Shall or Will

My usual reading Bible is NASB 1977. While reading in Rev. 21 this morning, I read the same NASB passage online and noticed "shall" had been replaced by "will." Do you suppose the change has to do with the relative disuse of "shall" in modern language? Or is one considered a better translation from the Greek? In English, "shall" used to carry a greater certainty, closer to an oath, which has significance in this passage.

In older English, “shall” carried a future tense with the first person, and an imperative with the second and third persons (hence the Ten Comandments’ “you shal,” not “will”), whereas “will” carried the exact opposite—a cohortative (first person imperative) with the first person and a future tense with the second and third persons.

You are probably right about the relative disuse of “shall” in more modern English. But the above describes the former nuance.

jwithnell,

I know your pastor, and I also know he is very proficient in Greek. He would be a very helpful resource for you.

I expect this revision aims to reflect more common American usage. It's very uncommon to hear shall in any context in North America today.

DTK said:

jwithnell,

I know your pastor, and I also know he is very proficient in Greek. He would be a very helpful resource for you.

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Yes, I have a marvelous pastor who is more than proficient in all the Biblical languages. I am a well-fed sheep but often field spur-of-the moment questions here when they have less pastoral import.

jwithnell said:

Yes, I have a marvelous pastor who is more than proficient in all the Biblical languages. I am a well-fed sheep but often field spur-of-the moment questions here when they have less pastoral import.

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Who is your pastor or what church do you attend? I am always looking for new pastors to listen to.

Chip Hammond at Bethel Presbyterian in Leesburg, Va. Here's the link to our sermon page.
https://www.bethelpres.com/sermons/

Much appreciated. I will give him a listen. You're not too far from my old neck of the woods. I grew up in SW VA.