New Bibles Are Wuv, Twue Wuv

Kevin Edgecomb reports that he is rather in love with A New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS), which is now available for purchase. Read his post linked above for a mouthwatering review of the physical features of the book, and a keen assessment of the scholarly comprehensiveness of this new translation and its enormous value to students of the Septuagint. And of course, you may view the entire text of the NETS at its website, which contains a full electronic edition for review in fractured PDF files. (Note: If you’re interested in having the NETS in electronic format for your personal use, I would suggest that you download and archive these files soon, since there’s no telling when, or whether, they may disappear. Indeed, when the Psalms volume was published a number of years ago, the corresponding file was removed from the NETS electronic edition, and remained unavailable until the final revision prepared for publication was once again presented for review. Whether they will phase out the electronic edition entirely now that the translation has been published in paper format I do not know; but I do know from experience that having ready access to these valuable files is well-nigh indispensable!) The NETS is available for online purchase from Amazon.com for $19.80 USD (34% off).

Now, in light of Kevin’s profession of his undying love for the NETS, I must admit that I have been involved in a torrid love affair of my own, but one, tragically, as yet from a distance. The New Cambridge Paragraph Bible, edited by David Norton, is nothing less than a masterful critical edition of the King James Version in modern spelling (i.e., “show” for “shew”) and presented in readable paragraph format! (See an excellent review of this edition by J. Mark Bertrand.) I’m delighted to report that it contains the full text of the masterful and learned preface of the Authorized Version, The Translators to the Readers, likewise in modern spelling. So far as I can tell, the only unfortunate feature of this edition (other than its price!) is that Norton decided not to italicize the translator’s “added words,” thus departing from the customary practice verified since the very first printing of the KJV. Needless to say, this is only a minor and easily bearable editorial infelicity. Happily, Cambridge/Baker has decided to make available through its website the entire front matter of this fine edition, including the full text of The Translators to the Readers. Also available for review is the entire book of Ecclesiastes. The New Cambridge Paragraph Bible is available for online purchase from Cambridge/Baker for $64.00 USD (20% off).

UPDATE: ElShaddai Edwards has also posted on the New Cambridge Paragraph Bible today!