The Revised Version, Standard American Edition of the Bible, commonly known as the American Standard Version (ASV), is an American revision of the English Revised Version (RV) of 1881-1885.

Historical Information

Produced by an American committee that worked alongside the British RV committee. It incorporated preferred American readings into the RV text. Published in 1901, it became known for its formal equivalence (word-for-word) translation philosophy and consistent use of "Jehovah" for the Tetragrammaton (YHWH).

Usage

Base text for the World English Bible (WEB) and World English Bible Catholic Edition (WEBC). Also the basis for the Revised Standard Version (RSV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), Amplified Bible, and the Living Bible paraphrase.

Trustworthiness

Considered a highly literal and scholarly translation for its time, based on the Westcott-Hort Greek text (NT) and the Masoretic Text (OT). While accurate, its English style is now considered somewhat archaic and occasionally stiff. It served as the basis for several important later translations (RSV, NASB, Amplified Bible) and paraphrases (Living Bible). Its copyright has expired, placing it in the public domain.