The Holy Bible: American Standard Version (ASV)

Annotated History & Bibliography

Read the American Standard Version

Overview

The American Standard Version (ASV) of 1901 is the American recension of the British Revised Version (RV, 1881–85). It preserves the literary cadence of the King James tradition while incorporating nineteenth-century advances in Hebrew and Greek textual scholarship and a careful, word-for-word translation philosophy (often called “formal equivalence”).1 The ASV became a scholarly and devotional mainstay in American Protestantism and served as the textual base for several twentieth-century revisions, notably the RSV (1952/71) and NASB (1971).2

Origins (1870–1901)

In 1870 the Church of England authorized a comprehensive revision of the KJV. British revisers invited American scholars to collaborate; when final decisions diverged, the Americans agreed their preferred renderings would be printed in an appendix to the RV for a fixed term, after which the Americans could issue their own edition embodying those preferences.3 After the RV Old Testament appeared in 1885, the American Committee continued meeting and, at the end of the agreed period, published an American edition through Thomas Nelson & Sons: the Revised Version, Standard American Edition—soon universally called the American Standard Version (1901).4

Textual Basis & Translation Character

For the Old Testament, the ASV follows the Masoretic Hebrew text, with cautious notes where ancient versions suggest variant readings. For the New Testament, the ASV inherits from the RV a reliance on the best critical Greek texts then available (reflecting newly collated manuscripts rather than the older “Textus Receptus” that lay behind the KJV). The result is a translation that is more strictly literal in many places while retaining the dignified English of the Tyndale–KJV line.5

Distinctive Renderings

Two well-known features distinguish the ASV. First, the divine name (the Tetragrammaton) is consistently rendered “Jehovah” rather than LORD/GOD. The American revisers argued that avoiding the Name in English owed more to tradition than to the biblical text itself and that restoring the Memorial Name honored the Old Testament’s own usage.6 Second, the ASV normalizes key terms: for example, it uses Sheol (instead of alternations like “grave/pit/hell”) where the Hebrew warrants it, and it modernizes certain grammatical forms and spellings where clarity requires.7

Reception & Legacy

The ASV was praised for its fidelity and became a study Bible of choice for many pastors, missionaries, and seminary students in the early twentieth century. Its textual and stylistic profile proved influential: the Revised Standard Version explicitly identifies itself as an authorized revision of the ASV, and the New American Standard Bible (Lockman Foundation, 1971; updates 1995, 2020) was commissioned as a conservative, literal update of the ASV’s wording and methods.8 Modern open-license projects (e.g., the World English Bible) also trace their lineage to the ASV’s text, updating language while keeping its essentially formal style.9

Public-Domain Status & Modern Use

In the United States, the 1901 ASV text is in the public domain, enabling wide distribution in print and digital formats and encouraging responsible modernization projects and study tools built upon it.10 For readers today, the ASV rewards careful study: it is transparent to the original languages, reverent in tone, and—despite some period diction—a faithful companion for preaching, teaching, and devotion.

Annotated Bibliography (Chicago style)

1) “Preface to the American Edition” (1901). Authoritative primary document from the American Committee explaining the rationale for American preferences, the restoration of “Jehovah,” the uniform use of Sheol, and selected grammatical updates. Essential for understanding the ASV’s philosophy and the scope of departures from the RV.11

2) Encyclopaedia Britannica, “American Standard Version.” Concise scholarly overview of the ASV’s relationship to the RV and its place in the history of English Bible translation.12

3) “Preface to the Revised Standard Version” (1971). States plainly that the RSV is an authorized revision of the ASV and summarizes the textual-critical developments motivating further revision; useful for tracing ASV → RSV continuity and differences (including treatment of the divine name).13

4) NASB Prefaces & Summaries. Historical statements (Lockman/Blue Letter Bible; Bible-Researcher) describing the NASB as a conservative, literal update of the ASV, with notes on translation aims and later revisions.14

5) BibleGateway, “ASV Version Information.” Handy summary (publisher, dates, consistent rendering of “Jehovah,” and list of ASV-based revisions) and a hosted public-domain ASV text.15

6) eBible.org — ASV PDFs & Rights Note. Provides a complete, freely downloadable ASV with a clear “Public Domain” designation—useful when confirming reuse rights for digital projects and apps.16

7) World English Bible (WEB) — Official Site. States directly that the WEB is an updated revision of the ASV (with majority-text NT adjustments) and is itself public-domain; demonstrates the ASV’s ongoing influence in contemporary digital publishing.17

Footnotes

  1. On the ASV’s place in the KJV–RV–ASV line and its formal style, see Britannica and the ASV prefaces. ↩
  2. RSV and NASB dependence on ASV is explicit in their prefaces and historical notes. ↩
  3. The 14-year appendix agreement and American preferences are described in the ASV preface. ↩
  4. Publication details and renaming to “ASV” are summarized in standard references. ↩
  5. RV/ASV critical-text orientation vs. KJV’s Textus Receptus is discussed in the RSV preface and historical surveys. ↩
  6. See the ASV preface’s defense of rendering the Tetragrammaton as “Jehovah.” ↩
  7. Uniform use of Sheol and selected grammatical updates are set out in the ASV preface. ↩
  8. RSV preface; NASB prefaces and scholarly summaries. ↩
  9. WEB project documentation explicitly cites the ASV as its base. ↩
  10. See eBible.org’s ASV distribution page noting “Public Domain.” ↩
  11. Preface to the American Edition (1901), esp. sections on “Jehovah,” Sheol, and grammar. ↩
  12. American Standard Version, Encyclopaedia Britannica (overview article). ↩
  13. Preface to the Revised Standard Version (1971), opening paragraphs and notes on the Divine Name. ↩
  14. NASB prefaces (Lockman/Blue Letter Bible) and Bible-Researcher summary. ↩
  15. BibleGateway, “ASV — Version Information.” ↩
  16. eBible.org, ASV PDF directory (“Public Domain” notice). ↩
  17. worldenglish.bible — WEB About/FAQ. ↩