The New Testament: A New Translation for Latter-day Saints

by Thomas A. Wayment

This new translation renders the New Testament text into modern English and is sensitive to LDS beliefs and practices. This translation is readable and accessible for a wider range of readers than the King James Version. The original structure of the New Testament is restored and highlights features such as quotations, hymns, and poetic passages. New and extensive notes provide alternate translations, commentary upon variant manuscript traditions, and historical insights. Where applicable, the Joseph Smith Translation has been included. The notes contain the most complete list of cross-references to New Testament passages in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants that have ever been assembled.

Genres: Religion, Reference, Nonfiction, Lds, Theology

844 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2018

About the author

Dr. Wayment is an Associate professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University. He received his BA in Classics from the University of California at Riverside, and his MA and PhD in New Testament Studies from the Claremont Graduate School. He has been teaching full time at BYU since 2000.

Dr. Wayment's research interests include the historical life of Jesus, New Testament manuscript traditions, the life of Paul, and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. He has recently published a particularly cogent study that was published in Novum Testamentum that examines evidence culled from a third-century papyrus fragment, P. Oxy. 2383 (P69), which raises some important questions about current readings of Luke 22. This study has made a significant contribution to the wider academic conversation regarding the events germane to the suffering of the Savior in Gethsemane. The tripartite series The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ: from Bethlehem through the Triumphal Entry, which Dr. Wayment edited with BYU colleague Richard N. Holzapfel, includes essays examining historical and doctrinal aspects surrounding the Savior's mortal ministry. His collaboration with BYU faculty has also produced Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament, in which he, along with Dr. Holzapfel and Dr. Eric Huntsman, addresses the historical context in which the events related in the New Testament took place. He has also published a work dealing with the life of Paul, entitled: From Persecutor to Apostle: A Biography of Paul. His work with textual analysis and the Joseph Smith translation of the bible led him to edit The Complete Joseph Smith Translation of the New Testament, which was published by Deseret Book.

Reviews

[Jon Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can finally understand things Paul is saying!

This has been my main resource for studying the New Testament this year. Some of the features I really like about this book are:
- Modern English
- Italicized quotations (eg, when Paul is quoting a scripture) with the reference in a footnote. Turns out this really clarifies some things.
- Brackets around words/verses that are less likely to be original. This is based on a comparison of several the Greek manuscripts, giving more weight to those which are more reliable.
- Book headings and footnotes that give historical context.
- All of the text is formatted into sentences and paragraphs, which ignore chapter and verse designations. Chapter and verse numbers are included, but the paragraph structure drives the visual layout.

[Samcwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This New Testament translation has been a great companion to the King James Version and New Revised Standard Version (Oxford Annotated 4th edition). Wayment restores the original paragraph and story structure which makes it a bit easier to follow. He also includes helpful footnotes that provide context and references to Restored scripture. And I’ve found great insights as I’ve compared and contrasted the different versions.

[Maegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't actually finished this book yet, since I plan to read it slowly throughout the year. But I've read enough to know that I love this new translation of the New Testament. Thomas Wayment really knows his stuff. He begins each book with an introduction that gives context for the original time, place, and intended audience. The language is accessible but beautiful and brings home the universality of Jesus' teachings.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this modern language translation with lots of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints references. It is a scholarly work with information on each book and its historical significance.

[Robert Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vital resource for LDS bible readers

I bought this at the beginning of the year to read with the New Testament come follow me curriculum, and am so glad I did. This is a very readable translation, with copious notes that help not only understand what the text is saying, but how it relates to LDS doctrine and practice. I feel this book helped me have my best year ever in reading the New Testament

[Kevin Folkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a number of years, my wife taught an English Language Learner Sunday school class for Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees who had joined the church, but still struggled with understanding basic scriptures. The class was structured as choral reading from the standard works and asking questions about the meaning of words and phrases. For many of us, when we read the 17th century language of the King James Version of the Bible (KJV), we have more in common with those Asian refugees than we are willing to admit. Over some four hundred years, language usage has changed dramatically. Such words as hath, thither, doeth, and others are not familiar to present day readers. We now use predestined rather than predestinated. Corn as referenced in the KJV refers to grain, as corn was unknown in Old and New Testaments times in the Middle East. Meat refers to food generally, and not always the cooked flesh of animals. Many modern readers forget that the italicized words in the KJV are English additions added for clarity or to replace Hebrew or Greek words that have no English equivalent. Even the KJV of the Bible was intended to make the language more understandable than Tyndale’s and other early English translations from the 16th century, where usage had already changed in less than one hundred years.

Thomas Wayment, professor of ancient scripture at BYU, has tried to bridge this linguistic gap with The New Testament: A Translation for Latter-day Saints. There have been many attempts to update the KJV for modern readers. Most importantly, the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls helped to bring greater clarity to early Biblical texts. Different translation models have been used; some employ a word for word approach, approximating the KJV style and language. Others use a conceptual approach, working what they perceive as the intent of the original into a translation that more resembles modern usage. All of these models will include inherent biases. A modern language version for Catholics will reflect a Catholic interpretation of doctrine, while American Protestants may prefer a translation that leans more to Evangelical interpretations. Even our own Articles of Faith state that we believe the Bible to be the word of God “…as far as it is translated correctly,” leaving room for interpretation.
Still, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it has been a matter of Church policy to use the KJV in church curriculum and publications since the early 1950s, mostly due to the influence of Fist Presidency member J. Reuben Clark. With newer, more accurate translations available, the Church website acknowledges the use of alternate translations for personal study. In addition, some language translations published by the Church do not use the KJV as the source, such as the latest Spanish translation. There are instances where alternate translations have been quoted by LDS General Authorities in conference talks to promote understanding or emphasize a point of doctrine.
Wayment initially published his new translation for LDS audiences in 2018 through BYU’s Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book. Four years later, Wayment has produced a revised edition with minor changes, and is now published by Kofford Books. In his introduction, Wayment states one of his guiding principles:

“The four-hundred year-old translation in use by English-speaking Latter-day Saints is an artifact of the 17th century and is no longer a living and breathing text…Therefore, I felt that it was time to invite the modern English speaker into the text anew.”

Wayment’s introduction gives a short summary of how he adapted the translation, the texts he used, and the format of his book, all with an LDS doctrinal approach. His translation is meant to be read by average readers and is not a detailed academic examination of source documents and arguments over word choices. Wayment then jumps directly into his translation in a style that will be familiar to anyone who has used one of the popular study Bibles available. I personally use a 1991 Harper Study Bible version of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) as my preferred alternate translation and find Wayment’s approach both familiar and easy to understand.
For each book in Wayment’s translation, he begins with an introduction with notes about authorship, general information about the manuscripts used, and the structure and organization of each book. For example, Matthew is clearly identified as the author of the book bearing his name, reference is made to the earlier Gospel of Mark, and that Matthew was not writing a biography, but a personal account of the Savior’s life by a close eyewitness. For the epistles, Wayment adds a statement of the significance of the text to Latter-day Saint beliefs. Wayment also uses paragraphs, quotation marks, and moves the traditional verse numbering to superscripts, enabling easier reading, a style similar to Grant Hardy’s 2003 The Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Edition.

Every page in the text of the translation is heavily footnoted, explaining references where Old Testament scriptures are used, differences in names or spelling, and the context of a particular verse. Footnotes rather than endnotes allow the reader to immediately find the context and explanation for his choices and changes. I found myself reading the footnotes on each page just as often as the translation itself. Appendices give a synopsis of the four gospels in parallel format, and in Wayment’s 2002 revised edition, Old Testament scriptures quoted in the text are listed, along with a fourteen-page summary of New Testament scriptures quoted in other Latter-day scriptures (Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price). Footnotes are also in a slightly larger font in the new edition, enhancing their readability. Wayment also states that for various reasons, he has revised some 200 footnotes from the earlier edition. Detailed examination of those changes is beyond the scope of this review.

Ultimately, the choice of an alternate translation will be a personal choice. To help understand how The New Testament: A Translation for Latter-day Saints works, following are samples of how Wayment’s notes and translations compare, along with the corresponding notes and passages from the KJV and NRSV.

Translations
Matthew 5:13
KJV: Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the foot of men.
NRSV: You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled underfoot.
Wayment: You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, how can it function as salt? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on.

John 5:2-5
KJV: Now there was at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
NRSV: Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids---blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
Wayment: There is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool which is called Bethesda in Aramaic which has five colonnades. Among the colonnades lay a multitude of sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed individuals. There was a certain man there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years.

Philippians 1:12
KJV: But I would ye should understand, brethren…
NRSV: I want you to know, beloved…
Wayment: I want you to know, brothers and sisters…
[Reviewers note: Non-gendered language, in Wayment’s view, is not political correctness. Modern translations point to non-gendered language in the original manuscripts, possibly altered by the KJV translators.]


Notes on Authorship
Epistle of James:
LDS KJV: The writer is generally thought of as the Lord’s brother, the son of Mary…This instructive passage [James 1:5] inspired Joseph Smith to inquire of the Lord in 1820 as to the true church, and as a consequence the Father and the Son appeared to him, and the dispensation of the fulness of times was launched. Among other important teaching of James are those that have to do with faith and works… (LDS Bible Dictionary, James, Epistle of)
NRSV: The letter of James opens with the statement “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. This immediately establishes the author as James---the James who is none other than the brother of the Lord Jesus…James primary purpose in this letter was to set forth ethical standards of the Christian life. It was, therefore, an intensively practical letter and did not delve too deeply into other aspects of theology…Basically there is no difference between the teachings of Paul and James (on works versus grace). Both Paul and James believed that saving faith is always accompanied by good works…His final conclusion is that while faith without works is dead, it cannot be said that works of any kind are necessary to salvation or that works can save anyone.
Wayment: Jacob---or James, as the name is most often translated---was the
brother of the Lord…One feature of the letter is that it emphasizes the balance between works and grace differently than the Pauline letters and thus probably appealed directly to Christian Jews, who had a heritage in the law of Moses. Gentile Christian may have found such teachings more difficult to accept, or they may have preferred Paul’s emphasis on grace…The most obvious connection to Latter-day beliefs, and indeed the most important connection, is the famous directive “If anyone lacks wisdom, let that person ask God who gives to everyone generously and without reproach it will be given to him.”

Hebrews
LDS KJV: It appears that soon thereafter, Paul wrote the epistle to the Hebrews to show them by their own scripture and by sound reason why they should no longer practice the law of Moses. The epistle is built on a carefully worked-out plan. Some have felt that the literary style is different from that of Paul’s other letters. However, the ideas are certainly Paul’s. (LDS Bible Dictionary, entry Pauline Epistles)

NRSV: We do not know with any certainty who the author of Hebrews was. No name is given, nor does the letter supply details which would enable anyone to make a positive identification. For these reasons, a number of different people have been suggested as authors…There was a need for a book like Hebrews to explain more fully how God’s plan moved from the O.T. to the N.T. and how Jesus Christ fulfilled the O.T. prophetic word.

Wayment: Modern concerns with authorship have connected the importance of the epistle’s message with the question of authorship. In other words, if Paul did not write Hebrews, then somehow the message of the epistle is diminished or even of no value. Tradition suggests that Paul wrote Hebrews, which is a reasonable assumption; the evidence is fairly conclusive that an early Christian author who was connected with Timothy wrote this epistle with the intent of addressing the topic of Christ for a Christian audience…The language is elegant and well considered, suggesting that the author had in mind a powerful defense of his belief in Christ in light of differing opinions.

1 Peter
Wayment: “…A variety of historical considerations have led scholars to question the authorship of I Peter. The major concerns are the Greek seems too sophisticated for a Galilean fisherman who was “uneducated,” according to Acts 4:13…Early Christians consistently attributed this book to Peter, that other methods and of writing and transcription could account for the elevated Greek…The practice of writing a letter on someone else’s behalf would be described by modern literary theory as manipulation and deception. However, the historical situation is much more complex than that and the document may have indeed been written by someone else on Peter’s behalf after that individual had compiled the available source documents, read the existing writings attributed to Peter, and the put together what he or she felt was the most accurate representation of those ideas.

Connection to Latter-day Saint Beliefs
2 Corinthians
Wayment: Two teachings from 2 Corinthians have noteworthy connections to Restoration teaching and events…[such as] Paul’s use of the term third heaven (12:2)…The contents of what Paul saw is passed over without comment in the letter…Such a concept of three heavens must have been part of the groundwork that encouraged the revelation recorded as Doctrine and Covenants 76.
1 Timothy
Wayment: The Pastoral epistles [I and II Timothy, Titus, and Philemon] have not been overly influential in the Restoration, but Latter-day Saints will find in them support for the sixth article of faith: “We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors…These letters provide information about the organization of the early church. They indicate that bishops worked in conjunction with elders and deacons, and the provide information about how bishops were encouraged to conduct themselves among the saints.
1 Peter
Wayment: One of the more powerful connections to the Restoration is found in the second chapter where Peter compares the community of saints to the old system of priests and encouraged them to become a “holy priesthood” (2:5) that is capable of offering “spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” The language of this passage is not gender specific and should not be taken as a directive only to male saints but to all saints who are to become like the priests of the Levitical order…First Peter also played a foundational role in the revelation of Doctrine and Covenants 138, when President Joseph F, Smith pondered the meaning of 1 Peter 3:18-20 and 1 Peter 4:6.

These examples may give you an idea of how Wayment’s translation for an LDS New Testament study Bible reads. As for me, it will not replace my LDS KJV, nor do I think Wayment intended it as such. It will for me take an equal place alongside the KJV, my Harpers NRSV Study Bible, and one or two other New Testament study helps for this next year’s Come Follow Me curriculum. His new translation for LDS readers will help me to better understand the context, culture, and setting of the New Testament, an important step in a deeper understanding of the scriptures and Christ’s ministry.

[Addie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow, this book was my lifesaver while reading through the New Testament! I didn't use this resource for understanding gospel truths. What I did need it very badly for was understanding the lifestyles, phrases, metaphors, etc... I didn't live hundreds of years ago, so I don't understand their semantics of living, insults or compliments, opportunities, cursings, manner of thinking, their working ethics, etc...& I used this book to explain these any time I had a question about what was going on! And this book did the job of answering the questions I had about what I read! While I didn't read it the whole way through, I used it often enough whenever I had another question pop up, or any misunderstandings about anthropology. And I honestly used this resource the whole way through my reading of the New Testament. Thank you, Thomas Wayment, for making this translation of the New Testament with all its glorious notes that helped me understand what I read in the New Testament!

[Anna Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful and essential modern translation. 😍

[A Jolly · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this zero stars I would. Do not waste your money on this book. You're better off finding Bruce R. McConkie's Doctrinal New Testament Commentary on a used book website.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the paperback version of this book. It is a really helpful modern English translation of the New Testament by Professor Thomas Wayment, who has a background in the Classics and Biblical Studies. It was a really helpful and valuable resource and will continue to be a helpful reference for comparison in my future studies of the New Testament.

I love how plain the language of this translation is, especially in the gospels, Acts, and Revelation. It is intended specifically for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the footnotes are a gold mine for showing where the New Testament is quoting the Old Testament (which parts are marked in italics in the text which I LOVE because it makes it so easy to see when the speaker is quoting scripture) and the footnotes also refer to numerous passages in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants that allude to or quote from the New Testament passage you are reading. That was really, really helpful as well and added a lot to my understanding and appreciation of the intertextuality of the Bible and the scriptures of the restoration.

There are a lot of structural aids in the text like quotation marks for direct quotations and reformatting poetry into lines on the page that helped make the text more easily readable, which is really helpful. I also really appreciated the footnotes that explained variants in different available manuscripts of the New Testament and which readings are best supported by the available evidence as being likely to be the original. That was fascinating and very helpful. The author also includes some quotations from the JST in the footnotes, which I appreciated as well. Some passages in the KJV that were difficult or incomprehensible to me were quite plain to understand in this translation, and other passages which I thought I understood turned out to mean something a bit different than I originally thought.

One other important lesson I learned from studying this book is that even with a modern English translation and a lot of helpful footnotes a lot of the New Testament is still really difficult to understand and lacks the great plainness of most parts of the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. Paul's writings, like Romans for example, is still really tough to grasp without the aid of commentary. Peter writes in a lot of run-on sentences with like 5 or 6 clauses in them so it is really hard to follow his train of thought sometimes. Revelation is still apocalyptic literature and is by its very nature highly symbolic and in some parts nonliteral and consequently many parts are quite difficult to grasp without help in unraveling the symbolism of the images, etc. This translation doesn't change any of that. The underlying Greek is still difficult. It still takes a lot of work and the aid of personal revelation from the Holy Spirit to really, deeply understand the scriptures. However, this translation of the New Testament was a very valuable resource in helping me with that, and I am grateful for it and would highly recommend it to interested readers.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this translation for my personal scripture study in 2023, when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was reading the NT as part of their 4 year rotation through our scriptures. It's a passable translation. I think that Dr. Wayment fails to capture some of the poetry that makes the KJV and some other translations partially works of literary art than mere mechanical translations, particularly in the gospels. That's not necessarily a knock against this translation—it's good to occasionally have some of the more mechanical ones to cross-check and triangulate with, and this did that more than adequately. It is nice, also, to have a singular voice in translation, in some ways. All of these benefits have both advantages and disadvantages. This is eminently readable, and that's always a benefit, particularly in the epistles, which I find almost completely obtuse in the KJV.

Nothing about this translation really jumped out at me as being particularly insightful or mind-blowing, but it was more than serviceable and thus served its purpose well. If nothing else, it might help be a stepping stone for some LDS to the idea that we could read other translations than the KJV and not be sinning. (A ridiculous notion, frankly, that we need to move away from even if the KJV should remain the standard translation for church purposes in the English language.) A translation by a believing LDS scholar that delves into some of the issues from biblical scholarship in its introductions and verse-by-verse footnote commentary is a great way to dip one's toe into those kinds of waters.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The New Testament: A Translation for Latter-day Saints is sure to become one of those books on which hinges great things for Latter-day Saint Bible-study. The editor, Tom Wayment, has done his homework. He clearly understands the Greek language but also understands the needs of his audience. Because (English-speaking) Latter-day Saints have used and cherished the KJV for nearly 200 years, a Bible translation that will supplement, elucidate, and inform is timely. The layout and organization is easy to follow and user-friendly. The fact that it does not replicate the formatting of the LDS Standard Works (two column, verse-by-verse) is a reminder to readers that this book is not meant to replace their New Testament published by the Church (1979, 2013 editions). However, this new translation offers the reader an opportunity to re-discover the text with all of its rich nuances and doctrinal instruction. The footnotes provide bite-size forays into details about the Greek language, KJV differences, as well as shedding light on other Latter-day Saint scripture (Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and the Joseph Smith Translation).

If you find yourself wondering if you should purchase this book—for yourself or someone else—do both! I am confident you will find yourself using it as an important reference as you study the New Testament.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read part of this translation of the New Testament along with another recent translation by David Bentley Hart (2017) for book club this month. Having only ever read the King James Version of The Bible, reading other translations was interesting. For the most part, I didn’t feel like the differences changed the meaning or the message, but I did find it easier to read and understand. There is still much to contemplate and discuss. I quite liked the format (paragraphs with subheadings) and I loved the extensive information in the footnotes (but I hated the formatting!).

No, I didn’t read the whole book, but I’m marking and rating it for now. I’m planning to purchase a copy to have for future scripture study. I wish I would have had a copy last year as a companion to our Come Follow Me study of the New Testament.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can's say enough good things about this book. The new translation is clear, inclusive and helpful. The annotations connect the New Testament with the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants in interesting and insightful ways. The introductions provide an overview of bible scholarship for each book and highlight the importance of the book in Latter-day Saint theology.

Some of the annotations appear to be rushed. I spotted a few minor mistakes. But I'm confident those can be addressed in a second edition. I loved this book so much, I wouldn't let my wife share my copy. I bought a second copy for her, so we now own two copies of this book. And I wouldn't hesitate to buy another copy, if they do, in fact, issue a second edition.

[Ted Mccartin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful study guide to the New Testament. I think that it should be the first port of call for many who want some clarification without "throwing the baby out with the bath water."

I don't see it as a rational decision to leave the Church of jesus Christ of l\Latter-day Saints because you don't understand a handful of scriptures.

Sure, the Baptist Pastor up the road might have an explanation for you, but remember that he had to accept what he was told what sciptures meant at Bible College or else he would have failed the course.

[Ryan K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wayment's translation is full of useful footnotes. His work is aimed at LDS audiences, but anyone can benefit from his discussions of alternate translations. The introduction includes a review of the many ancient manuscripts used in compiling a new translation. One may also profit from studying Wayment's translation along with those by Wuest and Hart each of whom has a different view of translation, but worked hard to get at the meaning of Greek when translated into modern English, eschewing promoting particular philosophies or points of view.

[Chad Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Resource

I really enjoyed reading a modern translation performed with an eye toward Latter-day Saint beliefs. My only gripe is with the formatting on the kindle version: the footnotes are all grouped together in random sections, rather than being associated with each verse. It made it almost impossible to look them up for a given verse, which meant that I just didn’t read them. Very easy fix.

[Liz Busby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this new translation of the New Testament this year. I really enjoyed the scholarly introduction to each book and getting to see what parts of the New Testament are in dispute. This translation made Paul's epistles much more readable than the King James Version I'm used to. :D And it was nice to have a new translation that addressed the text from an LDS perspective which is very different from most Christian sects.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been an excellent new testament reference - with more modern language, great references (helps/guides) and background knowledge. The one irritation is the insistence on noting at _every_ occurrence, that in Greek, saying/writing 'men' really meant 'men and women'. After the 200th repetition it got a bit wearing.

Having said that, there is now a revised edition that I've put on my christmas list!

[Jennifer Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this translation from the Greek into modern English. With lots of helpful information in footnotes and scripture cross-references that clarify doctrine and passages, it's given me all kinds of new insights in the short time I've owned it. A wonderful study companion to read alongside the KJV.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent and helpful translation of the New Testament, including at times excerpts from the Joseph Smith Translation. The footnotes and introductory material to each book are especially valuable. Highly recommended as a companion to your study of the New Testament, especially if you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

[Aaron Byers · Rating 2 out of 5]

If the goal is to make it plain, unambiguous, and narrowed in meaning...then it did a great job. I would contend that the layers of meaning from Tyndale's translation, that stayed in the JKV, not only leave a depth that is removed with this translation, but also any chance of ringing poetic or beautiful.

[Patsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I focused on reading this book and footnotes, and I'm so happy I did. I am, however, aware of so many cross references to latter-day scripture, specifically the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, that I missed. This gives me a reason to re-visit this book again and again. I am so glad we own a copy of it. And, thanks to Thomas Wayment for taking the time to do this important work.

[Erneilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My study of the New Testament this year has been very much enhanced by reading this book. Thanks to Dr. Wayment for his scholarship and for making this available to us. As much as I love the language of the King James Version this translation has been so helpful.

[Hyrum Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done for LDS audience (and others too!)

This is definitely catered to members of the Church of a Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; but I think it is a worthwhile translation with what additional insights he calls out about the authors and history of the books.

[Matthew Kern · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a Latter-day Saint this should be your go-to New Testament. Very readable text in words and structure. Clear footnotes with interesting and useful commentary. Great introductions to each book that combine modern scholarship with LDS context and theology.

Nice work Mr. (Brother) Wayment.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The New testament translated with more modern language, justification for certain word translations and interesting notes on research, plus an additional section for tie-ins to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint beliefs. Good study edition.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This translation has been very helpful. I really appreciate that it groups together conversations or topics with subheadings which helps when trying to understand the context of scriptures.
I enjoy reading the KJV and Wayment side by side and have found greater fulfillment in my personal study.

[Spencer Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this translation. Some of it doesn’t sound as biblical, but since the Bible was mostly written like that anyway, it didn’t bother me. If you are reading for understanding and studying, there are many notes and comments that I found very helpful. I would recommend.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this translation. I only wish the author provided more extensive notes.