The New NASB 2020 Edition
The Lockman Foundation first introduced the NAS translation of the Greek and Hebrew scriptures in the early 1970s. Since then, the 2020 edition is the third major update. Prior to this update, the last major update was in 1995. They have updated ’95 only minimally.
To understand the format of the NASB 2020 edition, be sure to read the “Explanation of General Format.” This will help you navigate footnotes that are quite rich in some places and sparse or minimal in other places. Understand quotation marks, italics, capitalization of words, small caps, asterisks, and abbreviations. Understanding the format will help YOU, the reader of this translation, to understand the meaning of the text with a greater degree of knowledge.
The NASB 2020 Edition
I have had a long time to read and get used to this translation, and one piece of advice I would give you before you start reading your nasb 2020 edition, you should read the foreword which explains…
- The Lockman Project Overview for the 2020 NASB
- The NASB 2020 goal and general philosophy and principles of translation.
The Bible I have has a genuine leather cover with gold lettering (embossed) on the spine, not the usual roman font but a newer, more comfortable clear San serif font.
Pros of the NASB 2020 Edition
- The paragraph format is perfect for reading, and the two-column text is what you typically find in most non-reading bibles. As of this writing they have not come out with a verse for verse.
- The NASB 2020 Edition Bible comes equipped with a very good A to Z topical reference that is excellent for word studies.
- I really like that they have included a section titled all of Jesus’ parables in the back. This is something only found in an older world publishing bible or a good study bible.
- The Bible maps are colorful and on heavy cardstock. They are not indexed but they are annotated.
- The tab is a little tight but not enough to hold the Genesis bible open on a flat surface. This is unusual for sure not being a premium bible. It is also a great asset for pastors and teachers or for home Bible studies.
Cons of the NASB 2020
- The 2020 edition of the NASB I have is not stitched, it’s a glue much like your hardcover and paperback books. With consistent use of this bible, it will eventually decompose within 5-15 years. This of course depends on how well you take care of this bible. If you leave it in your car, maybe only a year or two.
- One small annoyance of mine that I have is that the introduction to each book of the Bible is at the back of the book and not at the beginning of the books themselves. I’m a little lazy, okay?
- I’m not too crazy about the NASB 2020 gender accuracy, simply because the gender accuracy was not in the original Greek or Hebrew text. It’s not a game changer, they don’t actually change the meaning of the text.
- One thing I don’t like about the majority text is that it skips verses. The NASB 2020 edition does the same. In the sixth chapter of Matthew, he throws out the last part of the Lord’s Prayer.”For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” My footnotes tell me that late MSS add this. Well I went through all my majority text versions and they have this back included. So why are they removing verses that are already in the majority text?
NASB 2020 Edition Conclusion
Over all, this is a very good Bible translation and they are coming out with many different style bibles to choose from. I have a jumbo print which is great if you are older or need a jumbo print bible due to eye disabilities. It’s a good reading bible with no cross references, bible commentaries, or lots of footnotes slowing down your bible time reading.