Revised New Jerusalem Bible

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Revised New Jerusalem Bible
RevisedNewJerusalemBible.jpg
Full nameRevised New Jerusalem Bible
AbbreviationRNJB
NT  published2018
Complete Bible
published
2019
Textual basis Old Testament: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia with Septuagint influence.
New Testament: Novum Testamentum Graece 27th edition, i.e., "NA27."
Translation type Formal equivalence
Copyright2018, 2019 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd
Religious affiliation Catholic Church
Webpage www.dltbibles.com/the-rnjb
In the beginning God created heaven and earth. Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, with the spirit of God sweeping over the waters. God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light.
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

The Revised New Jerusalem Bible (RNJB) is an English translation of the Catholic Bible translated by the Benedictine scholar Henry Wansbrough OSB as an update and successor to the 1966 Jerusalem Bible and the 1985 New Jerusalem Bible .

Contents

The translation seeks to balance the fluid literary style of the original with a more formally equivalent rendering "suitable for reading out loud." [1] Additional differences from the earlier versions include rendering the Tetragrammaton as "LORD" rather than "Yahweh", using more gender-inclusive language, converting ancient systems of measurement and timing into modern metric equivalents, and reflecting shifts in modern English usage. [2] For instance, the use of ‘shall’ for an emphatic or prophetic future is now rare, being generally replaced by 'will', as in Isaiah 2:2: It will happen in the last day. [3]

The New Testament and the Psalms were first published separately by Darton, Longman & Todd in February 2018. The full Bible was released in July 2019, published by Darton, Longman & Todd in the United Kingdom and by Image in the United States. [4] [5] [6] Various Catholic Bishops' conferences in the English-speaking world using lectionaries based on the original Jerusalem Bible have begun to revise them with this updated text, including the Catholic Church in Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. [7]

Principles of revision

Henry Wansbrough presented three principles of revision in the preface to The Revised New Jerusalem Bible: that it be intelligible when read aloud, that it adhere to formal rather than dynamic equivalence, and that it use gender-neutral language. [8] However, the translation limits the use of gender-neutral language to personal pronouns referring to people of either gender (i.e., "Blessed is one who" rather than "Blessed is he who"). In so doing, it complies with the instruction of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued under Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI), which requires that the "natural gender of 'personae' in the Bible, including the human author of various texts where evident, must not be changed" and that the "grammatical gender of God, pagan deities, and angels according to the original texts must not be changed insofar as this is possible in the receptor language." [9] [10]

Whereas The New Jerusalem Bible and its predecessor The Jerusalem Bible featured the use of "Yahweh" some 6800+ times to render the Tetragrammaton, The Revised New Jerusalem Bible uses the word "LORD" in small capitals. This to conform with instructions from the Congregation for Divine Worship. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Another notable change is that it uses a modification of the Revised Grail Psalter for the Psalms rather than its own rendering. [11] [15]

Both The Jerusalem Bible and The New Jerusalem Bible were notable for their extensive footnotes. By comparison, the RNJB has far fewer and different notes from the previous versions, using instead the footnotes Wansbrough wrote for the 2007 CTS New Catholic Bible. [11]

Endorsement

The RNJB Bible text, introductions, and footnotes all carry the Nihil Obstat of Father John Hemer, Censor Deputatus, Appointed by the Department for Christian Life and Worship and the Imprimatur of the Archbishop George Stack, chairman, Department for Christian Life and Worship, a declaration that, for Catholics, the contents are "considered to be free from doctrinal or moral error." [16]

Adoption

In July 2021 the bishops' conferences of Australia and New Zealand stated that they would use the Revised New Jerusalem Bible as the basis for their new lectionary. Their previous lectionary had been based on the Jerusalem Bible . Stephen Lowe, the bishop of Hamilton and Secretary of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference, said that they had debated between adopting the English Standard Version Catholic Edition (ESV-CE) or the RNJB but had settled on the RNJB because it "uses inclusive language, and is based on the Jerusalem Bible translation, that is the current approved lectionary for New Zealand". [17] [18]

Criticism

Eamon Duffy, an Irish historian at Cambridge University, [19] [20] criticised the Revised New Jerusalem Bible for being "flaccid" and containing "casual inaccuracy" [21] and said that "The English Standard Version is more accurate, and reads better." [21]

Fr. Neil Xavier O'Donoghue, a theologian, [22] notes that while the original Jerusalem Bible had extensive footnotes, the RNJB does not. Indeed, the notes to the RNJB were originally composed by Henry Wansbrough for the CTS New Catholic Bible and are, O'Donoghue says, "squat", or relatively sparse. [23]

Nicholas King SJ , a tutor and fellow in New Testament studies at Campion Hall in Oxford University, [24] observes that there are some difficulties with the translation which include it not being translated by a committee which raises the difficulty "that when you try to set out the Gospels synoptically, it is very difficult to reflect the Greek adequately." [25] King also notices, in the translation, a "slight tension ... in the attitude to inclusive language in this volume." [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

Jah or Yah is a short form of יהוה (YHWH), the four letters that form the tetragrammaton, the personal name of God: Yahweh, which the ancient Israelites used. The conventional Christian English pronunciation of Jah is, even though the letter J here transliterates the palatal approximant. The spelling Yah is designed to make the pronunciation explicit in an English-language context, especially for Christians who may not use Hebrew regularly during prayer and study.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revised Standard Version</span> English translation of the Bible

The Revised Standard Version (RSV) is an English translation of the Bible published in 1952 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. This translation itself is a revision of the American Standard Version (ASV) of 1901, and was intended to be a readable and literally accurate modern English translation which aimed to "preserve all that is best in the English Bible as it has been known and used through the centuries" and "to put the message of the Bible in simple, enduring words that are worthy to stand in the great Tyndale-King James tradition."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Revised Standard Version</span> English translation of the Bible

The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) is a translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Published in 1989 by the National Council of Churches, the NRSV was created by an ecumenical committee of scholars "comprising about thirty members". The NRSV relies on recently published critical editions of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. A major revision, the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVue), was released in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Living Translation</span> English translation of the Bible

The New Living Translation (NLT) is a translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Published in 1996 by Tyndale House Foundation, the NLT was created "by 90 leading Bible scholars." The NLT relies on recently published critical editions of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English Standard Version</span> English translation of the Bible

The English Standard Version (ESV) is a translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Published in 2001 by Crossway, the ESV was "created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors." The ESV relies on recently published critical editions of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New American Bible</span> English-language Catholic Bible translation

The New American Bible (NAB) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1970. The 1986 Revised NAB is the basis of the revised Lectionary, and it is the only translation approved for use at Mass in the Latin Church Catholic dioceses of the United States and the Philippines, and the 1970 first edition is also an approved Bible translation by the Episcopal Church in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</span> 1966 English translation of the Bible

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</span> English translation of the Bible

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<i>Jerusalem Bible</i> 1966 Catholic English translation of the Bible

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<i>New Jerusalem Bible</i> 1985 Catholic English translation of the Bible

The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) is an English-language translation of the Bible published in 1985 by Darton, Longman and Todd and Les Editions du Cerf, edited by Benedictine biblical scholar Henry Wansbrough, and approved for use in study and personal devotion by members of the Catholic Church.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Truth Society</span> Prints and publishes Catholic literature

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jehovah</span> Vocalization of the divine name YHWH

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Wansbrough</span> English theologian, educator, priest

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Bible</span> Catholic Church canon of Bible books

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gender of God in Christianity</span> Gender Description of God in Christianity

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred Name Bible</span> Bible translations that use Hebraic forms of Gods personal name (YHWH)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">New American Bible Revised Edition</span> English translation of the Bible

The New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) is an English-language Catholic translation of the Bible, the first major update in 20 years to the New American Bible (NAB), which was translated by members of the Catholic Biblical Association and originally published in 1970. Released on March 9, 2011, the NABRE consists of the 1986 revision of the NAB New Testament with a fully revised Old Testament approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2010.

The Grail Psalms refers to various editions of an English translation of the Book of Psalms, first published completely as The Psalms: A New Translation in 1963 by the Ladies of the Grail. The translation was modeled on the French La Bible de Jérusalem, according to the school of Fr. Joseph Gelineau: a simple vernacular, arranged in sprung rhythm to be suitable for liturgical song and chant. All official Catholic English translations of the Liturgy of the Hours use the Grail Psalms.

References

  1. "The Revised New Jerusalem Bible Study Edition Translated by Henry Wansbrough". www.penguinrandomhouse.com. 2019-12-03.
  2. Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd, The Revised New Jerusalem Bible, accessed 2 July 2020
  3. Bible Readings for Advent and Christmas: The Sunday Mass scripture readings for December 2019 taken from the Revised New Jerusalem Bible, accessed 2 July 2020
  4. "The Revised New Jerusalem Bible". Liturgy.co.nz.
  5. "Revised New Jerusalem Bible: New Testament and Psalms". dltbooks.com.
  6. Neil Xavier O’Donoghue (18 July 2019). "The Word made comprehensible: is it time to revise the Lectionary?". The Tablet.
  7. "New Zealand helps with new lectionary project". www.cathnews.co.nz. 2021-05-10. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  8. The Revised New Jerusalem Bible: Study Edition. New York: Image. 2019. p. x. ISBN   978-0-525-57319-7.
  9. "Norms for the Translation of Biblical Texts for Use in the Liturgy | EWTN". EWTN Global Catholic Television Network. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  10. "Vatican Translation Norms Reject "Inclusive Language" The conflict over translation principles pits political accommodation against theological truth". Adoremus. 1997-07-15. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  11. 1 2 3 The Revised New Jerusalem Bible: Study Edition. New York: Image. 2019. p. xi. ISBN   978-0-525-57319-7.
  12. Francis Cardinal, Arinze (29 June 2008). "Letter to the Bishop's Conferences on "The Name of God"" (PDF). United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  13. "Letter to the Bishop's Conferences On the Name of God | EWTN". EWTN Global Catholic Television Network. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  14. EWTN. "'Yahweh' not to be used in liturgy, songs and prayers, Cardinal Arinze says". CNA. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  15. Gillis, John W. "Catholic Bibles: A Guide to Current Catholic Translations". MaybeToday.org. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  16. "RNJB Study Edition Preface (2019)". bibleversion.org. 2019. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  17. "Lectionary based on Revised New Jerusalem Bible". World Catholic News. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  18. "NZ and Australian bishops to cooperate new lectionary". CathNews New Zealand. Wellington. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  19. Duffy, Professor Eamon (2013-07-22). "Professor Eamon Duffy FBA". www.divinity.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  20. "Professor Eamon Duffy FBA". The British Academy. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  21. 1 2 Gledhill, Ruth (8 August 2019). "War of the Word: top scholars battle over Bible translations". The Tablet .
  22. Donoghue, Neil Xavier. "Neil CV.pdf".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  23. Donoghue, Neil Xavier. "Featured Review: Revised New Jerusalem Bible". The Furrow .
  24. Ryan, Tim (2019). "Review of Irish Parliamentarians: Deputies and Senators 1918 - 2018". Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review . 108 (430): 225–229. ISSN   0039-3495. JSTOR   10.35939/studiesirishrev.108.430.0225.
  25. 1 2 King, Nicholas. "The Revised New Jerusalem Bible, Study Edition". The Pastoral Review .