The New Testament

by Richmond Lattimore

Richard Lattimore, among the most distinguished translators of the Greek classics, concluded late in his life one of his most ambitious projects - a complete translation of the New Testament. This New Testament is itself a classic of another kind - the words of the gospel and the apostles presented for the modern reader in fresh English by a writer without pretensions as a biblical scholar, who was an authority on the Greek language in which these texts have come down to us.

Genres: Religion, Christianity, Nonfiction, Theology, Classics, Philosophy, Literature

602 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 110

About the author

Richmond Lattimore graduated from Dartmouth in 1926 and received an A.B. from Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar at Christ Church in 1932. He took his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1934.

He was an American poet and classicist known for his translations of the Greek classics, especially his versions of the Iliad and Odyssey, which are generally considered as among the best English translations available

Reviews

[Manny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully ambitious science fiction novel; the author boldly attempts to imagine what it would be like to meet an emissary from an alien culture that was both technologically, and, more interestingly, morally, far superior to our own. The first problem to tackle when structuring the narrative is, of course, that such a person would be beyond our comprehension. I approved of the solution chosen: the novel is recounted by multiple narrators, whose conflicting testimonies show that all of them are more or less unreliable. We thus have no more than confused echoes of the story. This is, paradoxically, more convincing than a direct telling, which could only have been disappointing.

The rest of this review is available elsewhere (the location cannot be given for Goodreads policy reasons)

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read through this translation once or twice before. It is by Richmond Lattimore, the noted classicist, and is quite good. This time through I read it aloud with Nancy in our morning ingestion of both kinds of caffeine.

[Diem · Rating 5 out of 5]

People get nervous when they found out that an atheist is reading the New Testament. The (admittedly safe) assumption is that the atheist is engaging in the sport of hunting down textual inconsistencies to use as cannon fodder for future debates with Christians.

If you're an atheist looking to do this, let me gently steer you away from this course. Here's why: Christians already know. They are aware that there are significant and often troubling inconsistencies. I assure you that they have people working on this around the clock. Some have reached conclusions that settle the discrepancies to their satisfaction. Some continue to search for explanations. What's important here is that when you smirkingly present your findings to them they will roll their eyes and sigh with a resigned exasperation because, they know. But thanks.

Let me now speak to the few areas on which I can provided any further elucidation about this text. First, I loved this translation. The King James version might be quite lovely and sonorous and thrilling. But it might also be quite syntactically tedious, ponderous and coma-inducing. I hate it. It has turned me off of the idea of reading the New Testament so many times that Satan is getting jealous about it.

However, the more pop-modern translations that put the NT into a hip-tastic vernacular (And then Pontius Pilate was all, "You want I should off this guy, Boss?") make me want to turn over a few tables myself.

Lattimore strikes just the right note with this mesmerizingly stark and beautiful translation that I could. not. put. down. I only meant to read the Gospels but I had to keep reading.

Least favorite part: It's a tie between Revelations (though I'm completely ecstatic to finally know what people are talking about when they talk about the Whore of Babylon) and the Parables. No. It's the Parables.

My favorite part and the part I will take away from this reading is what drew me to reading my Children's Bible over and over as a child: the message of kindness and love and forgiveness and humility. That will surprise people who know me because in my life my default reaction to all negativity is (talking about) swift and blinding violence. I'm multifaceted like that. I felt most in touch with this message while reading the Pauline Epistles.

Whether the Bible is true or not was not relevant to my reading of it. I was not interested in debating any theology. I was just interested in studying it as a historical document set in its historical context. You read it for your own reasons. A really good reason would be that a lot of you (where "you" means people arguing from either end of the spectrum of belief) are getting it wrong and that means you've been arguing for nothing. I think if you read it, you'll be less inclined to argue, for any number of reasons.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the highest accolade that can be given a translator is that the reader can hear the original in the translation. This is true of Lattimore's translation of the NT. He does not sweeten the text to sound more pleasant to modern ears, and he does not cut sentences with multiple dependent clauses into more easily digestible sentences.

For example, where the Greek says doulos he translates "slave," because that is what the Greek word means. (The fact that slavery as an institution had a different context in the first century might be a reason to translate "servant," but that is a liberty Lattimore does not take.)

And where most other translations break up a passage like Colossians 1:3-9 into several sentences, Lattimore gives us one long sentence. That is how it appears in the Greek, and this strange style has given rise to the notion that perhaps Paul was not the author of Colossians, because this is not typical of Paul's style. This kind of detail with respect to the language is not available in other translations.

The main drawback here is that Lattimore's English is rather plain, and by comparison to the KJV, boring in its simple honesty. It is also not a study Bible -- not only are there no footnotes or commentary, the verses aren't even numbered. (There are a few endnotes, mostly on ambiguities in the Greek.)

Lattimore's NT is not a replacement for other standard versions, but I think it deserves a place on the shelf next to those versions as a strictly literal alternative.

[Jacob Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A set of fantastic translations of the entire New Testament, unintrusively as per Lattimore's usual Greek translation style. Not sure what else there is to say about it, other than that it's just great, particularly his Gospel of Luke

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite translation (Richard Lattimore) of the new testament. There are many things that make this such a wonderful translation, including:

1. The literal meaning of the original text is preserved.
2. The spirit of the original text is preserved.
3. The translation is an enjoyable read. It has a sense of narrative and a flow.

The lack of notes and verse numbers, quotes in red and other such nonsense, really helps these stories and letters read easily, like a narrative.

I don't think this translation is perfect. Occasionally, a phrase comes out a bit stilted, and I favor other translations such as RSV.

The author provides a brief preface and no other commentary. I sometimes found myself wishing for brief introductions to the individual chapters, to help give a bit of context as to the authors and their motives.

There is a section of notes in the back which is quite easy to overlook. I read the entire book without noticing this. I will have to remind myself to consult the notes when I go back to reread sections of this book.

As to the text itself: The four Gospels and the Acts are all quite interesting. Revelation is a fan-favorite and a lot of fun. Paul's letters are at times pedantic, and at times inspired and beautiful. Reading through them, along with reading the Acts, gives great insight into what things were like in the early Christian church. I found Hebrews to be quite pedantic, but with some interesting references back to the Old Testament. The general letters are included in the Bible as direct evidence against the claim that the full text of the Bible is divinely inspired.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

One may remember Lattimore from high school or a college humanities course as the translator of Homer. I did and was surprised to see he had tackled the Christian Scriptures as well.

A literary man, not a biblical scholar, Lattimore's edition is weak when compared to scholarly editions of the text such as the New Oxford (RSV), the New Jerusalem (Catholic) or the New English (Anglican). The virtue of his work, however, is that he could translate without a committee looking over his shoulder and, so, avoid political considerations. Consequently, you will see much reference to believers as "slaves" of Christ or whatever and none of the less-literal "servant" stuff.

[People say my name should be Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reading the KJV, the 1611 KJV, the Tynsdale, and the NIV. This is BY FAR the best translation. I love that he doesn't have the pretension of being a biblical scholar. He's just a classicist who wanted to use his knowledge of Greek to do a translation true to the greek. I think that he succeeded marvelously.

[Christian Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite translation - old school street Greek from one of the best secular translators

[Gail Clayworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's pretty hard to rate a translation of the New Testament, or to honestly mark it as read, because I'll be referring back to it and rereading it like I would any Bible. It's a different experience to read the books and letters of the New Testament in a form closer to how they were written, without being divided into chapters and verses. I think it's a valuable experience too. One reason I wanted to read this is that it was translated by a renowned scholar of ancient Greek, whose perspective is secular, so he's not inclined to interpret the text according to any preconceived sectarian assumptions.

[Matt Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because of my short classics background, I trust Lattimore's translation of texts in ancient Greek more than any other translator, since his are the most accurate. The result shows the beauty of the New Testament unfettered by flowerly phrasings and pomp that other translations feel the need to use in order to elevate the words (or Word) into pomp. The pure, simple language is still beautiful and makes reading the New Testament a complete joy. I wish Lattimore knew Hebrew--I would love to have seen him tackle the Old Testament.

[Doug May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the distinct blessing to be handed one of these by a Billy Graham worker while I attended the Pan Am Games in Indianapolis Indiana. The Living translation incorporated testimonies of athletes including distance runner Frank Shorter that influenced me. It was my first encounter of a translation in a language I could easily grasp. Over a period of months the book transformed my life until finally I was baptized and professed Jesus Christ as my savior. The rest is history to the present when I serve as an elder at a congregation.

[T HH · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite translation of the New Testament. Lattimore accomplishes what all good translators attempt but few truly accomplish: to create a translation that is faithful to the original while transferring the power and intensity into the new language.

In this translation, narratives read like narratives. Letters read like letters. This translation is powerful and accessible.

[Connor Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good translation. Not afraid, as many translation committees are, of giving certain words their true rendering (I.e. δουλος- slave). Refreshing and with little respect for tradition when he decides on his English cognates- which I like. Tradition shouldn't belong in translation IMO.

Interesting fact, the translator, well known for his translations of the Greek classics, began the project an atheist but became a believer whilst translating the Gospel of Luke. That fact just always brings a smile to me as I use this translation.

[Eric Larison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very Readable Translation of the New Testament

An excellent, readable translation by one of the greatest translators in the 20th century. Richmond Lattimore’s work stands the test of time.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

so far i'm liking the style of this translation as an occasional companion to my trusty KJV

[Autumncandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fun fact: Virgin Mary is called a virgin because she was in her teens when she gave birth to Jesus. She was not a virgin in a sexual sense though

[Barry J Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Lattimore's translation and getting his perspective on rendering the Koine Greek into English.

[Zachary Waltz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have found other translations more helpful, but this served me well for my Sophomore seminar classes and for my early journey into Christianity.

[Kyle Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richmond Lattimore was a poet and eminent translator of ancient Greek classics. His translations of the Iliad and Odyssey are considered by many to be the best available. Late in life he decided to translate the New Testament.

The best part about Lattimore's New Testament is its visual beauty and readability that facilitate longer reading experiences.

Format:

Verse references have been extracted from the text and the text overall has been formatted into paragraphs. This makes it very easy to read long portions of Scripture without feeling bogged down. Also chapter numbers have been removed and replaced with full paragraph breaks and pilcrows, where new chapters begin. However, chapter and verse references do appear at the top of pages to help you locate yourself in the text. The text size and line spacing is perfect, larger than most modern Bibles, and paper quality is thicker, comparable to a modern novel feel. This is probably the look and feel Adam Greene is going for with BIBLIOTHECA.

Construction:

I have the hardbound edition, which is solidly constructed and has a sown binding. The hardbound edition has a book jacket with a picture of what seems to be a dead man's face as cover art. Not what I want to look at before I open the Bible. I removed it and found a beautiful red cardboard cover and a black textured cloth spine with gold lettering. It makes the volume look way better. Very classic.

Translation:

This version is a very readable and fresh translation and yet still close to the more literal translations out there. Lattimore's translation has a few noticeable differences that seem within the allowable range of meaning of the Greek, but just aren't typical renderings. For instance, often for "heaven" in the book of Revelation, he simply translates "sky." "Stumble you" is often translated as "makes you go amiss." "Son of Man" is rarely capitalized. But if you are using this version as a supplemental version, I don't see how those things would be a problem. There is an appendix with language notes and explanations of translation choices.

Lattimore states his principle of translation in the preface:

"I have held throughout to the principle of keeping as close to the Greek as possible, not only for sense and for individual words, but in the belief that fidelity to the original word order and syntax may yield an English prose that to some extent reflects the style of the original."

And then later:

"It will follow, or should, that since each of the Gospels, and Revelation, is the work of a different author with a different style, they should read differently in English... But it is not always so easy. To go from Revelation to Matthew is like going from Ruskin to Carlyle."

Lattimore places Mark, whose style he says can be "abrupt and crabbed", as the first Gospel. Not a big deal to me.

Take away:

If you like to own multiple versions of the Bible and are looking for a reader-friendly Bible that has the clout of an eminent classical Greek translator, then pick this up right away.

[Rick Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic translation of the New Testament. I was both excited and a bit doubtful when I began reading it. Lattimore was a master of Classical Greek and produced definitive translations of both the Iliad and the Odyssey; however, he was not known as a scholar of Koine Greek, the Greek in which the New Testament was written. Overall, I think this actually works in his favor to an extent. The fact that certain phrases which readers of the New Testament take for granted are given a slightly different shade of meaning (for example, Lattimore always translated "summoned" where most translations would have "called") causes the reader of the text to take notice of the context in a fresh way. There are also a couple of ways in which Lattimore's strict desire to translate the text without unduly altering the Greek syntax is wonderful. ό Χριστος, for example, is always translated "the Christ" instead of simply "Christ," paying special attention to the definite article. Also δουλος is invariably, and correctly, translated "slave" rather than "servant" as is seen in most modern translations. Other than these idiosyncrasies, the translation stands mostly in line with modern literal translations such as the ESV, NASB or RSV.

[Jodi McMaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lattimore's translation of the New Testament is refreshingly free of an agenda; his goal was to give a coherent, faithful translation of the Greek. As a result, he has created some interesting issues for those whose theology relies on literalism; most will probably go back to those translations made by religious publishers. Intellectual honesty, though, should compel those who struggle with their Christian orientation to read this translation. I found it actually clarified some issues for me.

[Matthew Hundley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across the Lattimore translation of the New Testament in a Borders in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Presented in standard book form (no chapter and verse references other than the top of the page) and from the vantage point of one translator (not a committee of scholars). Later in seminary while studying Greek I gained a new respect for Lattimores ability to capture the voices of the authors. A must have for any student of God's word.

[Mmetevelis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the New Testament is refreshing and challenging without chapter and verse numbers. Lattimore is an excellent translator who has a firm grasp on the idiom of the original Greek even if some of his choices for words are odd. This translation was enjoyable to read all the way through.

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scripture. Finished reading the second time in October 2012.

[Mary Elizabeth Woodard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing translation, it was especially good for better understanding the translation from Greek to English

[Laura Lee]

Not a breeze through it kind of book. It's on my shelf to refer to.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of the Bible, but Lattimore provides a clear translation which gives a real sense of the Greek text, unencumbered by thousands of years of theology. (Stars are for the translation.)

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic translation.

[Neil Gussman]

The best translation I have read. Each writer sounds different, not the homogenized text of translation by committee.