New Testament
£8.11
Good news! - Monsignor Kings original title for his translation was The Interactive New Testament and in a way I think he should have stuck with it, as the commentary pieces and study materials that regularly punctuate the main body of biblical text really are integral to his project, they really do help you to think about what you have just read and to deepen your interaction with the living breathing text of the New Testament. In this regard it reminded me of a book called Search The Scriptures published by IVP which also asks you to think for yourself rather than take the spoon-feeding approach of many study Bibles. The New Testament text was written not just to be read but to change lives and it was also, as Monsignor king points out in the introduction, a text that was heard collectively by its intended and mostly illiterate audience and not studied privately by individuals. Which is probably why King has largely removed the chapter and verse numbering system, although they do appear at the head of paragraphs so you can compare his version to your current edition of the Bible. I guess the perfect use for this translation, and one I assume Mgr King intends, would be for corporate study in small groups with the New Testament being read out loud and then followed by a study session and/or discusion, reflection and prayer. That this is the intended use of his interactive New Testament also explains Nicholas Kings approach to the translation itself which sticks as close to a literal rendering into English of the original Greek texts as possible including the grammatical errors of its first century authors, this lends to the biblical text a renewed freshness and vigour when read out loud but can look idiosynchratic when read on the page. It therefore goes without saying that this isn t an academic or scholarly translation in the mold of traditional versions of the scriptures such as the RSV, NIV or JB, it is experential and therefore unsuited to detailed study and is not really designed to replace your current Bible but to complement it(when I first heard about this translation I immediately thought of Ronald Knox but Mgr Kings approach is radically different!). Even though this translation has been produced by a Jesuit Priest it could easily be of benefit to protestant groups especially in regard to evangelistic Alpha style courses for which one feels it would be excellent. Monsignor Nicholas King is currently working on a translation of the Old Testament to which I look forward with great anticipation as this experential approach to the scriptures really is new, bold and fresh. This is a wonderful new tool for the church which has recieved high praise from senior churchmen of many denominations, highly recommended!
Interesting... - This is a very interesting NT especially if you know at least some Greek! I don t think it could or should be your main NT but as a supplement to another translation it is excellent. The notes are generally helpful, much better than many study bibles.To correct/clarify one of the other reviews: his initial translation was done at hight speed but time was later spent correcting this.
Oxford Jesuit s Bible - Nicholas King s work is not some super-accurate nor literal translation. His main objective is for the reader to recieve the freshness of the original. True, it does read like no other bible. Sometimes this bible reads like Young s Literal Translation, sometimes like the horrendous Protestant paraphrase The Message. He often goes for horrible modern idioms, other times he practically transliterates words in the manner of the Douay Rheims. King has deliberately produced this NT at high speed, again this is supposed to give freshness but accordingly don t think this is some ultra-painstaking Jesuit feast of accurate scholarship.One feature that seems unique is that King regularly interupts the text with in-text discussion (in italics) this is a nice feature and adds to reader enjoyment and understanding. From his notes I discern King is a conservative and also quite ecumenical. You may have gathered that this NT seems popular with bishops from other denominations and is even for sale in some evangelical bookshops.You could never use this work as a serious work of scholarship for apologetics. King s work is too idiosyncratic. I wouldn t recommend it unless you like collecting versions like me. Apparently King is racing through a translation of the Old Testament. It will certainly be fresh but will he take enough care? Probably not, its not his avowed intention. He wants to translate the first impression that he gets, believing this is a valid approach.I can t ultimately endorse King s project, but I will read his NT from time to time. Concentrate on the RSV, it s the version everyone used in all the English speaking universities of the world until the wretched politically correct NRSV flopped onto the scene.I was disappointed with this Bible s text size which is quite small.
A really good way to read the Bible - Nicholas King, in this version, tries to render a version of the New Testament that is as close to the original Greek and Hebrew text as he could manage. I was advised about a number of versions of the Bible whilst on a local Alpha course, and was intrigued about this version but was unsure of whether or not I would enjoy reading the Bible as a book, having only dipped into it during church services. I really wanted to read the New Testament as it was originally written and this version allowed me to do just that.Nicholas King has, in this version, removed the majority of the verse numbering from the text – only numbering sections, not individual lines – allowing the reader to immerse himself into the text without being interrupted by numbers. Nicholas King’s interesting interjections interspersed into the text allows the reader to analyse the sections, should the reader wish to, alternatively the reader may pass over these texts and continue reading the scripture without interruption.Overall this is a very refreshing alternative translation to the multitude of Bibles written in modern English. The style is eminently readable, whilst remaining close to the original text, each gospel and letter retaining its original style and rhythm. I would recommend this translation to anybody who is approaching the Bible for the first time, or for a seasoned reader who is trying to find new interpretation, or direction from which they wish to approach it.