
3. They shall be understandable to the
masses.
4. They shall give the Lord Jesus Christ
His proper place, the place which the Word
gives Him,
and no work will ever be personalized."
C. The forward to the NASB is also revealing: "The
New American Standard Bible has been produced with the conviction that the words of
Scripture as originally penned in the Hebrew and Greek were inspired by God. ... It has
been the purpose of the Editorial Board to present to the modern reader a revision of the
American Standard Version in clear and contemporary language. The attempt has been made to
adhere to the original languages of the Holy Scriptures as closely as possible and at the
same time to obtain a fluent and readable style according to current English usuage."
The NASB has gone through several revised editions.
D.
Strengths.· Scholars
generally agree that the NASB remains one of the more accurate, readable translations we
have. Its technical accuracy is, perhaps, its greatest asset. Compare Gen. 3:8 in the KJV,
ASV, and NASB, where voice is rendered sound. In Mal.1.7 bread
is rendered food, which is more consistent with our
current meaning. Notice the exactness of peck-measure
in Matt. 5:15 for bushel. Also, notice the clarity
of 2 Cor. 12:1 as compared with the KJV. This translation remains popular enough to be
offered by several publishers in a variety of typestyles and sizes.
E. Weaknesses:
The NASB has its peculiarities. For example, note the wordy,awkward style of questions
which anticipate a negative answer (Matt.12:23; John 6:67; Rom. 3:3). A somewhat wooden
style results from the struggle to combine technical accuracy with modern English usage.
Compare Isa. 40:31 and Psa.1 in the NASB and KJV. Also, the NASB shows some premillennial
tendencies. Note the wording of Isa. 2:2; Micah 4: 1 (as
should be translated on - that's the literal meaning
of the Hebrew word). Also, note the wording in Rev. 20:4 (they
lived is more faithfUl to the Greek than they came
to life).
Lesson
1 - Introduction Lesson 2 - How
Ancient Books Made
Lesson 3 - Birth of Bible(Pt. 1) Lesson 4 - Birth of Bible (Pt. 2)
Lesson 5 - Text of Old Testament Lesson 6 - Text of New Testament(Pt. 1)
Lesson 7 - Text of New Testament (Pt. 2) Lesson 8 - Canon of Scriptures(Pt. 1)
Lesson 9 - Canon of Scriptures (Pt. 2) Lesson 10 - English Translation (Pt.1)
Lesson 11 - English Translation (Pt.2)
Lesson 12 - English Translation (Pt.3)
Lesson 13 - English Translation (Pt.4)
Lesson 14 - English Translation
Pt.5)
Lesson 15 English Translation (Pt.6)
Lesson 16 - Which Translation to Use(Pt.1)
Lesson 17 - Which Translation to Use(Pt.2)
Lesson 18 - Which Translation to Use(Pt.3)
Lesson 20 - Which Translation to Use (Pt. 5)
Lesson 21 - Which Translation to Use (Pt. 6)
Lesson 22 - Concluding Thoughts
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This page last updated: October 14, 2002