Source: https://opened-heart.com/tag/nasb-update/
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 18:41:38+00:00

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IN CASE YOU ARE UNAWARE, the Lockman Foundation is in the process of updating the New American Standard Bible translation. I’ve been following their progress for awhile now. In September, they started posting passages from the new version on their Facebook page. I’m regularly checking the status of their progress and posting it to my blog post: “New American Standard Bible (NASB) – 2020 release news.” Check it out.
Rob Oberto, D.Min, is the award-winning author of Intimacy with God, available from Amazon. ©2018 Rob Oberto, All Rights Reserved.
The Lockman Foundation Translation Committee is currently in the process of updating the NASB. This update was originally slated for release in the 2018–2019 time-frame, but starting on September 12th, 2018, the Lockman Foundation is posting passages on their Facebook page identified as NASB 2020. So, you can go there, check it out, and thoughtfully join in the discussions. Be gracious, especially if you disagree with a decision they made.
The order of these passages is the order in which they were released by The Lockman Foundation.
I was pleased to learn that the NASB 2020 will continue to capitalize pronouns and names pertaining to God, few translations still do. For example, when the Holman Christian Standard Bible translation was updated to the Christian Standard Bible in 2017, they dropped the capitalization (see my: The “Christian Standard Bible” 2017 Review).
The reason often cited for not capitalizing the personal pronouns pertaining to God is that some references are ambiguous. However, there aren’t many of those. Instead of not capitalizing any, I would prefer that these pronouns not be capitalized when there is doubt, but capitalized when the reference clearly is to God. I find this practice gives God more respect, and it helps the reader to more easily understand the verses.
One of the big, emotionally charged issues in Bible translation today is how to translate the Greek word ἀδελφοί (brothers). Updated releases of the New International Version (2011), the Christian Standard Bible (2017), and others have, in many instances, changed the historical translation of “brothers” or “brethren,” to “brothers and sisters.” The NASB 2020 is doing the same. We’ll look at this in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, and then samples of gender related changes to the word “man” in Romans 2:1-11 and Micah 6:8.
Personally, I prefer “brethren” in these instances because it reflects ancient unity among Christians, whereas “brothers and sisters” subtly perpetuates a modern division. However, I understand our times and the challenge that translators face.
But do you suppose this, you foolish person [O man] who passes [when you pass] judgment on those who practice such things and yet does them as well [do the same yourself], that you will escape the judgment of God?
The Hebrew word here is “Adam.” In this verse, and elsewhere in Scripture, the word Adam is being used collectively to represent all of fallen humanity. The verse emphasizes God as the divine and holy Creator, over against the created and fallen Adam and his descendants, particularly Israel. For this reason, I believe the original “O man” is clearer. Interestingly, the New International Version reads “O mortal,” which may be the best word choice of all. I think “a human” is noticeably awkward.
I like the language here. It makes clear that it was “assumed” that He was cursed by God, but He was bearing our curse.
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed [engaged] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was [kept] pondering what kind of greeting this was.
It’s interesting that they changed “engaged” to “betrothed” because the word engaged is common usage in our culture. However, our engagements are not legally binding as was their betrothals, which required a divorce to end one. The betrothal period was usually a year. During this time the husband prepared a place for them to live, usually by adding a room onto the husband’s father’s house, the couple would marry after the room was ready. This is why Jesus said: “I go to prepare a place for you…and will come again to receive you to Myself,” (John 14:2-3 NASB).
The use of “infertile” instead of “barren” in verse 36, makes the condition immediately clear to today’s reader.
The change from “bondslave” to “slave” is an interesting one. “Slave” is more accurate to the Greek, but the English term “bondslave” helps us to better understand Mary’s meaning. Slavery in the Mosaic Law was limited to the repaying of debts, and it was limited to a period of six years. At the end of the six years, if the person was well treated, he could decide to stay with the “employer” for life. In calling herself a slave, Mary considered herself a servant of God for life.
What’s particularly interesting is that the NASB 2020 is switching from “bondslave” to “slave,” while the 2017 [Holman] Christian Standard Bible update switched from “slave” to “servant.” Slave is most accurate to the Greek word. However, from our perspective “bondservant” is closer to the practice of the culture.
I have mixed views on the 2020 version of this passage. Some changes are welcomed, some unnecessary, and others are wordy. Again, I have put the 2020 translation in bold and bracketed the current version. You can make up your own mind about them.
1 So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.
3 It is the Lord your God who is going to [will] cross ahead of you; He Himself will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua is the one who is going to [will] cross ahead of you, just as the LORD has spoken.
4 And the LORD will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them.
5 The LORD will turn them over to [deliver them up before] you, and you will [shall] do to them in accordance with [according to] all the commandments which I have commanded you.
The welcomed changes are: “told” in v. 2; “And” in v. 4; “turn them over to,” and “will” in v. 5; and “abandon” in v. 6.
The unnecessary changes are: “Himself” in v. 3; “in dread of” and “desert” in v. 6.
The wordy changes are: “will” to “is going to,” twice in v. 3; “according to” to “in accordance with” in v. 5; and “goes” to “is going” in v. 6. I hope these wordy changes will not be made throughout the NASB 2020, as these are inferior choices. However, it does appear, from Colossians 2:8-15 below, that a blanket change throughout the update from “according to” to “in accordance with” is being made.
14 And the Word became flesh, and made His home [dwelt] among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only 𝘚𝘰𝘯 [begotten] from the Father, full of grace and truth.
16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
The changes in verse 15 are weak. Someone “calling out” has a less intensity than one “crying out.” “Is coming,” has a less prophetic emphasis than the original “comes after.” “Proved to be my superior,” is weaker than emphasizing rank because God the Son didn’t prove anything by being eternal in divine nature. He ranked higher because of it.
1 The Lᴏʀᴅ is my light and my salvation; Whom should I fear? The Lᴏʀᴅ is the defense of my life; Whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 If an army encamps [Though a host encamp] against me, My heart will not fear; If [Though] war arises [arise] against me, In 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 this I am [shall be] confident.
4 One thing I have asked from the Lᴏʀᴅ, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lᴏʀᴅ all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lᴏʀᴅ And to meditate in His temple.
5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; He will hide me in the secret place of His tent; [In the secret place of His tent He will hide me]. He will lift me up on a rock.
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer sacrifices in His tent [in His tent sacrifices] with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lᴏʀᴅ.
7 Hear, O Lᴏʀᴅ, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and answer me.
9 Do not hide Your face from me, Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the Lᴏʀᴅ will take me up. 11 Teach me Your way, O Lᴏʀᴅ, And lead me on [in] a level path Because of my enemies [foes].
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my enemies [adversaries], For false witnesses have risen against me, And 𝘵𝘩𝘦 violent witness [such as breathe out violence].
13 I certainly [would have despaired unless I had] believed that I would see the goodness of the Lᴏʀᴅ In the land of the living.
The translation choices here miss the poetic placement and strength of the 1995 translation. For example, verse 5 originally emphasized God’s personal protection of the psalmist, the new wording emphasizes the tent. I don’t think the psalmist is as interested in being in a tent as he is in being protected by God. If you want to emphasize something, especially in poetry, you place it last in the sentence. The correct emphasis is also lost in verse 8. The change in verse 12b also blunts the original wording: “such as breathe out violence.” And verse 13 also loses poetic power. And the change from “enemy,” in several verses, has less poetic punch than “adversary” or “foe.” However, I do like verse 3 where “host” is changed to “army.” That’s the only change I’d keep.
8 See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition [according to the tradition of men], in accordance with [according to] the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with [according to] Christ.
11 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised [up] with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
14 having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
There are few changes in this passage. I would have preferred that only “human tradition” in verse 8 and “every” in verse 9 were made. In current culture, the word “offense” has little significance as people are offended by almost anything, and the latest offenses are determined at the speed and whimsy of Twitter. The original word “transgression,” or as most all translations read “trespasses,” is more accurate to the legal perspective of our wrongdoing against God’s Law. We don’t offend the Law. We are dead in our sins because we broke or transgressed the God’s Law.
2 “My servant Moses is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
3 Every place on which the sole of your foot steps [treads], I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.
5 No one [man] will 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 oppose [stand before] you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not desert [fail] you nor abandon [or forsake] you.
6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may achieve [have] success wherever you go.
8 This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will achieve [have] success.
There are just a few changes here. They’re pretty good.
The 2020 update looks to be a more significant release than their 1995 update. Overall, there are the gender neutral language changes. In addition, some changes are good, some are irrelevant, some are wordy, and some are poor. It’s pluses and minuses. For me, there are more minuses than pluses.
This post is a work-in-process. I will continue to pass along news of the upcoming release. So check back regularly.
While you’re here, check out my latest blog posts.

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