NRSV vs NASB vs ESV (with Examples)

There are so many translations of the Bible available these days, it can be difficult just deciding where to jump in. There’s the NIV, ESV, NASB, KJV, HCSB, NRSV, and a whole lot more (check out this post if you’re looking into the NIV). But today we’ll start by comparing the NRSV vs NASB vs ESV, and we’ll include a few examples so that you can begin to get a taste for each translation.

You’ll find a range of opinions online (and in real life) about which is best, and different denominations often recommend different translations to their congregations, even though the differences are quite subtle.

I’ll begin with just a brief explanation of my own experiences as I think it’s only fair to be upfront as you’re looking for what’s right for you. Then I’ll jump into each specific translation and some of its general philosophy on translation. And finally, I’ll offer some actual examples from the three so that you can begin to get a feeling of each’s unique flavor.

Before I get into the weeds here, I want to recommend up front to remain open to multiple translations — even if you read one primarily. Then use tools like a concordance or Blue Letter Bible if you’re trying to understand the original Greek term. All of these translations are just that: translations. And all three translations we’re talking about are great.

My experience (and underlying biases)

I believe strongly that the Bible is a divine text, and I believe that God speaks through this book regardless of which translation you choose.

As for my history, I grew up going to a Presbyterian church and then my family bounced around to a lot of nondenominational churches. I’ve also regularly attended a Vineyard church, an Evangelical Free Church, and a Dutch Reformed Church.

I’m also skeptical of anyone who would suggest that there is only one correct translation as they’re all very close unless you start looking outside of the major translations (I consider all three of these as good, popular translations).

So no single translation is going to capture everything that the original had, and that isn’t really the point. The point is that each of them attempts to capture the essence and principles of the original text, and because we have so many source texts available, none of these translations have the ability to stray that far from the original text—it would be just too easy to dismantle a bad translation these days.

Nobody reads a piece of translated literature and says it’s heretical as there are always going to be different values revealed in translating a work. So I think as Christians we would do well to practice generosity toward each other, especially when there’s good reason to believe that people are attempting to do their work in good faith.

Galatians 6:10 says, in the NIV, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” We should be good to all people, but we should be even more careful to be kind to our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith.

The NRSV

The NRSV stands for New Revised Standard Version. The NRSV was produced with Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox scholars working closely together, so if you’re concerned about a specific strand of bias, this might be a good way of finding middle ground between different groups.

The NRSV is often used in undergraduate and scholarly contexts, and is also used in many liberal Protestant congregations.

Often, the Bible will write brothers where it really is a universal address. This is where the NRSV will translate to brothers and sisters. The original Greek only writes brothers, but I agree with the translators that the correct way of interpreting the passage is to include all people, so if this is helpful for you, then the NRSV may be a little easier to read.

The NASB

NASB stands for New American Standard Bible, and this is really the most word-for-word translation if you’re comparing the NRSV vs NASB vs ESV. Word-for-word means that the translators were trying as much as possible to translate each single word as its most direct counterpart in English.

This can often produce some strange sounding sentences because different languages use very different constructions and grammars, so although it may help you see what’s most likely the most direct word-for-word translation from the Greek and Hebrew, it isn’t the easiest translation to read.

When I was in college, I had a friend who was adamant that the NASB was the best translation, so I gave it a try, and it’s still what I read the most, but sometimes even I think that the NRSV or ESV or NIV would be more enjoyable and clearer at times. If you’re looking to grab a copy of the NASB, this is a good option from Amazon (and an added bonus if you use that link is that you won’t pay anything extra, and I may make a couple dollars over time!)

The NASB is most frequently read by Protestant denominations, but you can compare for yourself by opening the NASB and NRSV, and you’ll notice the differences aren’t major (keep reading for some direct comparisons).

The ESV

The ESV stands for English Standard Version and was originally a revision of the RSV (or Revised Standard Version), which was first produced in 1971. This is the most modern translation when considering the NRSV vs NASB vs ESV.

The range of perspectives that produced the ESV was more narrow than the NRSV. This might be a reason for you to prefer this translation if that perspective aligns with your own, or you may be looking for a translation that included Catholic and Orthodox perspectives. The purpose of this post isn’t to get into the details about divisions between congregations, but this post does explore some of the differences in perspective.

Even though there are differences between Churches, if you compare the translation side by side, even with difficult passages, you’ll find them oddly in line. I’m including some comparisons below, but I would encourage you to use some of the tools I link later to do this research on your own if you’re concerned that a translation will include too much bias.

As a general principle, the ESV, similarly to the NASB, attempts to be a word-for-word translation. But I put this after the NASB because although that is a central value of the translation, the NASB is more comfortable with clunky passages than the ESV. This makes the ESV slightly more accessible vs. the NASB, although both can be understood.

My current church, which is PCA, reads out of the ESV, so I picked up a cheap copy on Amazon myself recently (I just set up an affiliate link, so you won’t pay anything extra, but I may make a dollar or two if you use the link).

Examples (NRSV vs NASB vs ESV)

One of the most important factors in deciding which translation to use is which one you can connect with the most. Since I believe all three of these are great translations, the best translation is the translation that you’ll read the most often.

So let’s see a few examples!

As I’ve been reading a lot of the NASB over the past few years, I really like the way it begins the book of Hebrews. I think these few verses give a great idea of what the NASB feels like.

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

Hebrews 1:1–4, NASB

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Hebrews 1:1–4, ESV

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Hebrews 1:1–4, NRSV

I was about to include a passage that I’ve been wrestling with recently, but I didn’t want to impose difficulty on you where there isn’t, so I would recommend looking up a passage that you’re trying to unpack, and then plug it into Bible Study Tools so that you can see how different translations read.

This is possibly my favorite passage in the Bible, and since it’s short, I’ll include this as a comparison as well.

(as it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, that is, God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that do not exist. In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” NASB

Romans 4:17–18, NASB

as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

Romans 4:17–18, ESV

as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So shall your descendants be.”

Romans 4:17–18, NRSV

Since there are great ways to compare these translations on Bible Gateway or in the Bible Study Tools link above, I’ll let you do some more comparisons of some passages that you have deeper questions on.

Takeaways

There are differences between these translations, but as you can see in the examples above, even difficult passages look very similar. Commentaries may offer different perspectives, but the translations make it clear that going from the Greek to English is relatively direct.

I know I already said this, but my main objective here was to say that all three of these translations are great, so stop thinking too hard and start reading! I’ve read all three translations, though I have been primarily in the NASB the last few years, and when I do run into a difficult passage I like to look at other translations as well as choose a commentary or two from a trusted source.

I wanted to share one additional YouTube video that offers some good input on even more translations, but don’t let it get you bogged down more in the question. It may have a bit more flavor, but I think he does a pretty good job sharing some of the differences that I listed above.

At the end of the day, what matters is opening up the Bible and hearing God speak to you. I believe the Bible is the most important book you’ll ever read, so don’t wait to find the perfect translation because there isn’t one—they’re all just translations. And the NRSV and NASB and ESV are all good choices. God is powerful enough to speak to you through any of them. So I truly pray that you would pick a translation today and continue your journey of faith! Godspeed!

Appendix

One passage that almost everyone knows is Psalm 23, which even though I read the NASB more frequently, I tend to like the way the ESV captures this psalm. But here’s a comparison so that you can see what you like:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
    He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 23, ESV

The Lord is my shepherd,
I will not be in need.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23, NASB

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
    he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
    for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
    I fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    my whole life long.

Psalm 23, NRSV