Revised Standard Version-1952,1971. The RSV is a revision
of the ASV. The translation committee sought to update the ASV
while maintaining the qualities that made the KJV a treasure of English
literature. Upon its release the RSV met a firestorm of controversy.
Some hailed it as the best translation of the day, others said it was a
"communist Bible," and other people said it was a Bible for modernists.
The fact is, on the whole the RSV is not nearly as bad a translation
as was alleged by its critics. Some of the criticisms that were leveled
against it were based on the fact that it differed from the KJV. Instead
of referring to Jesus as the "only begotten" Son , the RSV
says "only Son." (Jno. 1:14; 3:16, 18; 1 Jno. 4:9) The detractors
claimed the translation "only Son" was an effort of the RSV to deny
the virgin birth because as they say, the word "begotten" is left out.
The charge is not true. It was an effort to be accurate. The
translators understood the Greek adjective monogenes does not
mean "only begotten." It is used in Greek literature to describe that
which is the sole or only one of its kind, one and only, unique.
Monogenes does not describe the virgin birth of our Lord, but his
unique relationship to the Father and his role in the scheme of
human redemption. He is the only one of his kind. He has no equal
as incarnate Son (Jno. 1:14); as one who explains the Father to
humanity (Jno. 1:18) ; as one in whom we should believe
(Jno. 3:16); as the true light bearer for the world (Jno. 3:18-21);
and as one who is the perfect manifestation of the Father's love.
(1 Jon. 4:9-10).
The harshest criticism of the RSV resulted from the fact that it
used the phrase "young woman" instead of "virgin" in Isaiah 7:14.
The use of "young woman" is not an effort to deny the virgin birth
of our Lord. It is an effort to be accurate in translation. The Hebrew
word almah means damsel, maiden, or young woman. (Cf. My article
on Almah on my Biblical Languages Research
Blog. http://biblicallanguagesresearch.blogspot.com) The phrase
"young woman" does not exclude virginity, it simply does not emphasize
it as much as it does the quality of youthfulness, and that the person is
ready for marriage; of marriageable age. The RSV teaches that Jesus
was conceived in and born of a virgin. (Mat. 1:23; Lk. 1:27)
The RSV is a marked improvement over both the KJV and the
ASV in the area of readability. It does not maintain much of the archaic
language that characterizes the KJV, nor does it strive for the slavishly
literal approach of the ASV. It's English is cast in a relatively modern
idiom. It sits nicely between the severely literal approach and the "free"
paraphrase method of Bible translation. It is literal enough to be useful
for study purposes, yet idiomatic enough to be read and memorized.
The RSV translators were able to make use of the Dead Sea Scrolls
for the O.T. text and many of the Papyri for the New Testament text.
The following examples illustrate the overall accuracy of the RSV: instead
of saying that Paul was "opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ
to suffer" as the ASV says, the RSV says Paul was "explaining and
proving." The Greek phrase reads, "dianoigon kai paratithemenos,"
literally, "explaining and demonstrating/proving." In Gal. 3:24 the ASV
uses the word "tutor" to translate paidagogos. The RSV says "guardian"
which is correct.
The RSV is not perfect. In Rom. 11:20 it says, "but you stand fast only
through faith." The word "only" is an unjustified and unnecessary addition
to the text. The Greek text says, "su de te pistei hestekas," literally, "but
you stand by faith." The RSV incorrectly reinstates the phrase "if they
then commit apostacy" in Heb. 6:6. The ASV correctly reads "and then
fell away." The RSV is a good study Bible and by today's standards, it is
a "conservative" revision of the ASV. One of the problems with the RSV
is, it retains the archaic pronouns in some places. It is unnecessary to do
so. There is nothing sacred about the old English forms. The RSV also
tends to leave the impression in some passages that it devaluates the
deity of Christ. (Cf. Acts 20:28)
How do I rate the RSV on a scale of 1 to 10? I give it a 7 for
readability and a 7 for overall accuracy.
RD
Copyright 2011
of the ASV. The translation committee sought to update the ASV
while maintaining the qualities that made the KJV a treasure of English
literature. Upon its release the RSV met a firestorm of controversy.
Some hailed it as the best translation of the day, others said it was a
"communist Bible," and other people said it was a Bible for modernists.
The fact is, on the whole the RSV is not nearly as bad a translation
as was alleged by its critics. Some of the criticisms that were leveled
against it were based on the fact that it differed from the KJV. Instead
of referring to Jesus as the "only begotten" Son , the RSV
says "only Son." (Jno. 1:14; 3:16, 18; 1 Jno. 4:9) The detractors
claimed the translation "only Son" was an effort of the RSV to deny
the virgin birth because as they say, the word "begotten" is left out.
The charge is not true. It was an effort to be accurate. The
translators understood the Greek adjective monogenes does not
mean "only begotten." It is used in Greek literature to describe that
which is the sole or only one of its kind, one and only, unique.
Monogenes does not describe the virgin birth of our Lord, but his
unique relationship to the Father and his role in the scheme of
human redemption. He is the only one of his kind. He has no equal
as incarnate Son (Jno. 1:14); as one who explains the Father to
humanity (Jno. 1:18) ; as one in whom we should believe
(Jno. 3:16); as the true light bearer for the world (Jno. 3:18-21);
and as one who is the perfect manifestation of the Father's love.
(1 Jon. 4:9-10).
The harshest criticism of the RSV resulted from the fact that it
used the phrase "young woman" instead of "virgin" in Isaiah 7:14.
The use of "young woman" is not an effort to deny the virgin birth
of our Lord. It is an effort to be accurate in translation. The Hebrew
word almah means damsel, maiden, or young woman. (Cf. My article
on Almah on my Biblical Languages Research
Blog. http://biblicallanguagesresearch.blogspot.com) The phrase
"young woman" does not exclude virginity, it simply does not emphasize
it as much as it does the quality of youthfulness, and that the person is
ready for marriage; of marriageable age. The RSV teaches that Jesus
was conceived in and born of a virgin. (Mat. 1:23; Lk. 1:27)
The RSV is a marked improvement over both the KJV and the
ASV in the area of readability. It does not maintain much of the archaic
language that characterizes the KJV, nor does it strive for the slavishly
literal approach of the ASV. It's English is cast in a relatively modern
idiom. It sits nicely between the severely literal approach and the "free"
paraphrase method of Bible translation. It is literal enough to be useful
for study purposes, yet idiomatic enough to be read and memorized.
The RSV translators were able to make use of the Dead Sea Scrolls
for the O.T. text and many of the Papyri for the New Testament text.
The following examples illustrate the overall accuracy of the RSV: instead
of saying that Paul was "opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ
to suffer" as the ASV says, the RSV says Paul was "explaining and
proving." The Greek phrase reads, "dianoigon kai paratithemenos,"
literally, "explaining and demonstrating/proving." In Gal. 3:24 the ASV
uses the word "tutor" to translate paidagogos. The RSV says "guardian"
which is correct.
The RSV is not perfect. In Rom. 11:20 it says, "but you stand fast only
through faith." The word "only" is an unjustified and unnecessary addition
to the text. The Greek text says, "su de te pistei hestekas," literally, "but
you stand by faith." The RSV incorrectly reinstates the phrase "if they
then commit apostacy" in Heb. 6:6. The ASV correctly reads "and then
fell away." The RSV is a good study Bible and by today's standards, it is
a "conservative" revision of the ASV. One of the problems with the RSV
is, it retains the archaic pronouns in some places. It is unnecessary to do
so. There is nothing sacred about the old English forms. The RSV also
tends to leave the impression in some passages that it devaluates the
deity of Christ. (Cf. Acts 20:28)
How do I rate the RSV on a scale of 1 to 10? I give it a 7 for
readability and a 7 for overall accuracy.
RD
Copyright 2011
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