Home :: Books :: Religion & Spirituality  

Arts & Photography
Audio CDs
Audiocassettes
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Investing
Children's Books
Christianity
Comics & Graphic Novels
Computers & Internet
Cooking, Food & Wine
Entertainment
Gay & Lesbian
Health, Mind & Body
History
Home & Garden
Horror
Literature & Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Nonfiction
Outdoors & Nature
Parenting & Families
Professional & Technical
Reference
Religion & Spirituality

Romance
Science
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Sports
Teens
Travel
Women's Fiction
New American Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible

List Price: $14.99
Your Price: $10.19
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 >>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The scholars choice
Review: I have used several translations (NKJV, NIV, TEV, the "complete jewish bible", and even the Masoretic texts) and this is my personal preferance. The NASB stays true to the original hebrew as much as possible and does not lose the intended message as is sometimes the case with translations like the NIV. It may take some getting used to for those familiar with more loosely translated versions like the TEV but it is none the less my favorite translation. The only downside to the NASB is it does not give the chapter and verse notation of OT quotes found in the NT as do some other translations. All-in-all, it is still the holy word of God. Seek Him with all your heart and you will find Him.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good translation, but uses a poor Greek text
Review: I utilized the NASB as my primary Bible for several years. I did so as it is a very accurate translation. This can be seen by comparing the NASB with the word-for-word translation in an interlinear. Most often, the NASB compares very favorably with this literal translation.

However, depending on which interlinear one is using, there might be times that the NASB will differ significantly from the interlinear and even from other fairly literal translations like the KJV and NKJV. The reason for this difference is that the NASB is based on a "Critical Text" (CT) type of Greek text while many interlinears and the KJV use the Textus Receptus (TR).

The reason for the differences between these two Greek texts is very complex, and deciding which is the most accurate can take a lot of study. But wanting to have the most accurate Bible possible, I took the time to do such study. And in the process, I became convinced that the TR was to be preferred to the CT, and slightly better than the TR was the more recent Majority Text (MT).

So despite its literal accuracy, IMO, the NASB had a serious defect in being based on a less reliable Greek text. So now I utilize the NKJV or LITV, both of which are based on the TR.

I discuss this issue at length in my book difference Between Bible Versions. My book also has a full chapter review of the updated, 1995 edition of the NASB, along with reviews of over 30 other versions of the Bible.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best translations out there.
Review: The NASB is in the forefront of Biblical scholarship, and if you want to own only one copy of the Bible (word for word translation) and you are a non-Catholic Christian, then I would tell you to seriously consider this version (I would point Catholics towards the NRSV or NAB). The NASB does not use inclusive language, it is a very strict interpretation but flows smoothly, and also tends to favor the traditional phrasing.

The NASB has traditionally been awarded the title of "the most literally accurate translation", and while I don't believe this to be 100% accurate, I think it's close on the mark. The NASB does benefit from excellent scholarship, and from major advances in Biblical discovery from the last few decades. Throw in the benefit of the cost of this Bible, which is very inexpensive, and you have an excellent Bible to use for a long time. In addition, the concordance at the back of this bible is frosting on the cake.


<< 1 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates