The New Testament in Modern English

I was given a copy of this translation of the New Testament just before I went to Viet Nam in 1969. I read it every day and underlined quite a large part of it. The phrasing and language presented here helped me to survive a year in a war zone, but more importantly, rejuvenated my interest in Christianity and life itself. The words are so moving, encouraging, uplifting, and stirring, as the books of James, Philippians, and the Gospels take on new life. I am terribly disappointed that the book is now out of print, but if you can find a copy, I guarantee that it will change your outlook and your life.

In an age when there are nearly twice as many new Bible translations released in the last forty years as in the previous four hundred before that, it is easy for people to get confused. Given that almost all of those many Bibles released in the last forty years are paraphrases, why not skip the rest and go with the very first modern paraphrase, J. B. Phillips' "The New Testament in Modern English"?Written in 1958, the Phillips Translation is, quite simply, one of the most dynamic and energetic Bible translations ever put on paper. It seethes with action, power, and transcendence. Jesus is shown as fully man (and yet fully God) in a way that makes us love Him even more. Phillips captures Jesus in such a way that we truly recognize Him as our brother, but always as our Lord, too.But Phillips gives us more than simply a passionate Jesus of the Gospels, he gives us the gentle, yet forceful Epistles, emphasizing the fact that they were truly pastoral letters. He phrases things so beautifully that they come alive and feed the heart. For instance, contrast his translation of Romans 12:1-2 with other recent paraphrases:Phillips:"With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity."New Living Translation:"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is."The Message:"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."Doesn't the Phillips do a better job of capturing the power of Paul's writing while also avoiding the pitfalls of difficult wording? (Nor does it pander to cultural relativism.) Despite not being a word for word translation, it sticks remarkably to the ideas of the original text as

To get right to the point, this is a great translation. I am walking away from my study time with a clearer understanding of the passages I've read. I was a die-hard King James man and was leary of modern translations. I wanted to get a version that was accurately translated into today's english. I find this to be a reliable translation. I think that this Bible is presently out of print, but worth getting even used. Hopefully they will make another print soon. God bless you!!

Great work. This is a true translation that offers insight into the meaning that may be lost on the modern ear in many previous translations. It doesn't have the same feel as those that came after (viz., NIV, NKJV, etc.), where a very formal language is preferred, but it's held up over time. I think it's the informality that gives it its special charm. It also helps to know that Philips was not only a skilled translator, but a mature Christian. I think the text will please on levels that others don't approach. Best description: it's kind of folksy.My Dad gave this to me when I was 9. I've been reading it off and on for about 30 years. If it was the only translation available, it would be more than adequate.I only wish Phillips had finished more of the Old Testament before he died.

Besides being crisp, snappy, and non "religious" in its verbiage, the main contribution of the Phillips translation is that it conveys the emotional impact of scripture. So it is especially good in "The Letters", (traditionally called the epistles) which are full of passionate zeal that often gets lost in other translations. Most translations aim at passing the scrutiny of a committee of scholars, so they often end up being "designed by committee", and as a result perhaps a little bland at times--using a deliberate process of compromise. As well, a word-for-word approach--if you think about it--is a poor technique if what you want is truly a translation from the original. What about the meaning of the sentences? What of the weep of the paragraphs? What about the emotional tone?Since the Phillips was written, several new translations like the New International Version (NIV), the New King James (NKJ), and the New American Standard (NAS) have been completed which are much more readable and accurate than what was available back when Phillips made his translation. But, in our opinion, none can beat the Phillips for being fun to read, using words and concepts consistently, and for conveying the sheer thrill of God's Word! See if you don't agree. If you have never CRAVED reading God's word, buy the J. B. Phillips right now. If you do, we have a full "guided tour" of the J.B. Phillips online, but you will have to search it out yourself.