1952 ADCode: RSVModern English
Revised Standard Version
Authorized by the National Council of Churches; updated archaic syntax while retaining the dignity of the King James tradition.
Historical Sources & Antecedents
What Texts and Translations Did This Version Use?
The foundational manuscripts, earlier translations, and polyglots consulted during compilation.
Subsequent Lineage & Revisions
Who In The Future Used This Translation?
Modern revisions, authorized successors, and descendants shaped by this text.
Curatorial Commentary
Historical Context & Textual Significance
A committee of 32 scholars chaired by Luther Weigle produced the RSV to replace both the 1901 ASV and KJV for public and private worship. The translators eliminated archaic second-person pronouns ("thee", "thou", "thine") except when addressing God in prayer. Its translation of Isaiah 7:14 as "young woman" instead of "virgin" provoked sharp theological controversy among fundamentalists, but the RSV became widely embraced by mainline Protestants and Catholic academies alike.
Textual Legacy & Impact:
Set the benchmark for mid-century ecumenical scholarly translation and direct basis for the ESV and NRSV.
Where Can You View Original Surviving Copies Today?
Known physical copies preserved in world archives and library vaults.
Yale Divinity School Library