For nearly four decades the Revised Standard Version of the Bible has been regarded as a basic text in many Universities, Colleges and Churches. Within the same period, however, many advances have been made in the field of biblical scholarship, and the Engish language has undergone numerous alterations in meaning. After fifteen years of intensive work, the New RSV reflects all these changes. The translation team for the New RSV is renowned throughout the academic world for its integrity and dedication to an accurate, unbiased and easily understood version of the Scriptures. Archaisms that the RSV retained have been replaced, the word order has been corrected where confusion was previously possible, inclusive language has been employed where common gender words were intended in the ancient languages and the clarity of the text for public reading has been improved. The New RSV Bible provides a text suitable for Bible reading and study, for the development of worship material and for the production of devotional guides to the Scriptures.