The Living Bible (TLB) is an English translation of the Bible published in 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers. It was translated by Kenneth N. Taylor and originally started as a paraphrase of the King James Version for Taylor’s own children. The goal was to make the Bible more understandable for young readers. Over time, it evolved into a full translation based on Hebrew and Greek texts. Here is an overview of key details about The Living Bible (TLB):
History
In the 1950s, Kenneth N. Taylor began paraphrasing Bible passages from the King James Version into simpler language for his children during their family devotions. He would orally paraphrase chapters for his children, who had trouble understanding the King James language. His paraphrasing aimed to capture the ideas in a clearer, more natural form while staying true to the original meaning.
Taylor’s paraphrases were very popular with his children. Eventually, in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers encouraged Taylor to put his informal paraphrasing into a manuscript. Sections of his work were gradually published as Living Letters, Living Prophecies, Living Gospels, and other mini books. By 1971, the complete paraphrase of the entire Bible was published as The Living Bible.
The Living Bible was a bestseller and significantly impacted the Bible publishing industry. It was one of the first mass marketed paraphrases of Scripture, demonstrating the appeal of easy-to-read Bible versions. While criticized by some scholars for its paraphrasing approach, The Living Bible helped popularize the translation philosophy of dynamical equivalence rather than formal equivalence.
Translation Philosophy
The Living Bible is a thought-for-thought translation rather than a word-for-word one. Its primary goal is to convey ideas and concepts in natural, easy-to-understand language. Translator Kenneth Taylor took more liberty in rephrasing difficult verses and passages to make them simpler to grasp.
This makes The Living Bible more of a paraphrase than a direct translation from Hebrew and Greek. Some critics argue it borders on commentary at times rather than a strict translation. But Taylor intended the work for children and young people, prioritizing clarity over precision. The result was a Bible version far more readable than predecessors like the King James Version.
The Living Bible follows a dynamical equivalence translation philosophy rather than formal equivalence. Dynamical equivalence prioritizes expressing the original text’s intent in a reader’s modern vernacular. This often involves more paraphrasing than literal word-for-word translation.
Relation to Other Translations
The Living Bible built on the work of previous translations. As mentioned, it started as a paraphrasing of the King James Version. Taylor’s final 1971 edition also incorporated scholarship from the American Standard Version (ASV) and Revised Standard Version (RSV).
The popularity of The Living Bible paved the way for other dynamic equivalence translations. Leading Biblical scholars who endorsed Taylor’s work went on to work on the New International Version (NIV), New Living Translation (NLT), and other similar versions.
In 1996, Taylor’s original text was revised to be a more strict word-for-word translation. This updated version was called the Holy Bible: New Living Translation (NLT), which is now one of the most popular modern Bible versions.
Features
Here are some key features of The Living Bible translation:
- Simple, natural English:
- Thought-for-thought:
- Paraphrase style:
- Study aids:
- Minimal formatting:
The Living Bible uses conversational language and common vocabulary accessible to young readers.
It focuses on conveying ideas and concepts rather than literal word-for-word accuracy.
Taylor took liberties in rephrasing difficult verses for clarity rather than sticking to formal equivalence.
Footnotes clarify word choices and provide cultural and contextual information to aid understanding.
The text is formatted like a normal book with minimal verse numbers, headings, etc. This was intended to encourage cover-to-cover reading.
Accuracy
Due to its paraphrasing approach, The Living Bible is considered one of the least literal Bible translations available. Passages are often reworded significantly from formal translations. While defenders argue it conveys the original meaning in a clearer way, critics say it borders on commentary and editorializing at times.
On the spectrum of word-for-word and thought-for-thought translations, The Living Bible skews heavily toward thought-for-thought. This means it sacrifices literal accuracy for readability. Screening processes were implemented to ensure the paraphrasing remained faithful to the intended meaning.
Certain theological biases have also been noted in some of Taylor’s interpretative choices. Like any translation, The Living Bible reflects some level of translator bias despite efforts to remain neutral.
Reception and Impact
The Living Bible was immensely popular following its 1971 release. It quickly became a bestselling modern English Bible translation, thanks in part to distribution by the American Bible Society. Millions of copies were sold within just a few years.
Many praised The Living Bible for making the Bible accessible to children and young people in a fresh way. But some scholars criticized its extensive use of paraphrasing over literal translation. Formal equivalence advocates argued it went too far in rewriting Scripture versus accurately conveying the original words.
The popularity of The Living Bible opened the door for similar thought-for-thought translations. The rapid acceptance of Taylor’s workrevealed a market desire for easy reading Bibles. This paved the way for versions like the NIV, which have since surpassed The Living Bible’s popularity.
The Living Bible had a significant impact on Bible reading and publishing. It demonstrated the appeal of conversational English Bible versions and modern translations. Many publishers followed Tyndale’s lead in prioritizing readability and clarity.
Reading Level
The Living Bible is targeted at a 3rd to 6th grade reading level. The vocabulary is simple and the sentences are short and straightforward. It eliminates archaic language and obscure idioms, aiming for maximum understandability.
Some passages are rendered at an even simpler reading level to aid children or readers with limited Bible familiarity. The translation uses common words and minimizes difficult grammar. The result is one of the easiest reading Bible versions available.
Popularity
The Living Bible quickly grew in popularity after its 1971 release. Within its first year, sales reached one million copies. By 1977, twenty million copies were in print. It was the bestselling Bible version in America through much of the 1970s.
The New International Version (NIV) overtook it in popularity by the early 1980s. The simplified New Living Translation (NLT), based on Taylor’s work, surpassed The Living Bible in sales in the 1990s.
While not as widely used today, The Living Bible played a key role in making Scripture accessible to modern readers. It paved the way for translation approaches that prioritized clarifying meaning over literal precision.
Study Use
The Living Bible aims more at reading comprehension than formal study. Its paraphrasing approach makes it less suitable for detailed word studies or exegesis. Many preachers, academics, and Bible students prefer more literal translations for teaching and research use.
On the other hand, The Living Bible can aid beginners grasping the overall narrative or meaning of passages. The simplified language helps communicate the essence of stories and teachings to new readers. Some find The Living Bible useful as a supplementary text to help understand difficult passages.
The Living Bible’s primary strength is its readability, making it accessible for children, new believers, and casual reading. For intensive Bible study, a formal equivalence translation is usually recommended over a paraphrasing version.
Comparisons to Other Versions
The Living Bible takes far more liberty in paraphrasing and simplifying passages compared to most translations:
- King James Version – The Living Bible started as a modern paraphrasing of the KJV. It updates archaic language for greater clarity and readability.
- New International Version – The NIV is also thought-for-thought but more literal than The Living Bible’s loose paraphrasing. The NIV is written at a higher reading level.
- English Standard Version – The ESV is a formal equivalence translation with much less paraphrasing. The ESV aims for word-for-word accuracy over simplified reading level.
- New Living Translation – As a revision of Taylor’s work, the NLT closely relates to The Living Bible but with greater precision and consistency.
The Living Bible paraphrasing is most similar to translations like the New Living Translation (NLT) and The Message. Formal equivalence versions like the ESV provide a more literal alternative.
Sample Passage Comparison
Comparing translations of Matthew 6:9-13 highlights The Living Bible’s simplified style versus more literal renderings:
Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13 (The Living Bible)
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, we honor your holy name. Come and set up your kingdom so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in heaven. Give us our food day by day. Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)
Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
The Living Bible simplifies much of the language and structure, even omitting phrases like “Thine is the kingdom” not in earliest manuscripts. It maintains the essence but prioritizes ease of reading over word-for-word precision.
Recommendation
The Living Bible’s strength is its accessibility for new Bible readers, children, and anyone seeking an easy-to-understand text. It pioneered thought-for-thought translation geared toward readability over literalness.
Due to its paraphrasing approach, The Living Bible is less suitable for in-depth study compared to formal equivalence versions. But it can serve well as a first Bible or supplementary text to help comprehend the overall narrative.
The New Living Translation surpassed The Living Bible in popularity and accuracy while maintaining the goal of a simple, clear text. But The Living Bible still influenced modern translations and introduced millions to the Bible in a fresh, captivating way.