Featured NASB2020 Head-To-Head With ESV

Two members here think the NASB uses wooden English compared to what they consider the beautiful lilting language of the ESV. I'd like to put that theory to the test. I will use many of the same verse snips from my other thread --NKJV vs. NLT.

This thread concerns the 2020 NASB, but I am sure that the 1995 version would generally use the same kind of phraseology.

I'll use N to stand for the NASB2020 and E to stand for the ESV.

Luke 23:41
N : And we indeed are suffering justly
E : And we indeed justly

1 Cor. 9:16
N : I am under compulsion
E : necessity is laid upon me

1 Tim. 3:8
N : insincere
E : double-tongued

Acts 20:12
N : were greatly comforted
E : not a little comforted

Ro. 8:37
N : we overwhelmingly conquer
E : we are more than conquerors

Luke 18:34
N : the meaning of this statement was hidden from them
E : this saying was hidden from them

Philippians 3:1
N : it is a safeguard for you
E : is safe for you

 

Luke 21:14
N : prepare
E : meditate

Luke 1:48
N : the humble state
E : the humble estate

Acts 7:19
N : abandon their infants
E : expose their infants

1 Tim. 1:3
N : strange doctrines
E : different doctrines

 

Ro. 3:19
N : every mouth may be closed
E : every mouth may be stopped

Heb. 11:33
N : shut the mouths of lions
E : stopped the mouths of lions

1 Tim. 4:6
N : pointing out these things
E : put these things

1 Cor. 15:58
N : excelling in the work
E : abounding in the work

Acts 6:7
N : The word of God kept spreading
E : The word of God continued to increase

Luke 12:51
N : Provide peace on earth
E : Give peace on earth

Lk. 24:46
N : Christ would suffer
E : Christ should suffer

Ro. 14:11
N : every tongue will give praise to God
E : every tongue will confess to God

Ro. 12:11
N : not lagging behind in diligence
E : Do not be slothful in zeal

1 Tim. 1:5
N : the goal of our instruction
E : the aim of our charge

1 Tim. 5:19
N : Do not accept an accusation
E : Do not admit a charge

 

Yes, they endeavored to upgrade the language of the NASB in the 1995 edition. What's not fair about that assessment?

I got a kick out of your phrase "They wanted to update wooden language in the 95 edition." On the contrary, they wanted to remove the so-called wooden language.

 

Yeah, the NASB has taken a bad rap for that. The ESV is guilty of using stilted and awkward grammar despite hiring Leland Ryken as an English stylist. It was a rush job in the first place and their updates have only been micro-steps. They wanted to retain as much of the RSV wording as possible I guess. The translators need to remove the dead wood from the trail and truly make it a 21st century Bible version.

 

Luke 22:40
N : come into temptation
E : enter into temptation

Matt. 1:18
N : pregnant
E : found to be with child

1 Cor. 10:26
N : and all it contains
E : the fullness thereof

Acts 15:25
N : having become of one mind
E : come to one accord

2 Tim. 2:19
N : keep away from wickedness
E : depart from iniquity

Deut. 19:3
N : anyone who commits manslaughter
E : manslayer

Acts 15:18
N : things known from long ago
E : known from of old

Luke 1:15
N : wine or liquor
E : strong drink

Acts 2:3
N : looked like fire
E : as of fire

 

I distinctly remember that you agreed that the grammar of the ESV was off-putting a few years back when I made a thread containing scores of ESV examples.

 

Ro. 5:18
N : all mankind
E : all men

Matt. 4:19
N : fishers of people
E : fishers of men

1 Cor. 2:5
N : wisdom of mankind
E : wisdom of men

Eph. 4:8
N : gave gifts to people
E : gave gifts to men

Ro. 1:18
N : unrighteousness of people
E : unrighteousness of men

Luke 12:50
N : I have a baptism to undergo
E : I have a baptism to be baptized with

 

Luke 22:47
N : a crowd came
E : there came a crowd

Luke 1:53
N : sent the rich away empty-handed
E : the rich he has sent away empty

Matt. 24:32
N : Now learn the parable from the fig tree
E : From the fig tree learn its lesson

Ps. 37:1
N : Do not get upset because of evildoers
E : Fret not yourself because of evildoers

Luke 13:23
N : are there just a few who are being saved?
E : will those who are saved be few?

Luke 22:47
N : a crowd came
E : there came a crowd

1 Thess. 1;3
N : perseverance of hope
E : steadfastness of hope

Heb. 2:9
N : His suffering death
E : the suffering of death

 

Forms of the word steadfast in various Bible versions :

NLT : 0
CSB : 3
CEB : 7
2020 NASB : 8
NIV : 10
NET : 12
1995 NASB : 16
NKJV : 24
LEB : 30
ESV : 219

The ESV likes to retain older words. It's out-of-tune compared with other modern versions in that regard.

 

In the examples I cited of the 2020 NASB using inclusive language do you disagree with any of them? If so why?

A few decades ago there was a hue and cry about dropping thee, thou and thine. I think the flap about inclusive language is along the same order --nonsensical.

 

And it is certainly more readable than the ESV.

 

Manslayer

WEB : 0
2020 NASB : 0
LEB : 3
KJV : 3
NKJV : 13
WYC : 14
1995 NASB : 19
ESV : 20

Isn't that odd? The KJV only used the word 3 times; whereas the ESV used it 20 times.