The Bible in Translation: Ancient and English VersionsThe Bible has been translated more than any other piece of literature and is currently available in over two thousand languages, with several languages having numerous versions. Outlined here is the development of biblical translation, including a careful analysis of more than fifty versions of the Bible. One of the most respected living biblical scholars, Bruce Metzger begins this engaging survey with the earliest translations of the Old and New Testaments before proceeding to English versions dating from the eleventh century to the present. Metzger explores the circumstances under which each translation was produced and offers insight into its underlying objectives, characteristics, and strengths. Having served on a number of modern translation committees, his insights into the evolution of Bible translation flow not only from careful research, but also from personal experience. Students, pastors, and interested readers will discover the history of the written Word and gain useful insight into which modern translations best serve their own needs. |
Contents
Ancient Versions Intended Chiefly for Christians | 25 |
English Versions | 53 |
The British Revised Version 188185 and the Ameri | 99 |
Early ModernSpeech Versions | 105 |
Revision after Revision | 149 |
Simplified EasytoRead Versions | 163 |
Paraphrases of the English Bible | 175 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
alphabet American Bible American Standard Version Ancient Versions Intended Apocrypha Aramaic Armenian became Bible Society Bible translation Bishops British Chiefly for Christians Christ church Codex committee Contemporary English Version copies Coptic Corinthians dialect edition editor English Bible English translations English Versions Epistles example fourth century Genesis Geneva Bible God’s Gospels Greek Greek text Greek word Hebrew text Hexapla Holy included introduced issued Jerome’s Jerusalem Bible Jesus Jewish Jews John Julia King James Bible King James Version Latin Vulgate Living Bible London Lord Luke Matt Matthew meaning ment modern Modern-Speech Versions NIrV NRSV Old Latin Old Testament paraphrase passages Pentateuch Peshitta phrases preface printed produced Psalm publication published rendering Revised Standard Version Revised Version Roman Catholic scholars Septuagint sion Slavonic Smith Standard Bible style Syriac Targum Testa textual Thomson tion traditional trans twentieth century Tyndale Tyndale’s University Press verse Versions Intended Chiefly volume