The RSV and the NABRE are both serious, scholarly English Bibles, but they come from different traditions and aim at different readers. The Revised Standard Version (RSV) is a Protestant-led revision of the 1901 American Standard Version, produced to stay close to the original languages while keeping much of the familiar King James cadence. The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) is the Catholic Church’s official English translation for the United States, built for liturgy, study and the Catholic canon of books. Choose the RSV if you want a close, traditional literal style that Protestant and ecumenical readers often value. Choose the NABRE if you pray and study within the Catholic tradition and want a translation that matches your Mass readings and Catholic study notes.
Background
The RSV appeared in 1952 as the work of a committee of American Protestant, Catholic-invited and Jewish scholars, building on the earlier American Standard Version. It was revised again in later decades, and a Catholic edition that includes the deuterocanonical books followed, which many readers know as the Catholic Edition. Its roots lie in the mid-century effort to produce a common English text that churches across different traditions could share.
The NABRE is the modern revision of the New American Bible, the translation approved for use in the liturgy of the Catholic Church in the United States. Its revision was published in stages, with the New Testament and Psalms completed in the early 2000s and the full Bible following. Catholic bishops oversaw the work, and the translation carries the Catholic canon, including the books that Protestant Bibles omit. Its notes and introductions are written from a Catholic perspective.
Translation Method
Both translations are essentially formal equivalence texts, meaning they aim to follow the wording and structure of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek closely rather than rewriting each sentence in fresh modern phrasing. The RSV leans toward a more literal rendering and tends to keep older English constructions, so readers who know the King James Version will recognize many of its rhythms. The NABRE is also careful with the original text but allows more modern English sentence shapes, which can make some passages read more smoothly on a first reading.
That difference shapes the reading experience. A close literal text rewards slow study, because the odd word order can prompt you to notice details a looser version would smooth away. A more modern phrasing makes the flow of a narrative easier to follow at a glance, which many people find helpful for liturgical reading and devotional time. Neither approach is simply better; each makes a different trade-off between literal precision and natural English.
Reading Level and Style
The RSV reads in a formal, slightly archaic register. Its vocabulary is generally accessible to adult readers, but the older sentence patterns can feel dense to someone new to Scripture. Many people who grew up with older English Bibles find it comfortable, while newer readers sometimes need a moment to adjust to its phrasing.
The NABRE uses contemporary English with a clear, measured tone. Its sentences are generally easier to read aloud and to follow in a group setting, which suits parish study and catechesis. Because it was prepared for public proclamation as well as private reading, many readers find its style clean and direct.
A Verse to Compare
Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.
(WEB)
This familiar opening of the shepherd psalm shows the difference in approach clearly. The RSV keeps a sentence structure close to the Hebrew, with the shepherd image stated plainly and the older English phrasing intact. The NABRE presents the same claim in more current English, so the statement that the Lord is the shepherd and nothing is lacking reads more naturally at first hearing. Both versions say the same thing, but the RSV invites you to pause over its construction while the NABRE moves you more quickly into the meaning.
Who Should Use It
The RSV suits readers who want a traditional, literal English text and who are comfortable with a more formal style. It is widely used in academic and ecumenical settings, and its strength is a close tie to the original languages. Its limit for Catholic readers is that it is not the translation used in Catholic liturgy in the United States, so it may not match the readings you hear at Mass.
The NABRE suits Catholic readers who pray with the lectionary, follow Catholic study notes and want a translation that matches the canon and tradition of their Church. Its clear modern prose makes it approachable for groups and beginners. Its limit is that some readers find its phrasing less literal than they would like for close word study, so it works best alongside a more formal text when deep analysis is the goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the RSV a Catholic Bible?
The RSV was produced by a largely Protestant committee, and its standard edition omits the deuterocanonical books. A separate Catholic Edition includes those books, but the NABRE is the translation officially approved for Catholic liturgy in the United States.
Which is easier for a beginner to read?
Most beginners find the NABRE easier because its sentences follow current English patterns. The RSV’s older style is readable but can feel more demanding on a first pass.
Can I use both together for study?
Yes, and many students do. Reading the same passage in a formal text and a modern one helps you notice both the wording of the original and the meaning a clear English sentence conveys.
