Three Gospels

by Reynolds Price

Reynolds Price pays tribute to his literary love of translation in this adaptation of the Gospels of Mark and John, in addition to a gospel written by the esteemed novelist himself.

Esteemed novelist, dramatist, scholar, essayist, and poet, Reynolds Price turns his attention back to a literary love he had discovered earlier in his translation.

But for Reynolds that didn’t mean abandoning his passion for writing original work; powerful and imaginative, Three Gospels offers eloquent translations of the Gospels of Mark and John as well as a gospel never before seen—an original one written by Price himself.

These stunning triumphs of imagination tell and retell some of the most iconic ancient stories in Price’s unparalleled literary voice.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Theology

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Reynolds Price was born in Macon, North Carolina in 1933. Educated at Duke University and, as a Rhodes Scholar, at Merton College, Oxford University. He taught at Duke since 1958 and was James B. Duke Professor of English.

His first short stories, and many later ones, are published in his Collected Stories. A Long and Happy Life was published in 1962 and won the William Faulkner Award for a best first novel. Kate Vaiden was published in 1986 and won the National Book Critics Circle Award. The Good Priest's Son in 2005 was his fourteenth novel. Among his thirty-seven volumes are further collections of fiction, poetry, plays, essays, and translations. Price was a member of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and his work has been translated into seventeen languages.

Photo courtesy of Reynolds Price's author page on Amazon.com

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This analysis and personal commentary on the Gospels of Mark and John was really impressive. The author obviously spent eons researching the translations of both books while also evaluating his own faith along the way. The summaries of the Gospels were scholarly without being stuffy or condescending and his own subsequent translations were fresh and enlightening. Finally, Mr. Price presented his own Gospel, compiling elements from a vast array of sources. This too was refreshing and beautiful. I highly recommend this book as a wonderful introduction both to those two Gospels as well as to the (normally) daunting world of Scripture commentary.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I love to read people nerding out about religion and Reynolds Price is an eloquent writer whose voice I enjoy, perhaps most when we are in disagreement. That said there is nothing particularly amazing in this book, it was just nice company for a few days.

[Grady Ormsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though most noted as being an English professor and novelist, Reynolds Price is also a Biblical scholar. In Three Gospels be offers his translations from Greek of the Gospels of Mark and John plus his own Gospel. His Gospel is entitled “An Honest Account of a Memorable Life” and is based on his extensive Biblical studies, historical investigations and theological evidence. Any project of this nature would necessarily involve a certain degree of speculation and inference. So it would have been for ancient Gospel authors as well as late Twentieth Century ones. What I found most interesting about this project had to do with Price’s request for the reader to be “persuaded to persist beyond all obscurities of history and geography and custom.” Taking this advice, I attempted to read Three Gospels without the assumptions, embellishments, interpretations and biases added by churches, theologians and speculators. I arrived at a calm, peaceful place inspired by the story of a man who professed and lived a life based on unconditional love. Unlike Price, I’m no Biblical scholar, but I think that Jesus would probably be upset with the way many have distorted and perverted his teachings.

[Carson Feix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reynolds Price translates and analyzes the gospels of Mark and John, then creates his own apocryphal gospel as a synthesis of the two combined with other sources.

It’s an interesting exercise and there is some helpful analysis. As an English professor, he takes a somewhat literary approach.

But it was hard for me to understand why he wrote this book. The main goal doesn’t appear to be faith enrichment, nor theological education. It’s also not what I would expect from a “bible as literature” type analysis. I think he wanted to highlight the power of unique narrative in the gospels, which is definitely worthwhile. However, I did not find it particularly insightful.

[Laura Julier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Price is/was a literary scholar who enters into consideration of the Gospels of Mark (and sideways references the other two Synoptics) and John, working his way through them, then offering a new translation for each. The third gospel is his own rendering. All of it offers a fresh reading, thoughtfully and gracefully done. I found it to be a very useful aid in writing sermons. It's not at all weighed down with academic or technical language.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

My opinion is that this is a story of one mans faith - his lifelong approach in examining and striving to understand that faith. I quite enjoyed reading of his efforts to better understand the gospels through his own specific lens (that of a talented writer.)

I took a long-ish time to read through this, but found it very worthwhile.

[NIGEL PEARCE · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will help you realize that we cannot separate the resurrection from the Gospel. That because of the cross it enables everything else. Jesus wasn't just a nice guy that performed miracles. He was our Lord and Savior.

[Whitney Hsumanityreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

snarky and wonderful!

[Don]

excellent

[Paulmatthew]

A plainspoken retelling of the Gospels. Superior in many ways to the Eugene Peterson translation.

[Nicolas Shump · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best part of this book is the preface where Price talks about how he came to write his "gospels." I enjoyed his discussion of the literary aspects of this project. Price is conversant with the scholarship on the Gospels, but is never pedantic. His gospels are fine. It is an exercise that makes sense, not that his versions are improvements on the originals. You do see these often familiar stories in a new light.
His own gospel is interesting, but not particularly memorable. This book could be a great teaching tool for a class on the scriptures or even for a more liberal approach to "Bible Study."

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reynolds Price is probably the best religious thinker writing today. Plain and simple, he is provocative, persuasive, and purely driven. When in doubt, I read him again. He never fails to provide an answer or at least make me question everything yet again. Growth is a guarantee.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Preface was really, well-written. It can put you in the right mindset to dive into the re-telling of the gospels. If you enjoy the learning about the gospels, then, the rest of the book is good to read for a different perspective.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book, after Time magazine wrote an article about it at Easter. It really affected my current spiritual belief concerning the language, and historical differences between now, and biblical times.

[Susan Janke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reynolds Price is a fantastic writer, and he has done an amazing job discussing the gospels of Mark and John. I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to increase their understanding of the gospels.

[Milt · Rating 3 out of 5]

dbg

[Carlos Rincon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great books about first three gospel presented in new and engaging way, i really enjoy reading many times this book

[John Stahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much deeper understanding of the gospels and the time they were written.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

meticulous translations and honest exegesis

[Penny Van Horn]

dnf