New English Translation
Encyclopedia
The New English Translation (NET Bible) is a free, "completely new" on-line English translation
of the Bible
, " with 60,932 translators’ notes" sponsored by the Biblical Studies Foundation and published by Biblical Studies Press.
, New Jerusalem Bible
and the New American Bible
, is a completely new translation of the Bible, not an update or revision of an older one (such as the English Standard Version
of 2001/7, which is a revision of the Revised Standard Version
of 1946/71, itself a revision of the American Standard Version
of 1901, itself a revision of the English Revised Version of 1881, which was a revision of the King James Version of 1611, with the revisions compiled with compared to the newest and best discoveries of ancient manuscripts currently available [such as the Dead Sea Scrolls
of Qumran, incorporated into the RSV and later translations] and developments in textual criticism [such as the developments pioneered by Westcott and Hort
incorporated into the ERV and later translations] contemporaneously with each additional step in the revision process, while maintaining a similar linguistic style).
The translation and extensive notes were undertaken by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew
, Aramaic
, and Greek
texts. The NET Bible was initially conceived at an annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in November 1995 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide a digital version of a modern English translation over the Internet
and on CD-ROM
without cost for the user: "The NET Bible project was commissioned to create a faithful Bible translation that could be placed on the Internet, downloaded for free, and used around the world for ministry." Many of those involved in the project's initial discussions eventually became part of the translation team. The translation itself claims to be non-sectarian, "inter-denominational" and evangelical
.
The translation is most notable for an immense number of lengthy footnote
s (which often explain its textual translation decision), its open translation process, its availability on the Internet (both during its beta process and in its final form), and its open copyright permitting free downloads.
The NET Bible's approach to copyright is self-summarised as:
In "Copyright Innovations – Toward a New Model," the Ministry First position statement makes at least four additional important clarifications:
However, these statements do not form part of the copyright notice itself, so their legal value is unclear.
Rick Mansfield describes these permissions as "[they] basically take a “YES” position in regard to permission to use the NET Bible in publications or on the internet for “the vast majority of requests.” Michael Paul Johnson's Bible FAQ at the World English Bible
site is more specific, saying "You may download a free copy for your personal use at http://netbible.org. Copyrighted." The "Copyrighted" category in the FAQ classes the NET bible with most other English translations mentioned, except for the World English Bible, which is described as public domain
. Peter Kirk's review of the NET Bible copyright notes that the Open English Bible
(OEB) is "under a licence enabling the maximum reuse, remixing and sharing without requiring the payment of royalties or the obtaining of permission from copyright holders". The review contrasts this with the NET Bible copyright by quoting a letter by Russell Allen stating "On the (Free Software-based
) definition above, the NET Bible is not free. I cannot take the NET Bible, make changes and redistribute my changed version without permission".
:
The promotional copy for the NET Bible advertises the advantage of this feature in the following way: "The translators’ notes make the original languages far more accessible, allowing you to look over the translator’s shoulder at the very process of translation."
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, " with 60,932 translators’ notes" sponsored by the Biblical Studies Foundation and published by Biblical Studies Press.
History and Textual Basis
The New English Translation, like the New International VersionNew International Version
The New International Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. Published by Zondervan in the United States and by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK, it has become one of the most popular modern translations in history.-History:...
, New Jerusalem Bible
New Jerusalem Bible
The New Jerusalem Bible is a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible published in 1985 by Darton, Longman & Todd and Les Editions du Cerf, and edited by the Reverend Henry Wansbrough.- Contents :...
and the New American Bible
New American Bible Revised Edition
The New American Bible Revised Edition is the first major update to the New American Bible text in over 20 years. A Catholic bible translation, the New American Bible was first published in its entirety in 1970, sponsored by Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.Revisions to the New Testament, the...
, is a completely new translation of the Bible, not an update or revision of an older one (such as the English Standard Version
English Standard Version
The English Standard Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. It is a revision of the 1971 edition of the Revised Standard Version...
of 2001/7, which is a revision of the Revised Standard Version
Revised Standard Version
The Revised Standard Version is an English translation of the Bible published in the mid-20th century. It traces its history to William Tyndale's New Testament translation of 1525. The RSV is an authorized revision of the American Standard Version of 1901...
of 1946/71, itself a revision of the American Standard Version
American Standard Version
The Revised Version, Standard American Edition of the Bible, more commonly known as the American Standard Version , is a version of the Bible that was released in 1901...
of 1901, itself a revision of the English Revised Version of 1881, which was a revision of the King James Version of 1611, with the revisions compiled with compared to the newest and best discoveries of ancient manuscripts currently available [such as the Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
of Qumran, incorporated into the RSV and later translations] and developments in textual criticism [such as the developments pioneered by Westcott and Hort
The New Testament in the Original Greek
The New Testament in the Original Greek is the name of a Greek language version of the New Testament published in 1881. It is also known as the Westcott and Hort text, after its editors Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort...
incorporated into the ERV and later translations] contemporaneously with each additional step in the revision process, while maintaining a similar linguistic style).
The translation and extensive notes were undertaken by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, Aramaic
Aramaic language
Aramaic is a group of languages belonging to the Afroasiatic language phylum. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic family, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic subfamily,...
, and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
texts. The NET Bible was initially conceived at an annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in November 1995 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide a digital version of a modern English translation over the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and on CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
without cost for the user: "The NET Bible project was commissioned to create a faithful Bible translation that could be placed on the Internet, downloaded for free, and used around the world for ministry." Many of those involved in the project's initial discussions eventually became part of the translation team. The translation itself claims to be non-sectarian, "inter-denominational" and evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
.
The translation is most notable for an immense number of lengthy footnote
Footnote
A note is a string of text placed at the bottom of a page in a book or document or at the end of a text. The note can provide an author's comments on the main text or citations of a reference work in support of the text, or both...
s (which often explain its textual translation decision), its open translation process, its availability on the Internet (both during its beta process and in its final form), and its open copyright permitting free downloads.
Copyright status
The NET Bible's approach towards copyright comprises a full copyright license which is explained in its "Ministry First" statement, both of which emphasize its openness and freedom. The publishers claim that "after 10 years, the NET Bible is still the only major modern translation that can be downloaded for free in its entirety and used seamlessly in presentations and documents." However, as of October 2010, the NET Bible's copyright statement is over 1500 words long, and contains different conditions for generic copyright, diglots and bible quotations in multiple formats, including commercial and non-commercial publications.The NET Bible's approach to copyright is self-summarised as:
"The Bible is God’s gift to humanity – it should be free."
In "Copyright Innovations – Toward a New Model," the Ministry First position statement makes at least four additional important clarifications:
- We still don’t fully like the copyright notice for the NET Bible, but in our litigious world it remains a challenge...
- We believe that 1 Tim 5:17-18 (the author has the right to be paid) and Lev 23:22 (allow the poor and foreigner free access) can be simultaneously satisfied far better with a new Internet model...
- We want all authors to know that the NET Bible is a safe choice.
- It is time for ministry to be more free – and for a Bible which puts ministry first....Let us know how we can better serve your needs.
However, these statements do not form part of the copyright notice itself, so their legal value is unclear.
Rick Mansfield describes these permissions as "[they] basically take a “YES” position in regard to permission to use the NET Bible in publications or on the internet for “the vast majority of requests.” Michael Paul Johnson's Bible FAQ at the World English Bible
World English Bible
The World English Bible is a public domain translation of the Bible that is currently in draft form. Work on the World English Bible began in 1997 and was known as the American Standard Version 1997...
site is more specific, saying "You may download a free copy for your personal use at http://netbible.org. Copyrighted." The "Copyrighted" category in the FAQ classes the NET bible with most other English translations mentioned, except for the World English Bible, which is described as public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
. Peter Kirk's review of the NET Bible copyright notes that the Open English Bible
Open English Bible
The Open English Bible is a freely redistributable, modern translation based on the Twentieth Century New Testament translation. A work in progress, with its first publication in August 2010, the OEB is edited and distributed by Russell Allen....
(OEB) is "under a licence enabling the maximum reuse, remixing and sharing without requiring the payment of royalties or the obtaining of permission from copyright holders". The review contrasts this with the NET Bible copyright by quoting a letter by Russell Allen stating "On the (Free Software-based
The Free Software Definition
The Free Software Definition, written by Richard Stallman and published by Free Software Foundation , defines free software, as a matter of liberty, not price. The term "free" is used in the sense of "free speech," not of "free beer." The earliest known publication of the definition was in the...
) definition above, the NET Bible is not free. I cannot take the NET Bible, make changes and redistribute my changed version without permission".
Functional and formal translation
In the preface to the first edition, W. Hall Harris III, Ph.D., "The NET Bible Project Director" claims that the NET Bible solves the problem of dynamic vs. formal equivalenceDynamic and formal equivalence
In Bible translation dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence are two approaches to translation. The terms are not found in general linguistics or translation theory but were coined by Eugene Nida...
:
[T]he translators and editors used the notes to give a translation that was formally equivalent, while placing a somewhat more functionally [or dynamically] equivalent translation in the text itself to promote better readability and understandability. The longstanding tension between these two different approaches to Bible translation has thus been fundamentally solved. [emphases added]
The promotional copy for the NET Bible advertises the advantage of this feature in the following way: "The translators’ notes make the original languages far more accessible, allowing you to look over the translator’s shoulder at the very process of translation."
External links
- The NET Bible home page
- What Others are Saying about the NET Comments on the NET Bible from scholars, Bible translators, and Christian leaders selected by the NET editors
- Review by Andy Naselli (Positive, but brief)
- Review by Michael Marlowe (Conservative, critical; also detailed and extensive)
- NETBible study environment