The New Testament in Modern English

by J.B. Phillips (Translator), Anonymous

An enduring scriptural treasure and a classic of Christian literature, this modern translation is a beautiful and true rendering of the New Testament.

Written in 1958, The New Testament in Modern English is one of the most dynamic and lively translations to ever appear in print. Phillips’ rendering of Holy Scripture into contemporary English is accessible and powerful to a modern audience. Easy to read and remarkable in its passionate depictions of Jesus and the Apostles, this book is a classic work of Christian literature perfect for anyone looking to supplement their understanding of the Bible and enrich their spiritual life.

Genres: Religion, Reference, Theology, Christian, Christianity, Scripture, New Testament

576 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

John Bertram Phillips or, J. B. Phillips (16 September 1906 – 21 July 1982) was an English Bible scholar, translator, author and clergyman. He is most noted for his version of The New Testament in Modern English. Phillips was born in Barnes, Surrey. He was educated at Emanuel School in London and took an Honors Degree in Classics and English from Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He was ordained an Anglican clergyman in the Church of England in 1930. Phillips died in Swanage in Dorset, England in 1982.

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Bible I read after God saved me.

[John]

I don't rate the Bible. It rates me, and I come up short:
"For there is no distinction to be made anywhere: everyone has sinned, everyone falls short of the beauty of God's plan." (Romans 3:23, Phillips)
It tells me about the consequences:
"Sin pays its servants: the wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23a, Phillips)
But it also gives me the way out of my dilemma:
"But God gives to those who serve him: his free gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23b, Phillips)

Phillips began working on his translation of the New Testament in 1941, intending it for young adults he worked with. I've always enjoyed reading it for its earthiness and conversational language.
Because it was written in the mid-20th century for a British audience, some of the language sounds curious and quaint to 21st century American ears.
When people are jeering Jesus on the cross, they start by saying "Hi, you!", which probably sounds silly to most contemporary Americans.
And on the occasions where most translations have the Apostle Paul instructing his readers to greet one another with a brotherly kiss, the prudish Phillips has him saying, "A handshake all round, please!" (2 Corinthians 13:12, Phillips)
It's hard not to giggle at that one.
Still, I am also prudish and an Anglophile to boot, so these things don't diminish the qualities that I enjoy so much in Phillips' translation.

[David Blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many modern translations, for all their clarity and precision, read like they were written by a committee (because, in fact, they are!). After years of reading these versions, it's very refreshing to read the 'Phillips Translation' of the New Testament which, after almost 60 years, still reads as fresh and clear today as it did then. Phillips has a knack for using the proper turn of phrase which gets the point across while at the same time being faithful to the ancient text.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

5-Stars for this wonderful, wonderful translation of the New Testament

3-Stars for the horribly flawed and compromised Kindle Edition

This is a wonderful translation of the New Testament. It's less literal (and therefore LESS word-for-word accurate) than my beloved New King James Version and less vernacular (and therefore MORE word-for-word accurate) than my beloved The Message.

Let's compare shall we? Here's John 3:16-21 in all three translations:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
-- New King James Version (NKJV)

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”
-- The Message (MSG)

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that every one who believes in him shall not be lost, but should have eternal life. You must understand that God has not sent his Son into the world to pass sentence upon it, but to save it—through him. Any man who believes in him is not judged at all. It is the one who will not believe who stands already condemned, because he will not believe in the character of God’s only Son.

This is the judgment—that light has entered the world and men have preferred darkness to light because their deeds are evil. Anybody who does wrong hates the light and keeps away from it, for fear his deeds may be exposed. But anybody who is living by the truth will come to the light to make it plain that all he has done has been done through God.”
-- J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

See how J.B. Phillips strikes a nice balance between elegance and readability? It is highly readable without compromising accuracy to the breaking point.

That said, it still makes a better devotional Bible than Study Bible due to it's lack of verse indicators as well as it's more vernacular translation philosophy and style.

Finally, the Kindle edition that I read had a LOT of typos - as in at least one per chapter. It also suffers from nearly a complete lack of live links. For example, the Table of Contents only has link to sections ("The Gospel", "Letters to Young Churches") but not individual books, let alone chapters.

Overall, the Kindle edition that I read seems so slapped together and sloppy that it's as if someone OCR'd the paper edition threw in a few links and then walked away. A translation this fine deserves better! Hopefully Simon & Schuster will do better in future revisions or editions of this classic.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars: The Bible will rarely get less than 5 stars but I did not love this paraphrase. At times it was just... I don't know. Just not my favorite.

[Cheryl Gatling]

One turns to "modern" translations of the Bible with the hope that words that have become somewhat dry and stale through much repetition will suddenly appear new and fresh. In that I was mostly disappointed. There are occasional turns of phrase that are striking, but for the most part, this is the familiar old Bible as I know it. Learning the background of the book, that was not surprising. Phillips began writing his own translation of the "Letters to Young Churches" during the Blitz. He thought that young Britons, who were enduring a dangerous time, would take courage from words addressed to the early Christians, who were themselves facing death and hardship. But the young Britons he knew had trouble understanding the old-fashioned language of the Bible they were then reading. He translated it into the language of 1940s England, which was itself pretty formal, hardly hip by today's standards. Also Phillips says that once he realized that people were using his New Testament for serious Bible study, he decided to make it more of a translation, and less of a paraphrase. He "cleaned up" some of the looser language. In addition, quotes from the Old Testament are included in their archaic forms, with "dosts" and "shalts." In short, this is the New Testament. It was a pleasure to read, but having read the KJV, the NRSV, the TEV, the NIV, the NEB, and the Jerusalem Bible, I found few surprises here.

[Bill Evans]

One of the best translations ever. Easy to read and understand. Faithful to the text. Was once the most popular choice of Youth for Christ or Campus Life youths across the country.

J.B. Phillips wrote several books as well, and a shorter Old Testament book called Four Prophets. He was well known to radio audiences in the 1950's and was one of the most sought after speakers.

I have read this translation many times, and have just finished again for 2020. I recommend it to anyone seeking to understand and learn from the Gospels, Paul's writings, along with Peter's and John's and an unknown author of Hebrews, possibly Apollos. Luke, a doctor, is considered the author of both his own Gospel account of Jesus and of the Acts of the Apostles also just known as Acts.

All together, this gives life and great spiritual insight as the Word of God.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite translation I've read so far. It's immediate and relatable but doesn't feel dumbed-down or too casual. My fondness for this translation may or may not be affected by the discovery of a four-leaf clover pressed inside this particular library-book-sale edition. My one issue is that I don't like when they have paragraphs and don't mark the individual verses. I am not sold by the argument that it makes reading smoother, and it causes more problems than it solves, in my opinion. But, hooray for J.B. Phillips and his intimate familiarity with these words and ideas. I wish he had done the Old Testament.

[UChicagoLaw]

"It’s a runaway bestseller that I’d oddly never read. I was encouraged to do so by Professor Joseph Weiler of NYU, who argued an important case in the European Court of Human Rights defending the Italian state’s ability to put crucifixes in public classrooms. He suggested that I ought to check out the New Testament, as I had only read the Old. Even though you know how the story ends, it’s still a great read after 2000 years. Highly recommended to Jews, Muslims, and those of non-Christian faith who have never looked at it." - Tom Ginsburg

[Patricia A Spain · Rating 5 out of 5]

He!Phil translation!

It can be difficult for to understand the Bible. This translation was great! After reading it I can go back to my original Bible with new depth of understanding

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scripture. Also read in May of 1981.

[Katrina Tangen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite translations.

[Trone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three versions exist: 1958, 1972 ("Revised Edition" appears on the cover), and a poorly OCRed version of the 1972 edition that's full of typos ("Revised Student Edition"). You want the 1972 edition, which is the best, and is only available in print and at archive.org.

Phillips explains in the intro to the second version that the first version's popularity took him by surprise, and caused him some concern because it had been rather quickly done, so he returned to the Greek to produce one that was rigorously studied and precisely worded.

Personal notes: His rendering of John helped me to see Jesus' relationship to "truth" in a way that I hadn't before. I'll leave it to you to discover what I mean by that. The dialog in the gospels is also riveting. And throughout, his wording is unique and intelligent, although with the occasional weirdness of unfamiliar expressions from British English.

Two things I dislike are that he doubts that some of the NT books are written by their stated authors, which he expresses in intros to those books -- and his translation of a verse that makes the gospel confusing (I don't have the reference handy).

Minus the intros, I think that the '72 edition is the absolute best version of the New Testament to give to an unbeliever or new believer. The first and second versions were used greatly by God during the Jesus Movement, and Charismatic renewal, and I know He can do it again, and then some.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started high school in England in the mid 1960s I was presented with a copy of this book in its 'for schools' format. I still have that copy today and have recently purchased this edition so that I can have the benefit of reading it while keeping my old copy in reasonable order. It was used in our divinity classes which most of my friends treated as a lark around period and tried to send the RE teacher off on tangents by asking him mischievous leading questions on unrelated subjects. He was a good-natured man who often obliged them. Back to the book: Reading the King James version can be difficult for young (and older) people and this edition puts the text in plain modern(ish) language and largely removes the mystique of the Jacobean literary style, giving the message a more simple expression. I long had a problem with the KJV language, which also often seemed to appear in poetry with a spiritual intent, but I seem to have gotten over that with time. The reason for four stars is that some of the 'thee and thou' is retained in sections of the text for some reason which still irritates me a little if I let it. I love this book partly because it is a presence in my earlier years but also because the teaching is clear and very easy to read and understand.

[Classic reverie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first time reading The Bible completely through and will start again with the Old Testament first. I found Revelations harder to understand and a Bible study with that chapter would be really helpful. During my youthful studies we never read The Bible in its entirety but we were giving certain areas to study.


I did not read this edition.

[Amy Hrncir · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, accessible translation for reading the New Testament before bed or reading through an entire book or passage to get the big picture. As with any translation, there are some passages that are translated awkwardly or not quite correctly, but there are others that are arguably translated better here than in other translations in terms of capturing the essence of what’s being said.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I inherited my brother-in-law's annotated, duct-taped (but still falling apart) copy from 1963. I think my older siblings read Phillips, but by the time I was getting my own "modern version" it was the Living Bible. I enjoyed reading it very much.

[Stephen Bedard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice translation of the New Testament. In many ways, it is an older version of the Message.

[Robert Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done

I believe this author had in mind the reader who just wants to learn in the modern English of our times. The content is there and I enjoyed this approach very much.

[Kevin Casto · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful edition of the New Testament. Worth the read.

[Kimberly Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this translation!! Verse numbers are not included, so it reads more like a story.

[Carol Beutler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read

It is easy to read but it has a need for an editor. Many mistakes in spelling and grammar. But since it is God’s Word I can over look the mistakes.

[Charmaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful, illuminating translation of the New Testament that left me wanting to read it again and again. Because it is written in prose form without verse numbers, it flows and seems to move along rapidly. I found it particularly helpful in understanding Paul's epistles. For example, compare this translation of I Corinthians 13:4-8: "This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience--it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it shares the joy of those who live by the truth. Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its rust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. Love never fails." Phillips conveys the passion and intensity of the original writers in a compelling, intelligent way.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite translations of the Bible to read from! His wording is clear and makes sense while still sticking to the original Greek and Hebrew and Aramaic meanings. He wrote this book for his college aged group who complained they didn't understand the KJV. Neither do I.

This little New Testament is so readable and understandable and is currently on my nightstand for close of the day devotional reading. In fact, I've highlighted and underlined it so much, that I have ordered a new copy so that I can retain a fresh reading of it. While marking up a book has some benefits, sometimes it can also be distracting, so I wanted an unmarked copy.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend the Phillips translation as a "reader's edition." It flows well, making the gospel narratives more connected. The more familiar language also makes it easier to keep track of Paul's arguments over the course of a whole letter.

2013 Reading
Sadly I did not meet my goal to read all the New Testament in 2014, though I did cover most of it. I tried to read the Pauline Epistles in chronological order rather than order of length (as they are included in the canon) but I kept track poorly and got confused. I also tried to read this book along with several NT commentaries. I'll come back in 2015 for Sunday School.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I've two religion degrees, my meagre Greek has all been self-taught. The results being negligible I've had to rely on lexicons and the work of other translators when performing exegeses. Consequently I've long been in the market for competent translations of the bible and other ancient texts, picking this one up while I lived in New York City and employing it, along with other translations, for exegetical projects.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

currently reading:

Acts



read:

Hebrews & Philippians, Nov. 2010

Romans, Summer 2011

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Fall 2011 Acts December 2011



consensus:

This translation has deepened my understanding of & love for these books.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was translated by a man that wanted to bring the energy of the source material into a modern text. I could read it like a normal book and thankfully it surpasses other modern adaptations that have no shortage of modern opinion thrown in.

Recommended especially for Sunday School teachers for use with their students.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Commissioned by the British government and given to school aged children to have a readable version of the New Testament, this translation by the renowned Greek scholar J.B. Phillips continues to be a classic - one of the most accurate and readable versions of the New Testament ever translated into English.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally a big fan of Bibles that paraphrase the scriptures rather than translating directly, but I really appreciate this version. J. B. Phillips wrote this for his Sunday school class initially, but it spread from there.

A great book to have alongside your Bible.