The Good News Bible (GNB), also known as the Good News Translation (GNT) in the United States or Today’s English Version (TEV), is an English translation of the Bible by the American Bible Society. Published in 1976, it was created to be easily understandable by the majority of English speakers around the world. Here is an overview of the key features and history of the Good News Bible (GNB/TEV):
Origin and Translation Philosophy
The Good News Bible was translated by Robert G. Bratcher for the American Bible Society. The goal was to create a new English translation that was faithful to the original biblical texts while using clear, simple language understandable by the average reader.
Most English Bibles at the time used formal equivalency translation, which focuses on literal word-for-word rendering. The Good News Bible instead utilized dynamic equivalency, conveying the original meaning in a way easy for modern English readers to grasp. It simplified theological terms, borrowed idioms from contemporary speech, and aimed for an 8th-grade reading level.
This approach made the Good News Bible one of the first translations to prioritize readability and clarity for mass distribution. The American Bible Society felt a need for a Bible that the average person could comprehend, spreading accessibility to scripture.
Features and Characteristics
Here are some key features of the Good News Bible (GNB/TEV) translation:
- Simple everyday English – The GNB uses short, uncomplicated sentences without archaic or formal language. It often replaces theological terms with common words.
- Informal language – The translators incorporate modern phrases and idioms to convey meaning dynamically in casual English, rather than formal equivalency.
- Consistency – Recurring terms like “faith” or “sin” are translated uniformly instead of using synonyms.
- Metrics – The GNB is written at an average 8th grade reading level, with short sentences of around 10-12 words.
- Lower reading difficulty – Shorter words and sentences make the GNB easier for most readers to comprehend at a basic level.
- Translator’s notes – Contains explanatory notes by Dr. Bratcher clarifying passages that are difficult to translate or interpret.
- Subject headings – Section headings briefly summarize passage content to aid understanding.
- Illustrations – The original edition included simple line drawings depicting biblical events.
Overall, the priority is on conveying the essential meaning of scripture in the most straightforward way possible for the widest audience to grasp and apply in their lives.
Reception and Impact
The Good News Bible aimed to make the Bible more readable for the average person. However, because of its dynamic approach, it also received criticism from those who felt it overly simplified or paraphrased the original texts. Some felt the informal language and explanatory additions compromised accuracy and depth.
Nevertheless, the GNB proved very popular around the world. It has been distributed globally, translated into many languages, and revised through several editions. Some noteworthy details:
- Over 150 million copies distributed in over 100 countries/territories.
- Translated into 169 languages as of 2022.
- One of the top 10 bestselling Bibles of all time.
- Official Bible of the National Association of Evangelicals.
- Endorsed by influential evangelist Billy Graham for outreach.
- Revised as the Good News Translation in 1992, then revised again as the Good News Translation Bible in 2007.
This widespread popularity speaks to the Good News Bible successfully achieving its original goal. For many readers, especially those with limited biblical background, the easy vocabulary and sentence structure make the message of scripture more understandable.
The GNB has had a major impact around the world by lowering barriers that hinder people from engaging with the Bible. While more advanced students may prefer a formal translation, the Good News Bible’s simple and straightforward approach succeeds in making God’s Word accessible to anyone and everyone.
Examples of Features
Here are some examples directly comparing the Good News Bible (GNB/TEV) text with other major translations for key passages. This illustrates the simple vocabulary, informal tone, and explanatory additions that characterize the GNB style:
John 3:16
King James Version
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Good News Translation
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
The GNB simplifies “begotten” to “only” and replaces “believeth” with the casual phrase “believes in.” The sentence structure is direct and easy to follow.
Psalm 23:1
New American Standard Bible
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Good News Translation
The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
The GNB makes this poetic verse more conversational by changing “I shall not want” to “I have everything I need.”
Matthew 28:19-20
New Revised Standard Version
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.
Good News Translation
Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.
The GNB simplifies language like “Go therefore” to “Go, then,” and “make disciples” becomes “make them my disciples.” The shorter sentence length also increases readability.
Summary
In summary, the key facts to know about the Good News Bible are:
- Created in 1976 for the American Bible Society as an easy-to-read translation.
- Translated by Robert G. Bratcher using dynamic equivalency instead of formal equivalency.
- Prioritizes simple vocabulary, sentence structure, and explanatory aids to increase comprehension.
- Received both popularity and criticism for its informal paraphrase-like style.
- One of the most widely distributed Bibles globally after being translated into 169+ languages.
- Succeeded in making Scripture more accessible to the average reader around the world.
Though lacking the precision and depth of formal translations, the Good News Bible (GNB/TEV) has had an undeniable impact for its ability to convey the essence of biblical meaning to all using clear, straightforward everyday language. It will likely continue spreading the Word of God through simplicity and clarity for years to come.