Church History · 1901

The American Standard Version

The American Standard Version of 1901 was the American edition of the Revised Version. It is a very literal, word for word translation that uses the name Jehovah in the Old Testament. It became the foundation for the RSV, the NASB and other modern Bibles.

Read it in the Bible: Psalm 83:18 Exodus 3:15 John 3:16

The American Standard Version, or ASV, is an American edition of the Revised Version, published by Thomas Nelson and Sons in 1901. Its New Testament appeared in 1900. It came from the American scholars who had helped with the British Revised Version of 1881 and 1885 and wanted their own preferences included. The ASV is known for being very literal, word for word, and for using the name Jehovah almost 7,000 times in the Old Testament. It became the parent of the Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard Bible and, through the RSV, the English Standard Version. You can read the ASV on this site.

Where Did the American Standard Version Come From?

When the Church of England began revising the King James Bible in 1870, it invited American scholars to take part. An American committee, organized with help from Philip Schaff, began work in 1872. The Americans included scholars from Baptist, Congregational, Dutch Reformed, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Quaker and other churches.

They did their part by mail, sending suggestions to England. The British accepted some and put many others in an appendix. As part of the deal, the Americans agreed to wait before publishing their own edition. Meanwhile, unofficial American printings with the appendix readings mixed in began to appear. In 1901 the surviving members of the American committee released their authorized edition, which they called the American Standard Version.

How Is the ASV Different From the King James Version?

Like the Revised Version, the ASV is based on older Greek manuscripts such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. So it leaves out or marks some verses found in the King James. It also updates some words that had changed meaning since 1611, though it still uses thee and thou.

The ASV also made American changes to the British Revised Version. It used American spelling and word choices. And it made one change that stands out on almost every page of the Old Testament.

Why Does the ASV Use Jehovah?

The Hebrew Old Testament uses God's personal name, YHWH, about 6,800 times. Most English Bibles, including the King James, print it as LORD in small capital letters, following an old Jewish custom of not saying the name out loud. The ASV translators believed God's name should be shown. So they printed it as Jehovah, the common English form in their day.

For example, where the ASV reads Jehovah in Psalm 83:18, The Owner's Manual reads Yahweh, the pronunciation most scholars now believe is closer to the original.

May they know that You alone, whose name is Yahweh, are Most High over all the earth. Psalm 83:18

The ASV's choice was bold for its time, and many readers did not like it. Later revisions like the RSV and NASB went back to LORD. The Introduction to The Owner's Manual explains why TOM uses Yahweh.

Is the ASV a Good Translation?

The ASV is often called one of the most literal English Bibles ever made. That is its great strength and its weakness. It is excellent for careful study because it follows the Hebrew and Greek word order closely. It can also sound stiff and awkward. One common joke is that the ASV is accurate enough to study from, and wooden enough to build a deck with.

Many Bible students still love it. Because it is old, it is in the public domain, so anyone may copy and share it freely. That is one reason it is easy to find online and in Bible apps.

Which Bibles Came From the ASV?

The ASV became the starting point for many of the Bibles people read today.

Revised Standard Version, 1952: In 1929 the ASV's copyright passed to the group that later produced the RSV as a revision of the ASV.
New American Standard Bible, 1971: The Lockman Foundation revised the ASV to keep its literal style in more modern English.
Amplified Bible: It used the ASV as a base and added extra words to bring out shades of meaning.
The Living Bible, 1971: Kenneth Taylor paraphrased from the ASV for his children.
English Standard Version, 2001: It came from the RSV, so the ASV is its grandparent.

Why It Matters for You Today

The ASV is a reminder that faithful translators have always tried to bring readers closer to what God actually said. Some choose smooth English, some choose word for word accuracy. Both aim at the same thing: helping people hear God's Word.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Try reading John 3 in the ASV on this site and then in The Owner's Manual. Seeing the same verses side by side is one of the best ways to slow down and notice what the text is saying.

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Questions People Ask

What is the American Standard Version?

The American Standard Version is a 1901 English Bible made by the American scholars who helped with the British Revised Version. It is very literal and based on older Greek manuscripts. It is now in the public domain.

Why does the ASV say Jehovah instead of LORD?

The translators believed God's personal name, YHWH, should be shown in English rather than replaced by LORD. Jehovah was the common English form at the time. It appears almost 7,000 times in the ASV Old Testament.

Is the NASB based on the ASV?

Yes. The Lockman Foundation created the New American Standard Bible as a revision of the ASV, finishing the full Bible in 1971. The RSV of 1952 was also a revision of the ASV.

Is the American Standard Version still used?

Yes, though less than modern translations. Many Bible students use it for close study because it is so literal. It is free to share since it is in the public domain, so it appears in many apps and websites.

Sources

← The Revised Version: The First Big Update to the King James Topeka and the Azusa Street Revival: Pentecostals Are Born →

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