ABS Lectio Divina Revised Manual (Good News Bible)

ABS Lectio Divina Revised Manual

Lectio Divina is a method for the prayerful reading of the Holy Scriptures. This Lectio Divina manual includes a general introduction of Sacred Scripture, introduction to Lectio Divina, detailed description of the traditional steps of Lectio Divina, and practical exercises for prayerful reading of the Bible. This manual is a useful tool for both individuals and communities that desire to sincerely dedicate themselves to the exciting world of the prayerful reading of the Bible.

Hardcover. 115 pages. 9 1/2 x 7 1/2.

I haven't seen this yet, but hope to get a copy soon. My only gripe is with the choice of translation.  Why not utilize the NABRE or NRSV?  ABS publishes editions in both translations.   

"Your Bible" Series: Joshua's Good News Bible

My name is Joshua. I stumbled on Timothy's blog a few months back as I was researching a product. I have been a pretty loyal reader ever since. I'm Protestant (Southern Baptist for the most part). In the almost 20 years I have walked with Jesus, I have used many versions ranging from the colloquialism of The Living Bible to the traditional language of the KJV and RSV-2CE. Out of all these, one is really special.

I became acquainted with the Good News Bible* (GNB) 20 years ago. This occurred while on a trip to see relatives in Tennessee. While I was there, I saw a box of Bibles. I asked if I could read one during my stay. Reading it helped me see that the Bible was a special book and not just another thing to read. Before this, the only Bibles I had were the aforementioned KJV and Living Bible as well as the New International Version (NIV). After this, I started going to a Baptist church and got saved, giving my life to Christ. That Christmas, I got my own copy.

You might be asking yourself: Is there a need for the GNB when we have other versions such as the NABRE or NIV? I say yes and here’s why. It’s easy to understand. (I'm not saying it’s the easiest to understand. That title would go to the International Children's Bible. This is a Protestant translation written at a 3rd grade reading level.) This understandability helps clarify passages that can be difficult at times. On the down side, this isn’t a version suited for liturgical use or study. The second reason I like the GNB is the illustrations by Swiss artist Annie Vallotton. They are engrossing, drawing you into the text. For example, I’m reading through Ecclesiastes. At Ecclesiastes 1:14 there is a drawing that shows Solomon showing regret. This helps me to better understand what’s being said. The last reason I like the GNB is that it’s a version for everyone. It is available with the Protestant canon and in a Catholic edition. If you desire to get a copy, I would look for the 1979 edition. A 1992 revision added gender-inclusive language.

In short the GNB has been a blessing to me! I want to thank Timothy for allowing me to share my story and thoughts.

 *The Good News Bible is known as the Good News Translation (GNT) in the United States.

Thank you Joshua for sharing your story.  I am always looking for additional entries in the monthly  "Your Bible" Series, so please send an email to mccorm45(at)yahoo(dot)com if you are interested.  

A Reader Question on the GNT and Luke 1:28

Wondering if someone at the blog might know the answer to this question about the GNT. Does anyone know why is Luke 1:28 was translated as "Peace be with you" when all other translations (Prot or RC) have some form of the more accurate translation such as: "Hail, thou that art highly favoured" (KJV), “Greetings, you who are highly favored!" (NIV), "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." (NABRE), etc.?

I ask because the GNT is the fundamental translation used in most CCD programs and I always go to this verse when teaching about Our Lady's Immaculate Conception. VERY hard to use "peace be with you" in this regard and I a, surprised an imprimatur was granted without retranslating this verse at least for Catholic editions of the GNT Bible.

I know the GNT is not favored by Bible students and some accuse it of being a paraphrase. I do not want to get in all that...just wondering about the very unusual translation of that verse.

Another Year, Another Bible

So, last year, around New Years, I decided to give the NRSV-CE a good read through by using it as my primary Bible. I was faithful to this commitment, using the NRSV for personal devotions, work in ministry, as well as class work at the seminary. This lasted for more than six months, almost into August. For devotional reading, I utilized the NRSV-CE edition published by Oxford, while using the HarperCollins Study Bible for study.

I found the overall quality of the NRSV translation to be pretty high. In particular, I appreciated the nice mix between literal and dynamic renderings, certainly leaning more towards the literal end. And while the NRSV is not as literal as the original RSV, I found that to be a positive. In particular, I found reading through the OT to be very enjoyable. I think the text flows quite well, in both Testaments. Also, I appreciate the textual notes at the bottom of each page. They were very helpful. However, some of the excesses in inclusive language use bothered me at times. I am one who believes that it is appropriate to use some inclusive language, but I feel the NRSV is too much. (I think the NJB does a nice job overall.) In particular, the "Son of Man" renderings in the OT, by rendering them "mortals", obscures the messianic meanings behind them. Sure, I know that there may be some legitimate linguistic reasons for an inclusive rendering, but the fact that Jesus referred to himself as the "Son of Man" indicates that he read those OT inferences in that way. In addition, I am not sure changing a passage to the plural is always a good idea.

Also, while I mentioned above that I like the fact the NRSV provides many textual notes, the one thing I noticed is that many of them are simply the more literal Greek rendering. Oftentimes, those notes are the actual text in the RSV or even the NAB. There are a few other things that nag me, but I don't want to harp on the NRSV too much. Like I said, overall I think the NRSV is pretty good, but there are just some things about it that make me uncomfortable with it.

So, since on Sunday we begin a new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent, I have decided to do the same thing I did with the NRSV earlier in the year. But, what translation should I go with? Right now, I am seriously considering going with the new Emergent New Testament: The Voice! Actually no, I am just kidding. Truthfully, I am considering the NAB, which in all honesty, I have rarely used. (Of course I hear it every time I go to Holy Mass). I certainly own a few copies of the NAB, including the nicely made Fireside Librosario NAB and a leather 1990 edition of the Catholic Study Bible by Oxford. But, I am still considering which translation to go with. I am open for any of your thoughts! RSV-2CE?

In any case, I hope to blog about my experiences with whatever translation I decide to use. I would like to show, possibly on a weekly basis, how I have used it in study and ministry, along with insights from my daily devotional reading.

Update: I think I shall make the REB a candidate as well.

Update 2: Five additional translations I am considering are the RSV-2CE, NJB, NLT (Catholic Edition), Good News Translation, and the Christian Community Bible.

Update 3: Leaning towards the RSV-2CE.

Update 4: Now leaning nowhere!