1880s–1900s: The First Modern Revisions

1881–1885 — Revised Version (RV) The first major English revision based on newly discovered Greek manuscripts.

1901 — American Standard Version (ASV) An American update of the RV, extremely literal and influential on later translations.

1940s–1950s: Post‑War Scholarship

1946–1952 — Revised Standard Version (RSV) A modernized revision of the ASV, aiming for accuracy and literary quality.

1960s–1970s: Explosion of New Translations

1960–1971 — New American Standard Bible (NASB) Ultra‑literal, designed for close study.

1970 — New English Bible (NEB) A British translation using contemporary English.

1973–1978 — New International Version (NIV) Created by an international team; becomes the most popular modern translation.

1980s: Modern Language and Updated Traditions

1982 — New King James Version (NKJV) Updates KJV language while keeping its traditional textual base.

1989 — New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) An ecumenical update of the RSV, widely used in academic settings.

1990s: Readability and Fresh Approaches

1996 — New Living Translation (NLT) A full translation from Hebrew and Greek, focused on clarity and readability.

1995 — Contemporary English Version (CEV) Designed for simple, everyday English.

2000s: Precision and Literary Style

2001 — English Standard Version (ESV) A revision of the RSV with a more literal, formal style.

2004 — Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Introduces “optimal equivalence,” a blend of literal and dynamic translation.

2010s–Present: Digital Era and Refinement

2011 — Updated NIV Reflects modern scholarship and contemporary English usage.

2017 — Christian Standard Bible (CSB) A refined update of the HCSB with improved readability.

2021 — New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue) A major update to the NRSV with expanded manuscript research.

⭐ In One Line

Modern English Bible translations evolved from literal revisions of the KJV tradition into a diverse landscape of scholarly, readable, and digital‑era versions shaped by new manuscripts and linguistic research.