Messianic Bible translations

Bibles widely used in the Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Roots communities

This article is part of a series on

Messianic Judaism
Theology and practice

* Messiah
* Yeshua

Religious texts

* Messianic Bible Translations

Related movements

* Christian Zionism
* Hebrew Christian movement
* Jews for Jesus

Opposition

* Jews for Judaism
* Proselytization and counter-proselytization of Jews
* Tovia Singer
* Yad L'Achim
* Penina Taylor

* v
* t
* e

Messianic Bible translations are translations, or editions of translations, in English of the Christian Bible, some of which are widely used in the Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Roots communities.

They are not the same as Jewish English Bible translations. They are often not standard straight English translations of the Christian Bible, but are translations which specifically incorporate elements for a Messianic audience.

These elements include, but are not limited to, the use of the Hebrew names for all books, the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) ordering for the books of the Old Testament, both testaments being named their Hebrew names (Tanakh and Brit Chadasha). This approach also includes the New Testament being translated with the preference of spelling names (people, concepts and place names) in transliterated Hebrew rather than directly translated from Greek into English. Some Sacred Name Bibles, such as the Hallelujah Scriptures, conform to these elements and therefore may be considered Messianic Bibles as well.

## English

[edit]

### Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

[edit]

Not to be confused with the Complete Tanach with Rashi.

Complete Jewish Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

Abbreviation| CJB
Complete Bible
published| 1998
Textual basis| OT: Masoretic Text . NT: Greek New Testament 3rd Edition UBS, 1975. Ancient Greek source manuscripts into modern English with some Yiddish expressions.
Translation type| Dynamic equivalence
Reading level| High School
Copyright| Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc.
Religious affiliation| Messianic Judaism
Website| www.messianicjewish.net

Genesis 1:1–3

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was unformed and void, darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

John 3:16

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed.

The Complete Jewish Bible (sometimes abbreviated as the CJB)[1] is a translation of the Bible into English by David H. Stern. It consists of both Stern's revised translation of the Old Testament (Tanakh) plus his original Jewish New Testament (B'rit Hadashah) translation in one volume. It was published in its entirety in 1998 by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc.[2]

The Old Testament translation is a paraphrase of the public domain 1917 Jewish Publication Society Version, although scholar Bruce Metzger notes that where Stern disagreed with the JPS version, he translated from the Masoretic Text himself. The New Testament section is Stern's original translation from the ancient Greek.

Stern states that his purpose for producing the Complete Jewish Bible was "to restore God's Word to its original Jewish context and culture as well as be in easily read modern English." This translation was also intended to be fully functional for Messianic Jewish congregations.

Stern follows the order and the names of the Old Testament books in the Hebrew Bible, rather than those of typical Christian Bibles. He uses Hebrew names for people and places, such as Eliyahu for "Elijah", and Sha'ul for "Saul". The work also incorporates Hebrew and Yiddish expressions that Stern refers to as "Jewish English", such as matzah for "unleavened bread"[3] and mikveh for "ritual immersion pool".[4]

### Tree of Life Version of the Holy Scriptures (TLV)

[edit]

Tree of Life Version

Abbreviation| TLV
Complete Bible
published| 2011
Textual basis| OT: Masoretic Text . NT: Nestle-Aland's Novum Testamentum Graece (27th edition).
Translation type| Word-for-word
Reading level| 8th Grade (Age 13)
Copyright| Messianic Jewish Bible Society
Religious affiliation| Messianic Judaism
Website| www.tlvbiblesociety.org

Genesis 1:1–3

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was chaos and waste, darkness was on the surface of the deep, and the Ruach Elohim was hovering upon the surface of the water. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light!" and there was light.

John 3:16

16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The Tree of Life Version (abbreviated as "TLV"), first published in 2011, is a Messianic Jewish translation of the Hebrew Bible (or TA-NA-KH) and the New Testament (or New Covenant) sponsored by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society and The King's University.[5]

According to the publisher, Baker Books, the Tree of Life Version (TLV) is intended to be a translation that "speaks with a decidedly Jewish-friendly voice [...] to recover the authentic context of the Bible and the Christian faith." The sponsors of the translation sought to restore to the biblical texts "their actual Jewish essence", which, in their view, is lost in most English translations. Specifically, the project sought to restore "the Jewish order of the books of the Old Testament", "the Jewish name of the Messiah, Yeshua", "reverence for the four-letter unspoken name of God", and "Hebrew transliterated terms, such as shalom, shofar, and shabbat." Prior to the publication of the TLV in its entirety, it was previously published either with the TLV New Covenant alone or bound together with the public domain 1917 Jewish Publication Society Version Tanakh as the Messianic Jewish Shared Heritage Bible.[6]

The team of Messianic Jewish and Christian scholars commissioned to work on the project included Dr. Jeffrey L. Seif, Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Feinberg, Rabbi Dr. Glenn Blank, Dr. Hellene Dallaire, Rabbi Jeff Adler, Rabbi Barney Kasdan, Dr. Vered Hillel. Other contributors included Mark Anthony, Michael L. Brown, Dr. Jack Cairns, Dr. Mordechai Cohen, Pat Feinberg, Dr. John Fischer, Dr. Patrice Fischer, Dr. Steve Galiley, Dr. Ray Gannon, Dr. Henri Goulet, Dr. Ihab Griess, Dr. David Harris, Dr. Stanley Horton, Dr. Daniel Juster, Liz Kasdan, Elliot Klayman, Dr. Seth Klayman, Dr. Craig Keener, Phillip Lanning, Dr. Barrie Mallin, Dr. Shawn Moir, Dr. Richard Nicol, Dr. Seth Postell, Dr. David Rothstein, Dr. Noel Rabinowitz, Dr. Rich Robinson, Dr. Matthew Salathe, Dr. Jim Sibley, Josh Sofaer, Dr. Greg Stone, Rabbi Eric Tokajer, John Taylor, Myles Weiss, Dr. Randy Weiss, Dr. Lon Wiksel, and Dr. Wayne Wilks.[7]

### Messianic Jewish Literal Translation of the New Covenant Scriptures (MJLT NCS)

[edit]

Messianic Jewish Literal Translation

MJLT NCS (Paperback)

Abbreviation| MJLT
Complete Bible
published| 2018
Textual basis| NT: Nestle-Aland's Novum Testamentum Graece (27th edition).
Translation type| Word-for-word
Reading level| High School
Copyright| Perfect Word Publishing
Religious affiliation| Messianic Judaism
Website| www.mjlt.org

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that the son -- the one and only -- he gave, so that everyone who is believing in Him may not be destroyed, but may have life age-enduring."

The Messianic Jewish Literal Translation (MJLT) is a Messianic Jewish Bible translation based on Young's Literal Translation (YLT). The MJLT is a re-rendering of the YLT for the modern, Messianic reader, which the publisher says is meant to restore the Jewish perspective of Scripture which has been "obscured by deeply ingrained anti-Jewish, anti-Torah preconceptions."[8]

Though the translation is meant to bring out the Messianic Jewish context and meaning of the New Covenant Scriptures, the publisher says that it is meant for all believers, whether Jewish or Gentile, who "desire the word’s pure milk."[9] In addition to being Messianic Jewish in nature, the MJLT seeks to put forth the meaning of the original language by giving a literal, word-for-word rendering from Greek to English.

This Bible version has several unusual features:[10]

* The actual Hebrew lettering with transliteration for various names, places and terms is printed in line with the English text of the MJLT, accentuating the Jewishness of Scripture. Terms and names such as תּוֹרָה, Torah and יֵשׁוּעַ, Yeshua, and titles of books such as מַתִּתְיָהוּ Matit’yahu (Matthew) contain the actual Hebrew lettering.
* The sequence of books has been rearranged, first, according to the author's original audience (either Jewish, or both Jewish and Gentile together), and second, chronologically, according to the order in which they were written.
* Special notations show the reader when and where Paul wrote his letters in relation to the events recorded in the Book of Acts.

### New Jerusalem Version (NJV)

[edit]

Not to be confused with New Jerusalem Bible.

New Jerusalem Version

Abbreviation| NJV
Complete Bible
published| 2019
Textual basis| OT: Masoretic Text . NT: Majority Text.
Translation type| Word-for-word
Reading level| High School
Copyright| Hineni Publishers
Religious affiliation| Messianic Judaism
Website| njvbible.com

Genesis 1:1–3

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was chaos and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep, and the Ruach Elohim hovered over the face of the waters. 3 God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

John 3:16

16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

The New Jerusalem Version is an English Messianic Bible translation first published in 2019 by Hineni Publishers. It 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. It consists of both the TANAKH (Old Testament) and the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant). The TANAKH is based on the Masoretic text and the Brit Chadashah is mainly based on the Majority Text.[11]

According to the Publisher, Hineni Publishers, the goal of the New Jerusalem Version is to make the personal name of God known to English-speaking people from all around the world, and to help the reader to rediscover the Hebrew roots of the Bible. Where the personal unutterable name of God occurs in the Masoretic Text, the original Hebrew יהוה (the Tetragrammaton) has been preserved; and the name of the Messiah has been transliterated from Hebrew: Yeshua. Book titles are in both English and Hebrew,[12] and several Hebrew words such as shalom, Torah, kohen, Sheol, Gehinnom, etc. have been transliterated.[13]

The publisher states the New Jerusalem Version distinguishes itself from most English Bibles by restoring the:

* Personal unutterable Hebrew name of God: יהוה
* Hebrew name of the Messiah: Yeshua
* Feasts of God: Pesach, Shavuot, Yom Kippur, etc.
* Names of God: Adonai Elohim Tzva’ot, El Shaddai, El Elyon, etc.
* Order of books: following the Jewish tradition of the TANAKH (Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim).[14]

### Other versions

[edit]

* World Messianic Bible. "The World Messianic Bible (WMB) is a Modern English update of the American Standard Version. It has also been known as the Hebrew Names Version (HNV) and the World English Bible: Messianic Edition (WEB:ME)."[15]
* New Messianic Version Bible. "The New Messianic Version Bible (NMVB) or (NMV) is a Modern English update of the King James Version, with corrections made in select passages to clarify the Hebrew or Greek. In addition to transliterating proper names, it translates them in-line with the text. The result is a reading similar to the Amplified Bible.[16][17]
* Orthodox Jewish Bible: The Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB), completed by Phillip Goble in 2002, is an English language version which applies Yiddish and Hasidic cultural expressions to the Messianic Bible.[18] Goble is also responsible for The Yiddish Orthodox Jewish Bible, published in 2014.[19]
* The Living Scriptures. "The Living Scriptures" is the Messianic edition of The Living Bible.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) - Version Information - BibleGateway.com". www.biblegateway.com.
2. ^ "The Complete Jewish Bible". Bible Study Tools.
3. ^ "Exodus 12:8 - CJB - That night, they are to eat the meat, roasted i..." Bible Study Tools.
4. ^ "Ephesians 5:26 - CJB - in order to set it apart for God, making it cle..." Bible Study Tools.
5. ^ Holy Scriptures. Tree of Life Version. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2015. Page iv.
6. ^ "Holy Scriptures, Tree of Life Version (TLV) | Baker Publishing Group". bakerpublishinggroup.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
7. ^ Holy Scriptures. Tree of Life Version. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2015. Pages x-xii.
8. ^ "MJLT".
9. ^ "MJLT".
10. ^ "MJLT".
11. ^ NJV Bible, New Jerusalem Version. Hineni Publishers, 2019. Preface. ISBN 978-90-829625-0-5
12. ^ NJV Bible, New Jerusalem Version. Hineni Publishers, 2019. Table of Contents. ISBN 978-90-829625-0-5
13. ^ NJV Bible, New Jerusalem Version. Hineni Publishers, 2019.Glossary. ISBN 978-90-829625-0-5
14. ^ NJV Bible, New Jerusalem Version. Hineni Publishers, 2019. Hebrew Roots. ISBN 978-90-829625-0-5
15. ^ "World Messianic Bible".
16. ^ NMV Bible | New Messianic Version Bible | YouVersion.
17. ^ "Messianic Bible Bibles.com". www.bibles.com. Archived from the original on 2020-02-25.
18. ^ BibleGateway.com, The Orthodox Jewish Bible: Version Information, accessed on 28 February 2025
19. ^ Google Books, The Yiddish Orthodox Jewish Bible, accessed on 28 February 2025

## External links

[edit]

* World Messianic Bible

* v
* t
* e

English-language translations of the Bible

5th–11th century|

* Wessex Gospels
* Hatton Gospels
* Old English Hexateuch
* Old English Bible translations

Middle English|

* Wycliffe
* Middle English Bible translations

16th–17th century|

* Tyndale
* Coverdale
* Matthew
* Great Bible
* Taverner
* Geneva
* Bishops'
* Douay–Rheims (DRV)
* King James (KJV)

18th–19th century|

* Challoner
* Brenton's Septuagint
* Webster's
* Young's Literal (YLT)
* Revised (RV)
* Living Oracles
* Darby
* Emphatic Diaglott
* Joseph Smith
* Quaker
* Julia E. Smith Parker Translation

20th century|

* American Standard (ASV)
* Rotherham's Emphasized
* Ferrar Fenton
* Moffatt, New Translation
* Knox
* Basic English (BBE)
* Revised Standard (RSV)
* Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
* Anchor
* New World (NWT)
* Modern Language (MLB)
* New English (NEB)
* Living English (BLE)
* New American Standard (NASB)
* Good News (GNB)
* Jerusalem (JB)
* New American (NAB)
* Living
* New International (NIV)
* New Century (NCV)
* Bethel
* New King James (NKJV)
* New Jerusalem (NJB)
* Green's Literal Translation (GLT)
* Recovery
* Christian Community (CCB)
* New Revised Standard (NRSV)
* Revised English (REB)
* Contemporary English (CEV)
* The Message (MSG)
* Clear Word (TCW)
* New Life (NLV)
* 21st Century King James (KJ21)
* Third Millennium (TMB)
* New International Reader's (NIrV)
* New International Inclusive Language
* God's Word
* New Living (NLT)
* Heinz Cassirer's translation
* Complete Jewish Bible
* International Standard (ISV)
* Holman Christian Standard (HCSB)
* Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
* Lamsa
* Amplified (AMP)
* Confraternity (CB)

| Hebrew Bible|

* Jewish Publication Society of America Version
* New Jewish Publication Society of America Tanakh

|

New Testament|

* Worrell
* Phillips

Partial|

* Four Prophets (Phillips)

21st century|

* Palmarian Bible (SH)
* World English (WEB)
* World Messianic
* English Standard (ESV)
* Today's New International (TNIV)
* New English (NET)
* Ignatius (RSV2CE)
* The Voice
* Common English (CEB)
* Apostolic Bible Polyglot
* New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)
* Lexham English
* The Orthodox Jewish
* Original Aramaic Bible in Plain English
* Divine Name King James
* Names of God
* Tree of Life Bible
* Modern English (MEV)
* Literal English (LEV)
* Christian Standard (CSB)
* The Passion Translation (TPT)
* Revised New Jerusalem (RNJB)
* Evangelical Heritage (EHV)
* New Heart English Bible, Jehovah Edition (NHEB-JE)
* Legacy Standard (LSB)
* Antioch Bible
* Tree of Life Version (TLV)
* Berean Standard (BSB)
* Majority Standard (MSB)
* Free Bible Version (FBV)

| Hebrew Bible|

* Alter

|

Septuagint|

* New English Translation of the Septuagint

Study Bibles|

* Haydock Bible
* Life Application Study Bible
* Oxford Annotated Bible
* Reformation Study Bible
* Scofield Reference Bible
* Thompson Chain-Reference Bible
* Dake Annotated Reference Bible
* Logos Complete Study Bible
* Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible
* MacArthur Study Bible
* Ryrie Study Bible
* The Wesley Study Bible
* The Lutheran Study Bible
* Orthodox Study Bible
* Study Bible for NIV
* Study Bible for ESV
* Study Bible for NLT
* Study Bible for GNT
* New Interpreter's Study Bible
* Reflecting God Study Bible
* Archaeological Study Bible
* The Life with God Study Bible
* The Green Bible

Picture Bibles|

* The Brick Bible
* The Manga Bible
* The Action Bible

Modern Dialectal & Slang|

* Glasgow
* LOLCat

Notable publishers|

* Cambridge University Press
* Oxford University Press
* American Bible Society
* Zondervan
* Thomas Nelson
* Tyndale House
* HarperCollins
* Holman
* Lockman Foundation
* Crossway
* Hendrickson Publishers
* Ignatius Press
* Saint Benedict Press
* Baronius Press

Additional lists|

* List of English Bible translations
* Old English (pre-1066)
* Middle English (1066–1500)
* Early Modern English (1500–1800)
* Modern Christian (1800–)
* Modern Jewish (1853–)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template