ORDER HERE: www.njvbible.com/shop?ref=hli MORE REVIEWS: holylanguage.com/bibles Based on the same ASV translation as the New American Standard but with a simpler vocabulary and sentence structure. Some Hebrew names and keywords but not too many. Has the name of God in Hebrew but is respectful towards Judaism. Looks and feels like a real Bible. The NJV takes first place in our recommendations for both Messianic and Hebrew Roots Bibles!
WOULD YOU SUGGEST THIS AS A PRIMARY OR A SECONDARY BIBLE? WHY?
The NJV is ideal as a primary Bible to carry around and read from on a regular basis because it contains the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, is literal enough to be used as a study Bible, and is large enough to be easy on the eyes when reading but not so large as to be clunky.
HOW'S THIS VERSION'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE JEWS AND JUDAISM?
In short, excellent. The New Jerusalem Version belies a deep familiarity with Jewish customs and sensibilities.
For instance, the books of the Hebrew Bible are in the Jewish order rather than how they were later rearranged by Christianity. Similarly, the books are called by both their Hebrew and English names and the chapters and verses follow the Jewish numbering with the alternative Christian numbering in brackets. Personal names and words close to the Jewish heart are also transliterated so as to retain their original resonance. Even the name "Jerusalem" is a reminder of the centrality of the holy city in the prayers and history of the people of Israel.
The NJV also introduces Christians to the Hebrew roots of their faith in a way that teaches a respectful attitude towards the Jewish people. For instance, when speaking of the holy name of God the tradition of saying "Adonai" or "Hashem" is encouraged. In the Shema prayer it's explained that the "baruch shem kavod" line is said quietly. The traditional blessing for lighting the Shabbat candles is given, along with an alternative. And the Torah portions are listed in the back for those who would like to experience the world's first Bible reading program, compliments of the synagogue.
Whilst the NJV does have some Jewish features, they're not so abundant as to make it foreign to Christians. When the Hebrew names of books of the Bible are used, the English is included also. Most personal names retain their English pronunciations, with only a small handful written the Hebrew way. The NJV's goal is "to help the reader to rediscover the Hebrew roots of the Bible" and it does that in a positive and non-threatening way.
WHO'S THE PUBLISHER AND WHEN DID IT COME OUT?
The New Jerusalem Bible came out in 2019. It was produced by Hineni Publishers which was established in 2017 and is based in the Netherlands. The stated goal of Hineni Publishers is "To make the personal name of God and the Messiah known to English-speaking people from all around the world and to help the reader to rediscover the Hebrew roots of the Bible." The company's name is explained thusly: "Hineni (הנני) is Hebrew for “Here I am!” When God called out to Moses from the Burning Bush, Moses said ‘’Hineni!’’ When God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham responded ‘’Hineni!’’ When God called out three times to Samuel, the young boy responded, ‘’Hineni!’’ With ‘’Hineni!’’ we call out to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ‘’Here we are! (to serve you)’’.
WHO TRANSLATED IT AND WHAT'S THEIR STORY?
One of the FAQs on the NJV website asks, "Who were the translators and scholars for the NJV?" They answer, "The NJV is primarily an update of the 1901 American Standard Version (ASV); therefore most choices made by the original scholars that made this translation hold. Some verses have been re-translated to do justice to the Masoretic text. For example in Exodus 3:14, when Moses asks God what His name is, God answers “I AM WHO I AM”. To provide this translation would be inaccurate; therefore the verse has been transliterated as “EHYEH ASHER EHYEH” with a footnote referring to different English translations."
IS IT MORE WORD FOR WORD OR THOUGHT FOR THOUGHT?
The main reason we recommend this Bible so highly is that it's the most literal Messianic translation available to date, thus giving a clearer sense not only of the meaning of the verses but also of the individual words and their order as used in the original text. Contrasted with other Messianic Bibles which were more intended for easy reading, this makes the NJV the best choice for deeper study and for readers who prefer a Bible with a higher literary style and broader vocabulary.
The NJV website explains, "The New Jerusalem Version is primarily an update of the 1901 ASV, WEB and “The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text,’’ published in 1917 by the Jewish Publication Society. Both translations are considered to be highly reliable “word-for-word’’ translations based on the Masoretic Text...KEEP READING: holylanguage.org/download/New...