Outlines the historical development of biblical translation, including analyses of over fifty versions of the Bible.

The Bible in the English language is among the great achievements of all time, not only as a masterpiece of inspired writing but as a witness to the place of the Scriptures in the life of the English-speaking peoples, and Bruce's work, recognised for 30 years as the best on its subject, documents its history and shows the impact of some of the translations on the use and development of the English language. Formerly The English Bible, this comprehensive study of the various English translationsof the Bible is again available in paperback. The author traces the story from the earliest partial translations in Saxon times, through Wycliffe, Tyndale and The King James Version, to the publication of such contemporary versions as The New English Bible, The New American Standard Version, The Living Bible, and The Good News Bible. Authoritative and highly readable, this remains one of the standard works on its subject.

In this dazzling reconsideration of the language of the Old and New Testaments, acclaimed scholar and translator of classical literature Sarah Ruden argues that the Bible’s modern translations often lack the clarity and vitality of the originals. Singling out the most famous passages, such as the Genesis creation story, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Beatitudes, Ruden reexamines and retranslates from the Hebrew and Greek, illuminating what has been misunderstood and obscured in standard English translations. By showing how the original texts more clearly reveal our cherished values, Ruden gives us an unprecedented understanding of what this extraordinary document was for its earliest readers and what it can still be for us today.

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

The ORIGINAL GOSPELS presents a very literal English translation of each of the four Gospels from the most ancient manuscripts. Although this translation is literal, it uses a modern English vocabulary, grammar and syntax. There is an introductory chapter on the life and times of Jesus in first century Palestine. It draws upon selections from such ancient writers and historians as Josephus, Philo of Alexandria, Tacitus, Suetonius, Dio, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the ancient Talmud. This historical background sets the stage for what unfolds in the gospels. All of the ancient theologians agreed that Matthew originally wrote in the native tongue of Palestine - Aramaic (also known as Syriac). This book translates the oldest Aramaic manuscripts directly into English. It includes numerous footnotes with alternate definitions of key Aramaic words, to help the reader fully appreciate what Jesus said and did - these Aramaic words have been transliterated into English characters to give the reader an idea of how they were pronounced. Many ancient and medieval sources claimed that MARK was written in Latin at Rome, rather than Greek. The very best Old Latin manuscript, the Codex Vercellensis, which has NEVER been previously translated into English, is now available for the first time! Lost portions of the Vercelli book have been replaced with readings from closely related Old Latin manuscripts, including the nearly identical Codex Sangallensis (n). The reader will discover that the Old Latin version lacks the "difficult" readings that plagued the Greek text, such as Mark 3:21, which said that the followers of Jesus thought He was out of his mind. LUKE and JOHN were indeed written in Greek, but only in the last 50 years have second century manuscripts been found. Unlike other manuscripts, these copies are nearly complete. Luke has been translated from Papyri 4 and 75, and John from Papyrus 66. The lacunae from these manuscripts have been filled in from the Codex Vaticanus, a 4th century text. Disputed and latter-day corrupted readings have been appended in separate sections at the end of each Gospel along with notations as to which of the other ancient manuscripts support them. Like the text of Matthew, the reader does not need to know Latin or Greek to appreciate the translation of Mark, Luke and John. This book was designed for pastors, teachers and students who desire to have a deeper understanding of what Jesus said and did according to the four evangelists.

This popular and accessible account of how the Bible has been preserved and transmitted for today's readers is now available in trade paper.