Berean.Bible Connects Readers with Accuracy and Meaningfulness
The .BIBLE top-level domain has a number of ministry partners that have launched the first websites using domains ending in .BIBLE and we want to introduce each and every one of them as we continue our blog series, 66 Ideas for .BIBLE Domain Names. This is an interview with Bible Hub about the new Bible translation at Berean.Bible.
What is the Berean.Bible?
The Berean Bible is a four-tiered study Bible to connect readers with a smooth and accurate translation that brings out meaning from the Greek and Hebrew root words. It’s available for free at Berean.Bible.
What are the unique characteristics of the Berean.Bible?
The Berean Bible is accurate, smooth and free.
Accurate: The Berean Bible is a completely new translation based on the best available manuscripts and sources. Each word is connected back to the Greek or Hebrew text, resulting in a transparent and honest text that can be studied for its root meanings.
Smooth: The Berean Study Bible text is the result of a meticulous translation and styling process to maintain core meanings and produce an English text of high literary quality, effective for public reading, study, memorization, and evangelism.
Free: We believe that the Scriptures are meant to be studied and shared freely. Just as Paul encouraged the churches to pass on his letters, we are developing digital resources that will be free to access and free to share in websites, apps and software.
How does Berean.Bible present its English translation in a way that also connects with the original meaning from the Greek and Hebrew?
The Berean Bible incorporates four main components:
- An interlinear Bible to directly follow the Greek and Hebrew texts.
- A literal translation to take the reader to the core of the Greek and Hebrew meanings.
- A modern English translation, effective for public reading, memorization, and evangelism.
- An emphasized translation to bring out the full meaning and intensity of the original texts.
The sources of the translation are clear and freely available to all. The tools and databases include resources such as Strong’s Lexicon to make the translation process transparent even to those without extensive training in Greek and Hebrew.
What inspired the Berean.Bible translation?
We are inspired by two passages about the early Christian church:
Acts 17:11, “Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.”
Colossians 4:16, “After this letter has been read among you, make sure that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.”
The Scriptures belonged to the church and were meant to be examined, copied, and distributed. We hope to be able to live up to this example with all the resources we have been entrusted to pass on.
Another significant goal of the project is to share a Bible text that is as free as possible from licensing and publishing constraints. While a copyright is necessary so there are not multiple variants of a published translation, we intend to enable royalty-free publishing of digital resources and generous licensing for use in print. Since we believe that a translation must be directly connected to the Greek and Hebrew roots, the tools and data for these connections will be made freely available as well.
Who are the people on the Bible Hub team that’s working on the Berean.Bible translation? How can someone help or contribute?
The Berean Bible Translation Committee is comprised of members of the Bible Hub and Discovery Bible teams, including advisory Editors Dr. Gary Hill, Dr. Grant Osborne, Dr. Eugene H. Merrill, Dr. Maury Robertson, Dr. Ulrik Sandborg-Petersen. Special thanks are owed to the Bible Hub team for work on an inclusive base text and interlinear. Additionally, we are grateful to the Discovery Bible team for extensive language support, including the extension of the translation notes of Dr. Gleason Archer.
The translation committee has also employed input from hundreds of users of Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible. As readers have studied the interlinear base text, a large number have offered specific input, questions, recommendations, and corrections regarding the text. This support has come from a great diversity of contributors, including lay persons, pastors, teachers, seminarians, and professors, and each suggestion is considered on a verse-by-verse basis.
This open translation policy will be continued as the Berean Bible becomes available on many platforms, and all feedback and recommendations will be appreciated at any time. We believe that cooperative feedback and engagement will be enhanced by the transparent nature of the source text, which connects all words back to their original Greek and Hebrew roots.
What are the future plans for Berean.Bible?
Currently the New Testament is available, with the Old Testament translation process underway and that is tentatively scheduled for release in November 2016.
The Berean Emphasized Bible is under construction for both the New and Old Testaments, and will be a wonderful tool for readers, students, teachers, and pastors alike. The translation is designed to bring out the full meaning, intensity, and clarity of the original Greek and Hebrew sources.
How has it been valuable to use a domain name like Berean.Bible?
We are honored that American Bible Society has included Berean.Bible as a pioneer partner, and it has been a major blessing that the launch of the .Bible TLD has corresponded with the launch of the new translation. The support of American Bible Society has helped tremendously as we seek to offer the new translation and free resources to the Christian community and the rest of the world as well. Since we are offering a brand new resource for sharing God’s Word, we are honored to be associated with an organization that has worked toward this goal throughout such a long and productive history. The ability to use this TLD has made it clear to readers that we share this mission and intend to serve with the same degree of integrity and purpose.
We are grateful for the boost that the .Bible TLD has provided as we launch a new resource, share it with the world, and engage with the community of believers.
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This article is part of the blog series, 66 Ideas for .BIBLE Domain Names, with practical ideas for using .BIBLE domain names. Individuals and organizations can now register .BIBLE domain names that are more shareable, memorable, and meaningful at any accredited registrar.