Archive for December 2nd, 2009
What Makes the New American Standard Bible Different?
With so many translations of the Bible, it can be difficult to know which one is going to be the best fit. With that in mind, it’s important to know what distinguishes one translation from another. What, for example, does the New American Standard Bible
offer that other translations cannot?
This version is, as the name suggests, one of the more modern translations. Its first publication was actually as recent as 1963, and it is generally regarded as a very literal translation. The goals of this version are fourfold.
-Stay true to the original language, that is, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek.
-Be understandable.
-Be grammatically correct.
-Properly place Jesus Christ, and for that reason, have no personalized work.
If staying true to the original text is important, this may be an attractive version for you. The downside, however, is that the language can sometimes feel convoluted because of the translators’ goal to be a word-for-word translation.