New American Standard Bible 2020 Update
Lockman Foundation
First published 2020
New American Standard Bible 2020 Update
The NASB 2020 Update is a comprehensive revision of the New American Standard Bible (NASB), retaining its reputation as the most literal English translation while updating archaic language, improving consistency, and incorporating advances in Hebrew and Greek scholarship. It is the fourth major revision of the original 1971 NASB.
History & Background
The Lockman Foundation published the NASB in 1971, with major revisions in 1977, 1995, and 2020. The 2020 Update was completed by a team of over 25 scholars and involved reviewing every word of every verse for clarity, accuracy, and readability — while maintaining the NASB's core commitment to maximum formal equivalence. The 2020 Update replaced 'he' and 'him' with 'they' and 'them' in genuinely inclusive contexts, a change that led John MacArthur to commission the Legacy Standard Bible.
Canon Proximity Rating
Standard 66-book Protestant canon. Most literal major modern English translation; 2020 revision incorporates latest Greek and Hebrew scholarship.