The New Testament

Book excerpt: My goal in this translation has been to bring some fresh turns of phrase to the Gospels, histories, letters, and revelatory texts already familiar to English readers and listeners, not least because they are the source of sayings and stories embedded in our language by virtue of the long dominance of the King James Version of the Bible. Although the Hebrew and Greek materials used for that version had their flaws, the quality of the English can hardly be improved upon. Some later translations relying on better materials have improved the accuracy of the text, but rarely the rhythm and force of the style. My aim is therefore not to supplant other translations so much as to shed light on obscure passages; capture aspects of the man Jesus' personality as presented distinctively in the Gospels; convey in relatively plain language Christian doctrine and experience as related in Acts and the Epistles; and reflect the atemporal nature of the Book of Revelation. I have generally aimed for fluid, contemporary language--avoiding the overly literal, freely adopting the colloquial, and taking grammatical license where the writer employed imagery not subject to standard linguistic limitations. My goal is a user-friendly translation at once enjoyable, novelistic, and at times poetic. ""Good translations take risks and let you read a familiar text as though for the first time. This irresistibly colloquial and energetic version of Christian Scripture keeps up a flow of linguistic vigor and sheds much fresh light: both the narratives of the Gospels and the arguments of the Epistles are presented with memorable vividness, and the rendering of the Book of Revelation is a genuine tour de force. There are definitely some high-risk decisions, but the overall impression is of a text that is wonderfully and confidently alive."" --Rowan Williams, Anglican bishop, former Archbishop of Canterbury ""Now more than ever, when sacred texts are too often used as weapons of terror, there is a need to make the gospel message of love and justice accessible. Michael Straus does this in his translation of the New Testament. Michael's scholarship and passion bring the New Testament alive for a skeptical world in need of a trusting word."" --Kelly Brown Douglas, Dean of Episcopal Divinity School, Union Theological Seminary ""This is a pearl of great price."" --James Diggle, Emeritus Professor of Greek and Latin, University of Cambridge ""There is no question that we live in an age when words matter. They have the power to inspire and to incite, to create and to destroy, to mobilize and to suppress. Straus has taken a text that has done all of this throughout its history and has given it fresh expression, nuanced meaning, and befitting urgency. At times he chooses literal accuracy, and at times he takes poetic license, all the while remaining faithful to original context and intent, even as he attempts to capture its relevance for this present age. This translation is not only elegantly innovative, but it also brims with the vigor and revolutionary spirit so present at the moments of its original composition. It is a gift apt for an age when words matter supremely."" --Javier A. Viera, Vice Provost, Dean of the Theological School, Drew University ""I have used this translation in my church and Bible studies and the response has been electric. The parishioners hear the Scripture being spoken to them in an entirely fresh way. In a world that hungers for authenticity, Michael Straus has blended a brilliant knowledge of Greek with a genius for the English language to produce a Holy Scripture as powerful as it is irresistible."" --Janet Broderick, All Saints Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills, California Michael Straus holds degrees in classical languages, law, and theology. He has previously published translations from Greek and Spanish. Anna Pipes is an artist based in New York.