The New Oxford Annotated Bible

I just bought this Bible from B&N online,** and have had it for a week now. I bought it because I'm taking a class on Scriptures at the Unitarian church I attend, and this season's class focuses on Ecclesiastes and Job. I'll comment later on these two texts, but for now I want to comment on this Bible as a whole.

Anyway, I am exceedingly pleased with this version of the Bible. The translation is the "New Revised Standard Version", includes the Apocrypha, and it is beautifully - and, seemingly, thoroughly - translated. So much nicer to read than my copy of THE WAY, a contemporary translation I own, published in the 1970s. I think THE WAY has it's merits and uses, being intended for a younger audience, but after reading through some of the New Oxford, I can easily see where much is left out of the translation in THE WAY.
As for the King James version - well, it's also beautifully translated, but, let's face it, it was a very political translation, and there really isn't any need for the biblical texts to be read in Shakespearean English. Although it sounds real nice. . .

The best thing about the NEW OXFORD Bible, however, is the commentary and footnotes on every single page, and the commentary before each book. This commentary focuses on the social, cultural, and political climate of the period in which a book was written, as well as citing any evidence of WHEN the book was first written. There is commentary on the translation(s) as well. All of this, of course, makes for a much easier, more comprehensive, and therefore, enjoyable read of the Bible.

I highly recommend this version of the Bible for anyone wishing to read the Bible, Christian or not.



** This is the Augmented Third Ed. by the way.