The New Testament: A Translation by David Bentley Hart
The New Testament: A Translation by David Bentley Hart
'David Bentley Hart undertook this new translation of the New Testament in the spirit of “etsi doctrina non daretur,” “as if doctrine is not given.” Reproducing the texts’ often fragmentary formulations without augmentation or correction, he has produced a pitilessly literal translation, one that captures the texts’ impenetrability and unfinished quality while awakening readers to an uncanniness that often lies hidden beneath doctrinal layers.
The early Christians’ sometimes raw, astonished, and halting prose challenges the idea that the New Testament affirms the kind of people we are. Hart reminds us that they were a company of extremists, radical in their rejection of the values and priorities of society not only at its most degenerate, but often at its most reasonable and decent. “To live as the New Testament language requires,” he writes, “Christians would have to become strangers and sojourners on the earth, to have here no enduring city, to belong to a Kingdom truly not of this world. And we surely cannot do that, can we?”'
Comments
Review
(Robert Louis Wilken)
Book Description
Here's a screenshot from the Amazon preview.
When this comes to Logos, please add paragraphs...
Not that this negative review means that this translation should not be in Logos, but it is something to consider whether it comes to Logos or not: http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2017/10/23/4754124.htm
Potato resting atop 2020 Mac Pro stand.
While I appreciated some of Dr. Hill's criticism of Hart's project (particularly regarding verb tense), I found Scot Mcknight's discussion a more helpful place to start. While there is clearly more to say, it seems entirely clear that this translation, much like NT Wright's Kingdom New Testament, deserves its place in Logos' library, in addition to my own.
For anyone wondering about the Kindle version:
- TOC is by book (like a lot of Kindle Bibles)
- On a given page, there's verse numbers; no chapter numbers. However, there's chapter headers, at the beginning of each chapter.
- Locationing is not too hard, if your Kindle supports the page multi-thumbnails ... you can more quickly see where you are, and relocate as needed.
- Kindle version includes the fronting discussion, and final discussion.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
Adding:
Spending some time with it, it's certainly translationally interesting. James 4.4 is a good example. The majority greek text has adulterers and adulturesses. So, the english translations into the late 1800s, until the arrival of WH etc. Adulterers thense disappeared. The translations went with the literal, adulteresses ... for a letter quite obviously written to self-respecting jewish guys.
For whatever reason, that didn't remain for long. The english translators appear to assume 'generation' as really 'there', solving the problem. My new ICC-James notes the majority text, but quietly goes for the missing people.
Hart goes with the early 1900s translators .... adulteresses. Is what it is.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
Thanks Denise - Changes to the biblical text such as the one you have pointed out (James 4:4) are important. The King James Bible kept "adulterers and adulteresses" in James 4:4. From a personal perspective, such changes are one reason why I tend to prefer the King James Bible. Yet, versions such as produced by Hart may be useful for comparisons with the Bibles already in our libraries. Keep well Paul
Denise, the shorter reading is well attested in both Alexandrian and Western witnesses. It seems odd to blame its introduction on much later misogyny when it seems more likely that early copyists missed the figurative nature of the term (Metzger points to the figurative use of 'adulteress' in Ps 3:27; Is 54:5, Jr 3:20; Ez 16 and 23; Ho 9:1; Mt 12:39; 16:4; Mk 8:38) and so added the reference to adulterers.
Considering that the handful of critical commentaries I've seen support the shorter reading, I would not hold this particular textual critical decision against Hart.
James 4.4 is a good example. The majority greek text has adulterers and adulturesses. So, the english translations into the late 1800s, until the arrival of WH etc. Adulterers thense disappeared. The translations went with the literal, adulteresses ... for a letter quite obviously written to self-respecting jewish guys.
For whatever reason, that didn't remain for long. The english translators appear to assume 'generation' as really 'there', solving the problem. My new ICC-James notes the majority text, but quietly goes for the missing people.
Nick ... my humor is often misplaced ... mea culpa. I was supporting Hart. But I do wonder about the addition of the adulterers. Were (or was) the likely addition to fix the James guys, or the later guys. And, apparently, changing the gals to guys wasn't in the cards.
I'm a theological literalist, meaning (1) separate the text from the churchmen, and (2) what you got is all you got.
I think a Hart translation would be good in Logos; the earlier literals (eg YLT, and even NASB) are fraught with near-term theology. I think Hart's position on the spirit doesn't go far enough, though, but that would be just my opinion (vs text).
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
My apologies, Denise. Clearly, I spoke too soon. I hope that Hart's NT (and other works) are added soon.
Nick ... my humor is often misplaced ... mea culpa. I was supporting Hart. But I do wonder about the addition of the adulterers. Were (or was) the likely addition to fix the James guys, or the later guys. And, apparently, changing the gals to guys wasn't in the cards.
I'm a theological literalist, meaning (1) separate the text from the churchmen, and (2) what you got is all you got.
I think a Hart translation would be good in Logos; the earlier literals (eg YLT, and even NASB) are fraught with near-term theology. I think Hart's position on the spirit doesn't go far enough, though, but that would be just my opinion (vs text).
The New Testament: A Translation by David Bentley Hart
'David Bentley Hart undertook this new translation of the New Testament in the spirit of “etsi doctrina non daretur,” “as if doctrine is not given.” Reproducing the texts’ often fragmentary formulations without augmentation or correction, he has produced a pitilessly literal translation, one that captures the texts’ impenetrability and unfinished quality while awakening readers to an uncanniness that often lies hidden beneath doctrinal layers.
The early Christians’ sometimes raw, astonished, and halting prose challenges the idea that the New Testament affirms the kind of people we are. Hart reminds us that they were a company of extremists, radical in their rejection of the values and priorities of society not only at its most degenerate, but often at its most reasonable and decent. “To live as the New Testament language requires,” he writes, “Christians would have to become strangers and sojourners on the earth, to have here no enduring city, to belong to a Kingdom truly not of this world. And we surely cannot do that, can we?”'
Yes, put me down for this. +1
Are you reading this Faithlife?? Get on it. [:)]
I am in!
I, too, would be interested in this translation.
“The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one thinks about reforming himself.” St. Peter of Alcántara
And +3
ditto please
Hope it comes out soon
Me too!
Check out this interesting discussion:
I have a hard copy... But would love to have a logos version for both the cross referencing-- and easy access on my phone.
Any word on if/when it may be coming?
Check out this interesting discussion:
Thank you, Theo. Great article.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
DBH NT translation PLEASE!!! +1
I'm in support of this as well.
Another bump on this.
"The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected."- G.K. Chesterton
I apologize if I should hijack this thread, but please, could we at the same time have David Bentley Hart's The Story of Christianity: An Illustrated History of 2000 Years of the Christian Faith
It MUST include quality art.
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Christianity-David-Bentley-Hart/dp/1623654165
I would also like to see this.
Any updates here? I have the ebook version, and its fantastic, but I’ve no clue if/how I can import it.