NRSV vs. NKJV: What are the Differences?

[sedulous_samantha]

Hello!

I've been thinking about the NRSV for a long time now. I love that it's more word-for-word than the NIV and that it's a reasonably popular edition. However, there isn't a huge chioce in terms of study bibles in the NRSV. So, I've also been looking at the NKJV.

I know that the KJV has lots of controversy surrounding it, but what about the NKJV? The NKJV is supposedly more word-for-word than the NRSV (Source: [url="http://www.zondervanbibles.com/translations.htm"][url]http://www.zondervanbibles.com/translations.htm[/url][/url]). I think the NRSV is roughly equivalent in terms of reading level to the NASB, but I'm British and think it would be best to get an English-spelling bible!

So - what are people's opinions on the NRSV and the NKJV?

Click here for an image I found on the Zondervan Bibles translation page, indicating how word-for-word bibles are. Would people agree with this?

Finally, is the NASB really that much more word-for-word than the NRSV, and if the KJV is supposedly so word-for-word, is it really that controversial? (And what are the actual issues concerning it?)

Thank you!

 

[Mr.Cheese]

The NASB is pretty literal. But there is no such thing as a word-for-word translation.
If you translated Greek word for word it would look ridiculous.
Here is an example of The Lord's Prayer Mt. 6:9-10

Father of us who in the heavens, be holy
the name of you
come the kingdom of you
become the will of you as in heaven and upon earth.

That is by far not the most messed up things can get either.

I would recommend owning both translations. I've no experience with the NKJV.
I like the NRSV. I've used it a lot. I've got the New Oxford Annotated Bible. My only issue with it is that the editor, Michael Coogan, is a minimalist and I don't subscribe to minimalism necessarily. So with the notes and essays you will have to take that into consideration. But I really like the translation.
Harper-Collins has an NRSV, but I'm not a fan of Harper's stuff.

 

[sedulous_samantha]

Thanks Mr. Cheese. Zondervan do a good NRSV Student Bible but they haven't updated it, like they have with the NIV Student Bible.

I've just seen an excerpt from the NKJV, and "labour" (British spelling) is spelt "labor" (American Spelling). So, despite being the New King James' Version, it uses American spellings. In which case I could just get over the A in NASB and read that! I didn't find it terribly difficult to read.

But I do like something about the NRSV. Does anyone know if that has British or American spellings?

 

[inhimitrust]

I started out with NIV and I like it a lot. They have come out with a NIV daily chronological bible that is fantastic and it is a lot better to understand in the order of the way events happened. It has an index on events, dates and page number so you can jump to a specific event time and read about. Index also has all the verses listed in oder of the bible and the page number for them.
Check it out sometime, I love it.

 

[sedulous_samantha]

Hi inhimitrust,

I've looked at the NIV and whilst I love that there are so many resources for it, I think that I would prefer a more word-for-word version.

I've been so stupid! I've just compared a passaged in the bible with the word "colour" in it, and only the KJV has the British spelling. Even the NIV and the NRSV have the American spellings! In which case, I could now go for an NASB - which I'm really liking at the moment. I quite like the life application bible!

 

[Mr.Cheese]

The NIV study bible is excellent. Not because it's NIV, but the information and notes are outstanding.

Zondervan makes good stuff that you can trust.

 

[ShirChadash]

We (DH and my family and I) use a great variety of Bibles. Of the standard versions, we prefer the NKJV for study for many reasons. I recommend it highly to anyone who intends to study the Written Word. Online Bible-version tools might be able to help you see the differences in how the verses are rendered in the various versions. Just in case you haven't seen these, here are two:

http://www.crosswalk.com/

http://www.blueletterbible.org/

 

[Caoimhin]

I have the NIV study Bible and I have the NRSV New Oxford Anotated Bible. I'd have to say I like the NRSV New Oxford the best out of any translation and I think it's the best study Bible. I found it to have much better footnotes than the NIV study Bible and it is more scholarly as well. Plus, you can get the Apocrypha version for, I think, $10 more or something like that, which is the one I have.

NKJV, I believe, is only updated in regards to word chioce, but the other flaws it has are still in there...I think. I've never read that translation so I can't be sure. Personally I like the NRSV New Oxford the best when it comes to actual Biblical Studies, but the NKJV might be better for casual reading if it's anything like the KJV. The KJV is a very poetic translation, which can spice up the Bible a bit, but if you're looking for a translation that is good for study I would say the NRSV.

 

[sedulous_samantha]

Thank you guys for all your help.

I think I've decided to go for the NRSV - but now I'm not sure which one to get! Take a look at my post here: http://www.christianforums.com/t684273

!! This is never-ending.

 

[ShirChadash]

sedulous_samanatha

Just a heads-up from my DH for you about the NRSV... if he recalls correctly, the NRSV is one of the versions that is gender-neutralized and a very liberalized, politically-correct version (which is fine if you're looking for that. Many people aren't and I just wanted to mention it to you just in case )

Apparently there are other concerns as well... i don't recall personally, either... it's been a while since we studied on Bible Versions, ourselves...

Here are some links you might want to look at, though... and if this is all a non-issue for you, please forgive me for addressing it; I just wanted to throw it out here in case it is of interest to you.

http://www.faithalone.org/journal/1990ii/Farstad.html
http://www.cbmw.org/resources/articles/genderneutral.php

views both for, and against, the version and the issues surrounding it:
http://www.bible-researcher.com/links12.html

 

[suzie]

samantha, this is the 3rd thread you have started on bibles. I am curious to why

 

[sedulous_samantha]

Because each thread is asking a very different question.

 

[Rising_Suns]

Thank you guys for all your help.

I think I've decided to go for the NRSV - but now I'm not sure which one to get! Take a look at my post here: http://www.christianforums.com/t684273

!! This is never-ending.

You can just do what I did; buy a few bibles and compare them.

 

[TomUK]

I would choose NKJV anyday over any other bible translation. A previous poster fell into the error of thinking the NKJV was just the AV with the speakeths etc changed. NKJV is a new translation and as archeologically (i can never spell that) as any other modern translation. However, in the same way as i can only ever feel comfortable with my personal bible, you will only ever feel comfortable with your own choice. I echo previous comments and buy one or two- even borrow some from a library. When buying my first bible i spent hours and hours choosing, and took a few back to the shop. Take your time, and let the Holy Spirit guide you. Remember why it is you're buying a bible.