A Modern Take on an Eternal Message
The Bible has been partially translated into 2,883 languages. Nearly 531 languages have the complete translation of the Bible. And with the assistance of the chair of Geneva’s Bible Department, Dr. Jonathan Watt, a new translation was published in 2014.
Dr. Watt and fellow historians, language scholars and theologians took nine years to develop the Modern English Version (MEV) of the Bible. This month, on the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, Dr. Watt joined the team and presented the new version to the Queen of England’s pastor during a dedication ceremony at Windsor Castle.
The MEV is intended as a readable translation of the KJV in modern vernacular. The specific goal is to make the word of God accessible to military personnel, and to translate historical facts and narratives so that readers of all backgrounds can clearly understand the message.
A dedication to Queen Elizabeth II is inscribed in the Bible:
“To Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of her Other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.”
Dr. Watt was assigned to work on various New Testament books, including the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the Acts of the Apostles. “I got a call in 2005 from a military chaplain who was looking for theologians to help. I agreed to participate because I found it to be a way for me to support the United States, Canada and United Kingdom militaries.”
He also says that he is proud to have had the opportunity to participate in such an extraordinary experience and believes that the MEV will be a catalyst in the spreading of God’s perfect word to people from all walks of life.
-Celia Harris ’16
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