New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue) , 1989 NRSV
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National Council of Churches, ecumenical body · revision directed by the Society of Biblical Literature · licensed through Friendship Press
Edition 2021 Updated Edition , current1989 NRSV , superseded
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Spec sheet
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- Made by
Commissioned by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, which holds the copyright; the Society of Biblical Literature directed the revision; licensing is handled through Friendship Press, the Council's publishing arm
Verification pending- Official website
https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-Updated-Edition-NRSVue-Bible/
Verification pendingExisting editorial catalog metadata- Languages
English
Verification pendingExisting editorial catalog metadata- Intended audience
- Verification pending Existing editorial catalog metadata
- Full name
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Verification pendingExisting editorial catalog metadata- Abbreviation
NRSVue
Verification pendingExisting editorial catalog metadata- Translation language
English
Verification pendingExisting editorial catalog metadata- Translation approach explanation
Guided by the maxim "as literal as possible, as free as necessary"; the publisher describes it as a literal translation in current English
Verification pending- Old Testament textual basis
Masoretic Text as printed in Biblia Hebraica Quinta for the books published so far and Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia for the rest; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint consulted; Apocrypha from Rahlfs and Göttingen Septuagint editions
Verification pending- New Testament textual basis
Eclectic Greek text: the UBS Greek New Testament, 5th revised edition (2014), the SBL Greek New Testament (2010) and, for Acts and the Catholic Letters, the Editio Critica Maior; a few passages regarded as later additions are kept in double brackets
Verification pending- Canon and included books
66 books in Protestant editions; editions with the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books and a Catholic Edition are published
Verification pending- Gender-related language approach
The preface says the update continues the effort to eliminate masculine-oriented language for people in general where this does not alter passages that reflect ancient patriarchal culture; inclusiveness is mostly attained by rephrasing or plural forms
Verification pending- Copyright and permissions
Copyright 2021, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. Up to 500 verses may be quoted without written permission if they are less than 25 percent of the work and not an entire book of the Bible
Verification pending- First published
NRSV 1989; Updated Edition 2021
Verification pending
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Original listing evidence
| Fact | Value | Source · fetched |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Commissioned by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, which holds the copyright; the Society of Biblical Literature directed the revision; licensing is handled through Friendship Press, the Council's publishing arm | Friendship Press, about the NRSVue · Verification pending |
| Translation philosophy | Guided by the maxim "as literal as possible, as free as necessary"; the publisher describes it as a literal translation in current English | Friendship Press, about the NRSVue · Verification pending |
| Textual basis, Old Testament | Masoretic Text as printed in Biblia Hebraica Quinta for the books published so far and Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia for the rest; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint consulted; Apocrypha from Rahlfs and Göttingen Septuagint editions | NRSVue preface, To the Reader (Bible Gateway) · Verification pending |
| Textual basis, New Testament | Eclectic Greek text: the UBS Greek New Testament, 5th revised edition (2014), the SBL Greek New Testament (2010) and, for Acts and the Catholic Letters, the Editio Critica Maior; a few passages regarded as later additions are kept in double brackets | NRSVue preface, To the Reader (Bible Gateway) · Verification pending |
| Canon | 66 books in Protestant editions; editions with the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal books and a Catholic Edition are published | Friendship Press, licensing and permissions · Verification pending |
| Reading grade level | No published figure | Publisher pages checked · not published |
| Gender language | The preface says the update continues the effort to eliminate masculine-oriented language for people in general where this does not alter passages that reflect ancient patriarchal culture; inclusiveness is mostly attained by rephrasing or plural forms | NRSVue preface, To the Reader (Bible Gateway) · Verification pending |
| Committee | A Society of Biblical Literature team of seven general editors and fifty-six book editors, with two liaisons from the Council's Bible Translation and Utilization Advisory Committee; work ran from 2017 to 2021 | NRSVue preface, To the Reader (Bible Gateway) · Verification pending |
| Licence and quotation | Copyright 2021, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. Up to 500 verses may be quoted without written permission if they are less than 25 percent of the work and not an entire book of the Bible | Friendship Press, licensing and permissions · Verification pending |
| First published | NRSV 1989; Updated Edition 2021 | Friendship Press, licensing and permissions · Verification pending |
What the maker discloses about itself (not a rating): Tradition: clearTextual basis: clearPhilosophy: clearCommittee: clearFunding: not disclosed
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Printed editions
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United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 1983 to present (current list)
Approved for private use and study
The NRSV Catholic Edition (National Council of Churches) and the NRSV Updated Edition, Catholic Edition (Friendship Press) are on the USCCB list of translations approved for private use and study by Catholics. The list gives no approval dates.
Church of England Current rules
Permitted for use
The Common Worship lectionary is based on the NRSV, and the Church's rules say any version of the Bible not prohibited by lawful authority may be used in Common Worship services; no version is currently prohibited.
Disputes and context
EditorialWe describe each dispute, attribute each position, and take no side.
Gender language
The NRSV and its 2021 update render words for people in general with gender-inclusive English, often by rephrasing or by using plural forms where the original has a generic singular. The preface says this is done where it does not distort meaning or alter passages that reflect ancient patriarchal culture. Vern Poythress and Wayne Grudem, in The Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy, call the NRSV the first major gender-neutral translation and argue that plurals in verses such as John 14:23 change the meaning. Peter Wolfgang, writing for Catholic Answers, says the removal of male pronouns reflected an agenda. The Society of Biblical Literature says the goal is a historically accurate rendering without contrived English.
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The standing questions
Answered from the spec sheet and the positions above, never from the meters.
Is it word for word?
The publisher’s maxim is “as literal as possible, as free as necessary”, and it describes the result as a literal translation in current English. The literal-to-idiomatic meter shows where readers place its feel.
What text is it based on?
The Masoretic Text in Biblia Hebraica Quinta and Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia for the Old Testament, with the Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint consulted, and an eclectic Greek text drawing on the UBS 5th edition, the SBL Greek New Testament and the Editio Critica Maior for the New Testament.
How does it handle gender language?
Words for people in general are rendered inclusively, mostly by rephrasing or plural forms, where the editors judge this does not distort meaning. The disputes panel describes who disagrees and why.
Is it approved for Catholic use?
The NRSV Catholic Edition and the NRSV Updated Edition, Catholic Edition are on the USCCB list of translations approved for private use and study. The list does not cover liturgical use.
Who translated it?
A team directed by the Society of Biblical Literature, with seven general editors and fifty-six book editors, commissioned by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, which holds the copyright.
Which text do most printings carry?
New printings carry the 2021 Updated Edition. Bibles printed before 2022 carry the 1989 NRSV text, which the publisher no longer licenses for new editions except the Catholic Edition.