The Contemporary English Version:
God's Promise for the People of Today
A New Bible Translation. Thomas Nelson. 1,514 pages
ISBN 1 800 251 4000
Any new version of the Bible needs to be extremely good, or to fill some special niche, if it is to be valuable. Unless we keep to one version in churches and Sunday Schools, people will not learn the actual words of Scripture. Already there are so many versions in use that it is difficult for young people to have any particular phrases or verses stored up in their memories.
This version does not seem to this reviewer to be superior to those now regularly in use. It is 'designed to flow and feel like a novel.' Certainly it is very readable. The one-page summary of each book has an outline, numerous sub-headings, and some explanatory notes, including some black and white maps in the text.
No names of translators are given. It seems to be thoroughly orthodox but it contains some weak translations. One example: 1 John 1.5: 'Jesus told us that God is light and doesn't have any darkness in him. Now we are telling you.' Again in 2.1: 'But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing, and he will speak to the Father for us.' It cannot be recommended as an addition to the versions already in use.
