1. The Living Bible History of the Bible Spring 2014 Stephen Taylor

2. Front Cover of the Living Bible What stands out? - “Living” - “Paraphrased”

3. Thought for thought Preface to The Living Bible Paraphrased: “There are dangers in paraphrases, as well as value. For whenever the author’s exact words are not translated from the original languages, there is a possibility that the translator, however honest, may be giving the English reader something that the original writer did not mean to say. This is because a paraphrase is guided not only by the translator’s skill in simplifying but also by the clarity of his understanding of what the author meant and by his theology. For when the Greek or Hebrew is not clear, then the theology of the translator is his guide, along with his sense of logic, unless perchance the translation is allowed to stand without any clear meaning at all. The theological lodestar in this book has been a rigid evangelical position.”

4. Source for the Living Bible American Standard Version Bible

5. Kenneth Taylor Businessman that recognized a need for a Bible easily understood Little or no knowledge of Hebrew or Greek Founder of Tyndale House Named after William Tyndale Owns the rights to the Living Bible and the Living Translation

6. Kenneth Taylor 1957 – Began work on a Bible translation using “thought for thought” method, rather than word-for-word translation. 1962 – The Living Letters – Paul’s epistles 1964 – The Living Prophecies – Major and Minor Prophets 1966 – The Living Gospels – the Gospels 1967 – The Living New Testament 1967 – The Living Psalms and Proverbs 1968 – The Living Lessons of Life and Love – Ecclesiastes – Song of Solomon 1969 – The Living Books of Moses – The Torah 1970 – The Living History of Israel – Joshua – Esther 1971 – The Living Bible Paraphrased – The complete Bible in one volume

7. Page 179 of The Bible in Translation states: “ The Living Bible, Paraphrased, has enjoyed the most phenomenal distribution in publishing history. By the mid- 1970s, it had captured 46 percent of the total sales of the Bible in the U.S.A. By the close of the century, it had translated into nearly one hundred languages, together spoken by 90 percent of the world’s population, and forty million copies had been printed.” The Living Bible Paraphrased

8. Different editions of the Living Bible British version – adjust to fit the British forms of idioms The Way: Catholic Version The Book for Children The Bible for Children

9. Where is the Living Bible in the English Bible Family tree? Taylor paraphrased the American Standard Version The American Standard Version uses the King James Version as its source

10. Purpose for The Living Bible Paraphrased: Put the basic message of the Bible into modern language that could readily be understood by the typical reader without a theological or linguistic background.

11. Comparing with other translations Genesis 1:1 LB – When God began creating the heavens and the earth NIV - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. KJV - In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ASV - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The Message - First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t see.

12. Another translation comparison 1 Cor 6:12 LB - I can do anything I want to if Christ has not said no, but some of these things aren’t good for me. Even if I am allowed to do them, I’ll refuse to if I think they might get such a grip on me that I can’t easily stop when I want to. NIV - “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. KJV - All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. ASV - All things are lawful for me; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any. The Message - Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.

13. Last comparison Mark 1:4 LB - This messenger was John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness and taught that all should be baptized as a public announcement of their decision to turn their backs on sin, so that God could forgive them. NIV - And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. KJV - John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. ASV - John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins. The Message - John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins,

14. Interesting translations? 1 Kings 18:27 – “About noontime, Elijah began mocking them. ‘You’ll have to shout louder than that,’ he scoffed, ‘to catch the attention of your god! Perhaps he is talking to someone, or is out sitting on the toilet, or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!” 2 Samuel 13:20 – “Her brother Absalom asked her, “Is it true that Amnon raped you? Don’t be so upset, since it’s all in the family anyway. It’s not anything to worry about!” Acts 4:36 – “For instance, there was Joseph (the one the apostles nicknamed “Barny the Preacher”! He was of the tribe of Levi, form the island of Cyprus). John 9:34 – “You illegitimate bastard, you!” they shouted. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out.

15. Sources The Living Bible Revised Standard Version New King James Version The Bible in Translation