Jubilee Bible: From The Scriptures Of The Reformation Imitation Leather – October 15, 2014

I was first introduced to the Jubilee Bible 2000 several years ago when I downloaded the free kindle version. Since that time, I have also acquired a hard copy from Russell Stendal when he was speaking at a conference in Minnesota. After having read through every book in the entire Jubilee Bible at least once, I feel confident in strongly recommending this translation. For a more detailed review, read on.People can be very opinionated when it comes to the question of what makes a good Bible translation. Both the translation style (more literal vs paraphrase) as well as the text-base used in the translation hugely impact the final product. While I am not a theologian, I try to conform my lifestyle and beliefs as closely as I can to the word of God. This means that the kind of translation I read is really important to me, because I want to be lead by God's word, not man's. Even though I own quite a few different translations, over the past few years, the Jubilee Bible has become the primary Bible that I use in personal devotion and study because of its accuracy.The Jubilee Bible is a very literal, word-for-word translation that remains easily readable once you get used to some of the more archaic language (such as 'raiment' instead of 'clothes', for example). It is also based on the same textual sources that the other major Bible translations of the Reformation used (such as the Tyndale Bible, the German Luther Bible, etc.).There are several qualities in this translation that I have come to appreciate. They include:- The inclusion of the words 'thou', 'thee', 'thy' and 'ye' instead of simply translating everything 'you' or 'your'. Although such language may sound archaic, there is huge doctrinal significance in knowing whether certain passages pertain to individuals or the whole body of Christ. This has been especially helpful to me when reading Paul's epistles.- Translating the same word consistently throughout the Bible. There are many themes that tie together various scriptures in different parts of the Bible that were obvious to its original readers because the same word was used throughout. However, many English translations use differing English words in the place of a single Hebrew or Greek word, and thus some of the power of God's consistency is lost. However, the Jubilee Bible does a relatively good job here (although not perfect, it is significantly more consistent than any other English Bible translation).- The richness of all the books between Job and Malachi. This is difficult to explain in a brief review and Russell Stendal does a good job explaining this in his introduction, so I defer the reader there. It is sufficient to say that the difference is positive and very noticeable. Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes are some of my favorite books, and they come to life in a new way in this translation.In conclusion, I highly recommend this translation. While it is not perfect, it is, in my opinion, the most accurate translation available in the English language.

I had another printing of this same version (it was hardback), and it was my favorite for carrying around to read anywhere. Only thing to criticise that I found was the lack of a concordance.But this one has a concordance!The translation is from the Textus Receptus line (Antioch) rather than the sloppy, inaccurate, and outright FORGERY of some of the Alexandrian manuscripts (Sinaiticus, for example). [RE Alexandrian line: Research on Tischendorf shows him to have manipulated & doctored manuscripts for personal gain. Wescott & Hort were spiritualists, not Bible believers or Christians.]God is true to His Word, and has preserved His Word in the manuscript lineage of the Textus Receptus.What convinced me to trust the Textus Receptus line of manuscripts over the Alexandrian was David Daniels book 'Look What's Missing!' This lays out in easy to understand and very readable format that there are thousands of omissions and thousands of changes to the text of the Bible. Is it coincidence that most of these changes and omissions are to remove the divinity of Christ? To cast doubt on the virginity of Mary? To attack the sovereignty of God? If these omissions were mistakes and not motivated by an agenda, there would be no detectable slant or bias, yet when you look at what's missing in almost all modern Bible versions an agenda starts to become obvious.Bottom line-- I really like this Jubilee 2000 Bible translation and printing. I am buying several to give away to friends & family.

I have found this Jubilee Bible to be a very unique and enjoyable Bible to read. I love Bibles like these that have such a powerful and intriguing history behind them. It's amazing to me how the translation itself uses an older form of English (with thee's and thou's) and yet still feels very fresh. The use of the word "congregation" instead of "church" reminds me a little of Tyndale's translation (which I also recommend). It certainly gives the "reformation" feeling. The overall construction of the Bible is quite nice. The cover feels very smooth and flexible. It also lays flat right from the start without having to "break it in" and it hangs in the hand. The only real complaint I could give is that there is some noticeable bleed-through of the text (due to the thinner pages). Conclusion: I would most certainly recommend this Bible to anyone seeking a fresh and historical Bible.