The ASV (American Standard Version, 1901) and the RV (English Revised Version, 1881 New Testament and 1885 Old Testament) are closely related. The American committee worked as a partner to the British revisers, and the ASV largely followed the RV while adopting a set of American preferences. In short, the RV is the older British revision and the ASV is its American sibling, with a few notable changes in wording and style. Readers who want a 19th-century text with a strong literal tilt and who are comfortable with older English will find either one useful, and those who study the history of English Bible translation will find the pair especially instructive.
Background
The Revised Version grew out of a desire among British churchmen in the mid-1800s to update the King James Version in light of better Greek manuscripts and a century and a half of scholarship. The New Testament appeared in 1881 and the Old Testament in 1885, and the work was carried out by a large committee of Anglican and other scholars. It was intended as a revision of the KJV rather than a fresh translation, so much of the familiar phrasing survives.
The American Standard Version came out in 1901 from a committee of American scholars who had been invited to take part in the British project and who then set their own rules for the text. They kept most of the RV readings but changed a number of them to reflect American usage and their own judgments, and they published the result under the auspices of the American committee. The ASV was later revised in 1952 as the Revised Standard Version, which is a separate translation and not the subject of this comparison.
Translation Method
Both the RV and the ASV aim to stay close to the wording of the Greek and Hebrew, which is a word-for-word or formal equivalence approach. The result is a text that often preserves the sentence order and the repeated terms of the original, so a reader can trace a word from one verse to another. The trade-off is that some passages can sound stiff in English, because the translators chose consistency with the source over smooth idiom.
Because the ASV was built on the RV, most of its verses are identical or nearly identical to the older text. The differences that do exist tend to be about a word here or there, such as a preference for a particular rendering of a divine name or a shift in how a Greek term is handled. A reader who goes back and forth between the two will notice that the changes are deliberate and small, rather than a wholesale rewrite.
Reading Level and Style
Both texts read in the cadence of the King James tradition, with long sentences, archaic verb forms and a formal tone. Anyone used to modern English will need some time to adjust, and the older vocabulary can make certain passages feel distant. The style is dignified and rhythmic, which many listeners find well suited to reading aloud in worship.
The ASV is sometimes described as slightly more uniform in its handling of Hebrew and Greek terms than the RV, reflecting the American committee’s stated goals. That uniformity can make the ASV feel a little more consistent to read straight through, though the difference is subtle. Both are more demanding for a first-time reader than contemporary translations, and both reward patient reading with a close, literal sense of the original.
A Verse to Compare
Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.
(WEB)
This familiar verse shows the family resemblance between the two texts. Both keep the classic English shape of the King James tradition and render the divine name and the shepherd image in a formal, literal manner. A reader comparing the RV and the ASV will find the wording nearly the same, with the ASV reflecting its American committee’s preferences in a few small spots. The verse is a good reminder that the two revisions are cousins rather than strangers, and that the differences show up more in the margins of the text than in its central sense.
Who Should Use It
The RV suits readers who want a careful British revision of the KJV from the late 1800s, with its literal approach and its historical value. It is useful for comparing older English Bible texts and for seeing how scholars of the period thought about the manuscripts available to them. Its limits are the same as those of any formal translation: the English can feel dated, and some idioms are lost.
The ASV suits readers who want a literal American text from the same era, particularly those who prefer its consistent handling of certain terms or who are researching American Protestant Bible history. It shares the RV’s strengths and weaknesses, and it is most valuable as a companion to the RV rather than a replacement for a modern translation for everyday reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ASV just a copy of the RV?
No, though the two are very close. The ASV was built on the RV and keeps most of its readings, but the American committee changed a number of words to reflect their own judgments and American usage. The differences are real but relatively small.
Which one should I read for study?
Either can work for study, depending on your interests. Choose the RV if you want the original British revision, and the ASV if you are interested in the American committee’s choices. Many students compare both alongside a modern translation.
Are these translations still used in churches?
They are used less than they once were, but some congregations and scholars still rely on them. Most readers today turn to newer translations for everyday reading. The ASV and RV remain valuable for historical study and for comparing older English wording.
