A new Bible translation that reads like a story

Connect With Us

Facebook    Twitter    Youtube    RSS
T
follow us > TheVoiceBible
... loading ...
Get email updates from the blog:

Blog

Don't Give Up, Keith

David Capes
By David Capes
April 13, 2012

Creig Marlowe, an Old Testament professor who teaches in Europe, has become a good friend through The Voice project.  Early in 2008 he gave us a great idea for an ad campaign called: "Don't Give Up Keith."  I asked him to tell us about it.

Hello, my name is Creig (yes, with an ‘e’ not an ‘a’) Marlowe, new to The Voice blog. Actually new to any blog. I am an Old Testament professor at the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Leuven, Belgium. However, I am an American working in Europe through the European Christian Mission, and I live near Leiden in the Netherlands. I became involved in The Voice project early on as one of the OT scholars.

Soon after starting with The Voice, I was reading a Dutch newspaper on the train and ran across a report of an interview with Keith Richards, guitarist for the Rolling Stones. He was asked about the Bible and responded: “I read the Bible sometimes, but I find it deadly boring.” 

 At the time I wrote something for The Voice web page.  Here is what I said:

“Past and present generations are looking for a Bible that is both current and captivating. The Voice is the first to blend cutting-edge literary creativity with the characteristics of a true translation. Artists and academics have teamed up and succeeded in giving us a Bible that is a page-turner. Tell Keith not to give up yet.”

This led to an ad campaign called "Don't Give Up Keith." Perhaps you saw it.  There is still a facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=25959373069

You would think with all the Bible translations in the world, especially in English, anyone wanting to read the Bible would have an enjoyable version at hand. I have no idea which translation(s) Keith has tried to read, but I am sure there are many others who have trouble reading the Bible and staying with it for any significant length of time. Even people like me, who do it for professional and personal reasons, struggle when reading a lot of the translations out there.  But I’m convinced that the Bible—since it is God’s Word to us--should be both educational and entertaining. The Voice has been produced to help provide a very readable text. Since the Bible contains many stories, and true ones, it should read like a story. So don’t give up, hear The Voice!


David Capes lives in Texas and is the Thomas Nelson Research Professor at Houston Baptist University. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Religion at Mercer University in Atlanta, his Master's in Divinity and his doctorate in New Testament at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas. He is the author of numerous publications and is one of the top scholars and writers for The Voice.

Comments

Susan Manchester said...
April 15, 2012
I too at times have not enjoyed reading the bible as much as I know from experience is possible. One thing I've found is that my true pleasure in reading the bible goes hand in hand with my relationship with God the trinity. If I talk throughout the day with God, and communicate often and praise him, then reading the bible is likened to my reading emails from my friends, enjoyable and comforting to hear how they feel regarding certain subjects, and oh so happy to hear word from them, no matter the subject. If I have been neglecting communion with God, not talking or praising him, caught up in the daily worries and stress, which he warned us about, if I have let myself drift from our previous closeness. I then notice that trying to read the bible is like reading a chapter assigned by a teacher, or likened to reading an email written from a stranger and to a stranger, doesn't appear to be meant for me. Just a thought. God bless all who read this blog : )
Bro Stef said...
April 20, 2012
I'm concerned actually. In the day we find ourselves many Pastors, Teachers and churches are becoming too politically correct and are watering God's Word down, teaching too much from a topical structure instead of cover to cover, the "whole" council of God. I'm concerned that we can stray away from the Lord's intent within the Bible and have root meanings and themes lost in an effort to reach out to the Millennium generation.

When I received the Lord in 1975, I was eighteen. I sat down, I asked God to help me understand what I was reading and the Holy Spirit gave me understanding. God still provides this for His children today. Whether we're post-modern or not God never changes and there is a trend to eliminate God from all of our lives and therefore, changing names like Jesus Christ to The Anointed One concerns me greatly.

We are asked to pray through Christ to the Father in scripture. If we become preoccupied with changing the Lords name, because younger people don't know what Christ means (Just ask their Pastor) I can just hear it now, "Father I pray to you in the name of The Anointed One."

Caution....

We need to be very careful in tampering with God's Word.
David Roush said...
April 21, 2012
What manuscripts and which Greek translations does this book have its roots from?
David Capes said...
April 21, 2012
David. Good question. For the New Testament, which is written in Greek, we used Nestle-Aland 27th edition and/or the United Bible Societies 4th edition. For the Old Testament, which is written in Hebrew and Aramaic, we used the standard: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia.

Leave a Comment

Name
Email
Comment
 


< Back to the Blog