Ask the Elder: What is the NRSVue Bible?
Photo: Gerald Farinas.
Across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), a quiet but significant shift is occurring in the pews and at the lectern. Many congregations are transitioning to the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue). As a denomination that values an educated clergy and a thinking laity, this move reflects our historical commitment to engaging the Bible with both our hearts and our minds.
The 1989 NRSV has been the gold standard for PC(USA) seminaries, liturgy, and curriculum for over three decades. However, the NRSVue is not a brand-new translation but a meticulous revision of a revision. It aims to provide the most accurate English text possible by incorporating the last thirty years of archaeological and linguistic progress.
One of the primary drivers for this update is the integration of the full Dead Sea Scrolls and other Judaean Desert texts. When the original NRSV was published, many of these fragments were not yet fully available to the public or translated. By using these ancient manuscripts, the NRSVue can often get closer to the original intent of the biblical authors.
For example, in many Old Testament passages, the NRSVue uses more precise language for ancient rituals. What was previously called a sin offering is now frequently rendered as a purification offering, which more accurately reflects the Priestly tradition of the Hebrew Bible and the function of the Tabernacle and Temple.
The PC(USA) has long championed a Gospel that recognizes the full dignity and equality of every person. The NRSVue aligns with these denominational values through several key linguistic updates. While the original NRSV pioneered the use of brothers and sisters for the Greek adelphoi, the NRSVue goes further to ensure women’s roles in the early Church are not obscured. In Romans 16:1, for instance, Phoebe is clearly identified as a deacon rather than the more diminutive deaconess.
Furthermore, to avoid defining people by their physical or mental conditions, the update shifts from labels like paralytics or epileptics to people afflicted with paralysis or people having epilepsy.
The NRSVue also now capitalizes Jewish holy days such as Passover and Sabbath, acknowledging the sacredness of these traditions and our shared heritage with the Jewish people.
While the NRSVue is the primary text for our denomination’s official resources, the PC(USA) is not a one-translation Church. We recognize that different versions of the Bible serve different roles in the life of faith, and our denomination does not discriminate against other translations that have shaped our history. For instance, many still cherish the King James Version (KJV) for its timeless poetic qualities. The KJV remains a powerful liturgical tool, especially in the Psalms, where its cadence and majesty have provided comfort to generations of Presbyterians.
Our history with diverse translations stretches back to the very roots of the Reformed tradition. The earliest Presbyterians and Scottish Covenanters used the Geneva Bible, a translation famous for its study notes and its influence on the Protestant Reformation before the KJV gained prominence. This legacy of seeking the best available text continues today.
Many of our congregations also utilize the New International Version (NIV) for its balance of readability and scholarship, or the Common English Bible (CEB) for its contemporary and accessible phrasing. For personal devotion and as a supplement to Bible study, many Presbyterians find fresh insights in the paraphrased language of The Message or the culturally resonant storytelling of the First Nations Version, which presents the Gospel through the lens of Indigenous cultures and traditions. These translations work alongside the NRSVue to provide a fuller picture of the biblical narrative.
The adoption of the NRSVue is a practical application of the Reformed motto Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda—the Church reformed, always being reformed. By updating the language we use to hear God's Word, we ensure that our worship remains grounded in the best available scholarship while speaking clearly to the world today.
Whether in a formal service of the Word or a small group Bible study, the NRSVue provides a bridge between the ancient world and our modern context, helping us to better understand the Sacraments, the Gospel, and our call to serve the world in Christ's name.
