How outdated is the Spanish of the Reina-Valera Bible?

Question

I've been told by native Spanish speakers that the Reina-Valera Bible (even the 1960 edition) sounds old fashioned and stuffy. It's one of the reasons our pastor uses other translations.

But when I read the different versions of the Bible, I'm struck by how similar they sound. To me, the primary difference stems form the use of the vosotros verb form. From what I understand, this is a regional difference rather than an example of outdated language.

If there are other persistent differences, my Spanish isn't mature enough to detect them.

So is the Reina-Valera outdated or just representative of a dialect not often heard in the Americas?

Answer 1

First, it's important to clarify that there are many different versions of the Reina-Valera Bible. The Wikipedia article explains that the first version was published in 1569, and there have been many versions since. However, when people talk about the RVR, they are generally referring to the 1960 version. Since 1960 there have been additional revisions (the RVR1995 and the Reina Valera Contemporánea), but as far as I know the 1960 version is still the most commonly used.

The RVR does have more than just regional differences. For example, in the notes for the Reina Valera Contemporánea, the translators explain five aspects that have been updated:

Orden sintáctico - Esta revisión respeta el orden sintáctico del castellano para que su lectura sea más fluida y natural.

Conserva los versículos alineados al margen izquierdo – Para facilitar el estudio de las Escrituras, y la búsqueda y memorización de versículos clave.

Actualización de palabras arcaicas o en desuso.

Revisión de términos y pasajes difíciles de comprender - Los textos complicados y difíciles de comprender que pueden llevar al lector a una errónea interpretación, han sido revisados para hacerlos más comprensibles.

Actualización de nombres propios al castellano moderno.

So according to them, the 1960 Reina-Valera has a less fluid syntactical order, words that are archaic or in disuse, passages that are difficult to understand or easy to misunderstand, and proper nouns that don't reflect modern usage.

The vosotros form is one noticeable difference from modern Latin American Spanish, but there are other major differences (for example, the use of the future subjunctive or archaic words).

One site I found has a very polemic tone but explains some aspects of the RVR versions that could be misleading or confusing to modern readers.

In my experience with Spanish Bibles, I've been told that the RVR corresponds to the KJV (majestic but archaic), the LBLA corresponds to the NASB or ESV (literal word-for-word translation philosophy), and the NVI corresponds to the NIV (more of a thought-for-thought translation philosophy). As just one comparison, see Matt. 6:34:

Así que, no os afanéis por el día de mañana, porque el día de mañana traerá su afán. Basta a cada día su propio mal. (RVR1960)

Por tanto, no os preocupéis por el día de mañana; porque el día de mañana se cuidará de sí mismo. Bástele a cada día sus propios problemas. (LBLA)

Por lo tanto, no se angustien por el mañana, el cual tendrá sus propios afanes. Cada día tiene ya sus problemas. (NVI)