N S B Notes: The Translator
WHAT IS A TRANSLATION?
The Word Web Dictionary, Copyright 2005 by Princeton University offers the following definition of a translation: “A written communication in a second language having the same meaning as the written communication in a first language.” The same dictionary defines a version as: “An interpretation of a matter from a particular viewpoint.”
The New Simplified Bible is considered a translation because the words and thoughts from the old English KJV and ASV were taken first to modern English and then returned to the original Hebrew and Greek. They were then researched using computer software from the e-Sword program and the Interlinear Scripture Analyzer program. The Westcott-Hort text from 1881 along with NA26/27 variants was used for the search of the Christian Greek Scriptures. The Old Testament Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate were also consulted. The shades of meaning of each word and phrase were investigated and then the translation was written.
The translator does not read Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek and uses computer software to arrive at the meaning of the words in the original language. There is a limited degree of paraphrase used in a few places in order to more fully convey the meaning of words and phrases. That is why the NSB is called a thought-for-thought translation.
RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND OF THE TRANSLATOR
I have been one of Jehovah's Witnesses for nearly twenty-five years. My baptism took place June 12, 1982 at Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. I gave my first talk in the Theocratic Ministry School in August 1981 and went out-in-service for the first time in October 1981. I have been a regular publisher sense then and am pleased to say my service hours have averaged over twenty hours per month for these twenty five years, even during the years I spent writing the New Simplified Bible. My service as a regular pioneer lasted only two years, 1995 and 1996. I have auxiliary pioneered from time to time over the years also.
My wife and I attend meetings at a Kingdom Hall in Colorado where I have also served as an elder for the past seven years. Two of my favorite public talk outlines are talk number 103, "You Can Find Joy in Serving God" and talk number 129, "Is the Trinity a Scriptural Teaching."
Five years as an advertising salesman, writing and producing copy, plus four years as a Chamber of Commerce executive director gave me a background in public relations and advertising. My background also includes nearly twenty years as a loan officer for banks and savings and loans. I am 67 years old and retired from secular work.
TRANSLATOR’S CREDENTIALS”
There is no certificate on the wall. I have no degree from any university or religious school. I do not read, nor do I speak Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. The fact is I rely completely on computer software to arrive at the meaning of the words in the original language. (2 Corinthians 3:2, 3)
The King James Version (1769) and the American Standard Version (1901) were used as the base text in English. After converting the old English statements found in each of these public domain Bibles to more modern English I began to investigate, word for word, the meaning of all the major words and phrases. The original language was researched using excellent Bible software. The entire translation project took me approximately twelve thousand hours including the time spent writing the 4,414 word Simplified Bible Dictionary. In addition to writing translation notes my thoughts are incorporated in the dictionary word definitions.
Why do I call myself a Bible Translator when I have no doctorate title to affix to my name? It is because I personally researched the meaning of every major word in the Holy Scriptures. The New Simplified Bible and its companion publication, the Simplified Bible Dictionary contains more than 690,000 words!
Some will call the New Simplified Bible a version. Others will call it a translation. Most Bible translations and versions have a degree of paraphrase in them no mater how direct and literal they claim to be. The primary purpose of this publication is to convey the true meaning of the original language. It attempts to stay close to direct and literal when possible. The New Simplified Bible is a “Thought-for-Thought Translation.” (See: INTRODUCTION for more detail.)
I love God’s Word and try to do his will! That along with many years of personal Bible study sums up my credentials. Therefore my letter of recommendation is not from men (2 Corinthians 3:1-5). Please read the New Simplified Bible and see for yourself the sincere, genuine effort to be accurate in conveying the meaning of the Word.
TRANSLATORS GOAL: “My goal was to write a translation that people would look forward to using, something easy-to-read and easy to understand. It is to that end that I continue to revise and improve it, even though it is finished for all practical purposes. My sincere desire is that the New Simplified Bible will be used to help people learn the Truth from the Holy Scriptures and assist them to draw closer to our loving God, Jehovah.
“A person should be able to get to know God by reading directly from God’s Word, the Bible. It should not require listening to hundreds of sermons and public talks. It should not require reading hundreds of books and booklets and thousands of magazine articles explaining what God’s Word says and means. It should be as simple as reading the Bible. A very easy-to-read Bible translation is all that most of us need in order to know basic Bible Truth.” (The Translator)
WHY WRITE ANOTHER TRANSLATION?
"Why did you write another Bible translation?" That is a very good question since there are many fine translations available in English today. But nearly all of them are Trinitarian Biased! The New Simplified Bible is not Trinitarian Biased! (See: Translation Notes: TRINITY)
Of the nearly 450 English Bible Translations written since 1450 C.E. only about 102 were complete Bibles, with both Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. A close examination of each of these complete Bible translations shows that nearly all of them are Trinitarian Biased! And approximately 95 percent of the remaining 350 English translations of the New Testament (Christian Greek Scriptures) are Trinitarian Biased. A careful examination of John 1:1; 1:18; 8:58; 14:10; Exodus 3:14, 15 and many other references give evidence of this.
Is there room for another translation that honors God's Divine Name and features the true monotheistic God? I hope so. I really believe there is. At least it is now available. It is the New Simplified Bible. The NSB is completely independent of any Bible publishing society, and it is not sponsored by any religious organization. Some of my Jehovah’s Witness brothers and sisters insist that we do not need any Bible translation other than the New World Translation. To them my answer is that we need more Bible translations that honestly represent God’s Name and truthfully identify the monotheistic God of the Holy Scriptures. See: NSB vs NWT and compare the two translations. Link found at the bottom of the site map page URL below.
All sixty-six books from the New Simplified Bible are published online. Just follow the links that start at: URL:http://www.geocities.com/simplifiedbible/index. Please address any suggestions or questions about the New Simplified Bible to simplifiedbible@webspawner.com.
Prayerfully Submitted by the Translator,
James R. Madsen
New Simplified Bible
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