NEW JERUSALEM BIBLE, THE : POCKET BIBLE (

Rating:
Summary: A Spiritual Swiss-Army Knife!
Review: One of the earlier contemporary bibles to incorporate the results of scholarly study of the Dead Sea Scrolls (cf.Qumrun) was the Jerusalem Bible, originally published in French. Many gifted scholars and writers participated in an English rendering of the Jerusalem Bible ( J. R. R. Tolkien, for example, did the Book of Job) yet there was criticism of the work because it was a re-translation from the French. The New Jerusalem Bible again worked from the most recent accepted and examined sources available, and was a direct rendering into contemporary English. This pocket edition is pocket size (though a bit thick for the stylish as opposed to the practical pocket) and does fit easily into brief-case or carry-on luggage. For those who have struggled with the omnipresent King James Version often found in hotel rooms, the New Jersulaem Bible is in thoroughly readable contemporary English. Lacking are the extended foot-notes and introductory essays of the full-size version, which can add much to the reader's appreciation of the organization of the text and the background of its writing. Nonetheless, this is a complete Bible, including the generally found Aprocryphal or deutero-canonical books. It might be added that this translation itself is regarded as an authoritative translation of all of its textual portions by the major denominations, despite the lack of agreement on the status of some of the Apocryphal books. For anyone seeking a highly portable and eminently readable complete Bible, this compact volume is the best choice available.

Rating:
Summary: An Easy Read in Contemporary English!
Review: This was my first reading of the Bible. I began with the New Testament and once done, read the Old Testament. It was like watching Star Wars and then watching the prequel where the foundational history is detailed. Somewhere in the middle, I knew I was well on the way on the road to the straight and narrow.

I found the contempory English easy to follow and highly recommend it to those who have never read the Bible as well as to those looking for a compact travelling companion.