Bible translation
Reina-Valera 1960 (RVR 1960): history, style and where to read it
The Reina-Valera 1960 is the most widely used Spanish Protestant Bible, a 1960 revision by the United Bible Societies of a line of translations going back to the sixteenth century. It is a word for word text in traditional Spanish. The RVR 1960 is not available in The Living Bread yet; the Nueva Versión Internacional is in the app, and the Reina-Valera 1909 is free here.
At a glance
| Full name | Reina-Valera 1960 |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | RVR 1960 |
| First published | 1960 |
| Publisher or sponsor | United Bible Societies (Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas) |
| Language | Spanish |
| Translation philosophy | Word for word |
| How it reads | Traditional Spanish, dignified |
| In The Living Bread | Not yet in The Living Bread |
Who made the RVR 1960 and when
The Reina-Valera story begins with Casiodoro de Reina, a Spanish monk who left Spain for Protestant lands and published the first complete Spanish Bible from the original languages in 1569, nicknamed the Bible of the Bear for the image on its title page. In 1602 Cipriano de Valera, who had been Reina's student, revised it, and the text became the standard of Spanish Protestantism.
Later revisions followed in 1862, 1909 and 1960. The 1960 revision, sponsored by the United Bible Societies, modernized spelling and updated passages while preserving the cadence that Spanish believers loved. It spread across Latin America and among Spanish speakers in the United States, and it is the Bible many churches still read from the pulpit.
How the RVR 1960 translates
The RVR 1960 stays close to the original wording, drawing on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament in the line of the earlier Reina-Valera, which also makes it a sibling of the King James Version in textual basis.
Readability and typical use
The Spanish is formal and sometimes archaic compared with everyday speech, which many readers love for its solemnity and others find distant. It is excellent for memorizing.
Strengths
Deep tradition, shared language across Latin America, and the verses that generations memorized.
Cautions, stated fairly
Some vocabulary is dated. Readers new to Spanish Bibles or younger readers may prefer a more contemporary version such as the Nueva Versión Internacional or the Nueva Biblia de las Américas.
Familiar renderings, in our own words
Many Spanish speakers know the Psalms and the Lord's Prayer by heart in this wording, so a different translation can sound unfamiliar even when it is more accurate to a modern ear.
Who should choose the RVR 1960
Choose the RVR 1960 for church tradition and memorization; use the NVI or NBLA in the app when you want contemporary Spanish.
Where to read the Reina-Valera 1960
Not yet in The Living Bread The RVR 1960 is not available in The Living Bread yet. We would rather say so plainly than send you to a page that cannot show it. In the meantime you can read the Nueva Versión Internacional, the Nueva Biblia de las Américas or the free Reina-Valera 1909. To read the RVR 1960 itself, go to its publisher, United Bible Societies (Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas) at unitedbiblesocieties.org.
Our AI answers and MCP server never quote copyrighted translations, only public domain text. Compare every translation to find the closest match to the one you were seeking.
Related translations
- Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI)Balanced. Contemporary, clear.
- New International Version (NIV)Balanced. Clear, everyday English.
- King James Version (KJV)Word for word. Early Modern English; majestic but older.
- New American Standard Bible (NASB)Word for word. Precise, a little formal.
- Berean Standard Bible (BSB)Balanced, leaning literal. Modern, clear.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I read the RVR 1960 in The Living Bread?
- Not yet. It is not available in The Living Bread. In the app you can read the Nueva Versión Internacional 2025, the Nueva Biblia de las Américas and the Biblia de las Américas, and the Reina-Valera 1909 is free here.
- What is the difference between Reina-Valera 1909 and 1960?
- They are two revisions of the same Spanish line. The 1960 revision, by the United Bible Societies, updated spelling and wording. The 1909 text is in the public domain.
- Who wrote the first Reina-Valera Bible?
- Casiodoro de Reina published the first complete Spanish Protestant Bible in 1569, and Cipriano de Valera revised it in 1602.
The Word became flesh
The RVR 1960 is one of many faithful ways into the same story. Whichever translation you choose, the point of Scripture is the One it gives you: Jesus Christ, who said that we are to love one another as he loved us. Read a little each day, read it with someone, and ask him to open the page.
Open the Bible readerGet the appAsk the BodyJesus Christ is Lord.
