Modern English Bible translations
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There are many attempts to translate the Bible into modern English which is defined as the form of English in use after 1800. Since the early 19th century, there have been several translational responses to the rapid spread of Christianity throughout the world. Various denominational and organizational goals have produced, and continue to produce, Bibles that fit the needs of English speakers in all walks of life. Differing base texts, theological emphasis, style, and translation aims (e.g. readability vs literality) are just a few of the variables that contribute to the wide range of Bibles available today.
As this diagram illustrates there was a long gap between the creation of the King James Version of the Bible and the Revised Standard Version. The formal equivalence translations have now been continued with new versions of the Revised Standard, the American Standard and the King James.
One of the biggest changes in the late 20th century was the appearance of Bibles which were much less literal in their translation style, a translation technique known as dynamic equivalence. This was led by the introduction of The Living Bible, published by its author, Kenneth Taylor in 1971. Taylor had begun quite simply because of the trouble his children had in understanding the literal (and sometimes archaic) text of the King James version of the Bible. His work was at first intended for children, but then he wondered if he could also make it easier for adults to understand the whole Bible. He took as his basis the literal American Standard Version of 1901, and what he produced was a dramatic departure from the King James version. It proved to be a watershed in Bible translations, awaking the world to the advantages of dynamic equivalence. However, although The Living Bible is regarded by many as a good translation, it has received a lot of criticism as well.
In spite of this widespread criticism, The Living Bible opened the floodgates to a less literal style of translation. Realizing the immense benefits of a Bible which was more easily accessible to the average Christian, and responding to the criticisms of the Living Bible, the main English-speaking Bible societies came together to produce a brand new Bible in this more readable style: thus was the Good News Bible born; this translation has gone on to become one of the best selling in history.
Another project aimed to create something in between the very literal translation of the King James Bible and the very informal Good News Bible. The goal was to create a Bible that would be very scholarly, but not too formal. The result of this project was the New International Version.
Today, there is a range of translations running the full gamut from the most literal, such as the New American Standard Bible to the most free such as The Message and The Word on the Street.
[edit] 18th and 19th century Translations
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Cholloner's revision of the Douay-Rheims Bible | 1752 |
| Quaker Bible | 1764 |
| Thomson's Translation | 1808 |
| Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible | 1830 |
| Webster's Revision | 1833 |
| Brenton's English Translation of the Septuagint | 1851 |
| Ferrar Fenton Bible | 1853 |
| Young's Literal Translation | 1862 |
| Julia E. Smith Parker Translation | 1876 |
| Revised Version | 1885 |
| Darby Bible | 1890 |
[edit] 20th and 21st century Complete Bible
[edit] King James Version and derivatives
The King James Version of 1611 still has an immense following, and as such there have been a number of different attempts to update or improve upon it.
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| AKJV | American King James Version | 1999 |
| NAV | The New Authorized Version | 1998 |
| CKJV | Children's King James Version | ? |
| KJ21 | 21st Century King James Version | 1991 |
| KJV2000 | King James 2000 Version [1] | 2000 |
| MKJV | Modern King James Version [2] | 1999 |
| NKJV | New King James Version | 1982 |
| RNKJV | Restored Name King James Version | ? |
| UKJV | Updated King James Version [3] | 2004 |
[edit] American Standard Version and derivatives
In America, one of the primary versions has been the American Standard Version and versions which stem from it, shown in date order:
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| ASV | American Standard Version | 1901 |
| RSV | Revised Standard Version | 1952 |
| RSV-CE | Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition | 1966 |
| NASB | New American Standard Bible | 1971 |
| NRSV | New Revised Standard Version | 1989 |
| RcV | Recovery Version | 1999 |
| ESV | English Standard Version | 2001 |
| WEB | World English Bible | In progress |
[edit] New English Bible and derivatives
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| NEB | New English Bible | 1970 |
| REB | Revised English Bible | 1989 |
[edit] New International Version and derivatives
The biggest selling version of the 20th century has been the New International Version, which has appeared in a number of different editions:
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| NIV | New International Version | 1978 |
| NIrV | New International Reader's Version | |
| TNIV | Today's New International Version | 2005 |
| NIVI | New International Version Inclusive Language Edition (NIVI) |
[edit] Dynamic translations
One of the most notable aspects of the latter half of the 20th century was the appearance of translations which took a much more dynamic approach to translation.
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| TLB | The Living Bible | 1971 |
| GNB | Good News Bible | 1976 |
| CEV | Contemporary English Version | 1995 |
| GW | God's Word | 1995 |
| NLT | New Living Translation | 1996 |
| MSG | The Message | 2002 |
[edit] Internet-based translations
The New English Translation is a project to publish a translation of the Bible using the Internet. It is freely available and accompanied by extensive translator's notes.
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| NET | New English Translation | 2005 |
[edit] Simplified English Bibles
There have been a number of attempts to produce a Bible which greatly simplifies the English. (Some of these versions are also listed in other categories: for example, the NIrV is also found under the NIV section). These are translations which are not necessarily a very dynamic translation, but go beyond simply everyday English into a restricted vocabulary set, often aimed at non-native speakers of English.
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| BBE | Bible in Basic English | 1949 |
| BWE | Bible in Worldwide English | 1969 |
| EEB | EasyEnglish Bible | 2001+ |
| ERV | Easy-to-Read Version (previously English Version for the Deaf) | 1989 |
| SEB | Simplified English Bible | ? |
| NCV | New Century Version | 1991 |
| NIrV | New International Reader's Version | 1998 |
[edit] Catholic translations
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| D-R | Douay-Rheims Bible | 1752 |
| WVSS | Westminster Bible | 1936 |
| SCM | Spencer New Testament | 1941 |
| CFY | Confraternity Bible | 1941 |
| Knox | Knox's Translation of the Vulgate | 1955 |
| KLNT | Kleist-Lilly New Testament | 1956 |
| JB | Jerusalem Bible | 1966 |
| NAB | New American Bible | 1970 |
| NJB | New Jerusalem Bible | 1985 |
| CCB | Christian Community Bible | 1986 |
[edit] Jewish translations
- Main article: Jewish English Bible translations
The Jewish community have always chosen to have their own translations of the Bible with their own emphasis:
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Artscroll | Artscroll Tanakh | 1996 |
| JP | Judaica Press | 1963 |
| JPS | Jewish Publication Society of America Version | 1917 |
| NJPS | New Jewish Publication Society of America Version | 1985 |
[edit] Translations Published by Jehovah's Witnesses
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| NWT | New World Translation | 1950 |
| LivEng | The Bible in Living English | 1972 |
[edit] Other translations
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| AB | The Apostles' Bible | |
| ACV | A Conservative Version | 2005 |
| ALT | Analytical-Literal Translation | |
| AMP | Amplified Bible | 1965 |
| The Bible in Living English | 1972 | |
| CJB | Complete Jewish Bible | 1998 |
| HCSB | Holman Christian Standard Bible | 2004 |
| ISV | International Standard Version | In progress |
| Jubilee2000 | English Jubilee 2000 Bible | |
| Lamsa | Lamsa Bible | 1933 |
| LITV | Green's Literal Translation | |
| MLB | The Modern Language Bible (New Berkeley Version) | 1969 |
| Moffatt | A New Translation of The Bible | 1935 |
| Murdock | James Murdock's Translation of the Syriac Peshitta | |
| NLV | New Life Version | 1986 |
| Orthodox | Orthodox Study Bible | |
| TMB | Third Millennium Bible | |
| TSB | The Story Bible | |
| Twenty | Twentieth Century New Testament | |
| VW | A Voice In The Wilderness Holy Scriptures | 2003 |
| Volksbibel (The People's Bible) | 2005 | |
| The Bible in a More Just Language | 2006 |
[edit] New Testament only
| Abbreviation | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Gaus | The Unvarnished New Testament [4] [5] | 1991 |
| CPG | Cotton Patch Gospel [6] | 1968-1973 (4 vols) |
| WET | Wuest Expanded Translation | 1961 |
| Phi | Phillips New Testament in Modern English | 1958 |
| God's New Covenant: A New Testament Translation (by Heinz Cassirer ISBN 0-8028-3673-9 | 1989 | |
| McCord's New Testament Translation of the Everlasting Gospel (by Hugo McCord) |
[edit] See also
- Comparison of English Bible translations - comparing verses, in the many different Bible versions is often the best way to judge a translation
- Jewish English Bible translations
- Bible translations - for a view of translation into languages other than English.
- Bible errata
