After 25 years of searching for the best Bible translation—and never feeling fully satisfied—I finally decided to try something different. Instead of chasing the latest edition, I went backward. Surprisingly, I’ve fallen in love with the NASB 1977. Not the 1995 revision. Not the 2020 update. The original 1977 edition.
It’s All About the Prepositions
The first thing that caught my attention was the prepositions. The NASB 77 uses more of them than modern translations, and that matters. These little connecting words make a big difference. They clarify when a topic is continuing, identify who is being addressed, and show what is actually happening in a passage.
Modern versions often smooth these out for readability—but in doing so, they sometimes sacrifice precision.
It Doesn’t Dumb Down the Vocabulary
The NASB 77 also isn’t afraid to use what I call “big boy words.” You might have to use a dictionary now and then, but that’s a good thing. This translation chooses the most accurate English equivalents for the Greek and Hebrew, even if they aren’t the simplest.
Example: “Licentiousness” vs. “Wickedness”
Consider Jude 4 in the NASB 77:
“For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
Most newer translations substitute the word licentiousness with wickedness or immorality. But licentiousness is a much more precise term. It means seeking permission to do evil—wanting evil to be socially accepted. That’s far worse than simple wickedness, which is evil for evil’s sake. Licentiousness is evil with a public relations campaign.
And if you think about today’s moral climate, that distinction matters. So much of modern immorality isn’t just tolerated—it demands validation. That’s exactly what licentiousness captures, and why it’s such a vital term.
Better Words = Better Bible Study
When your Bible chooses better words, your study becomes sharper. You see the weight and nuance of Scripture more clearly. That’s why I’m sticking with the NASB 77. It may not be trendy—but it’s true. And for me, that’s what matters.
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