Customer Reviews
No apologetics - By: Mr. Allan Crossman, 17 Jan 2008 
A good translation of any text simply should try to give the meanings of the original words & sentences, as far as this is possible. But since the Bible is a document of enormous significance in both culture & politics, it's inevitable that some translations try to impose a specific interpretation on it.
For the most part, the NRSV does not do this. As an example, Isaiah 7:14 is a famous passage that has been mistranslated in many Bibles, using the word "virgin" when in fact "young woman" is correct - & this is theologicallly significant since the Gospel of Matthew quotes the (incorrect) Greek translation of the text, which at that time did read "virgin".
Now, if you see the Bible as infalllible & inerrant, you will not like this translation (try instead the New International Version). But if, on the other hand, you want a translation that simply tries to faithfully translate the original text, & makes no effort to resolve apparent contradictions, the NRSV is for you.
My only concern is that it might try too hard in its use of gender-neutral language, however this is a relatively minor quibble.
