Frequently asked questions

The Bible is more than just a book, it’s the spoken Word of God. It is the textbook of the soul that answers the deepest fundamental questions of life; as to how things came to be, why we were created, why the world has fallen into sin and how God brought salvation through the suffering, death, and resurrection of the righteous Son of David, Messiah Yeshua.

Although there is no such thing as a perfect Bible translation, the NJV Bible is a highly reliable Bible translation. The NJV is a word-for-word translation, primarily based on the excellent and reliable scholarship of the 1901 American Standard Version. The word-for-word translation attempts to translate each Hebrew or Greek word into corresponding English and is considered the most literal and reliable type of translation; and closest to the original manuscripts where the Bible was written in. This enables the reader to study Scripture in its most literal format. But keep in mind, a translation is but a mask of the original.

The goal of the NJV is to make the personal name of God known to English-speaking people from all around the world, and to help the reader to rediscover the Hebrew roots of the Bible in an accessible, reliable, and beautiful way.

Yes, the NJV contains both the Tanakh (Old Testament) and Brit Chadashah (New Testament).

No, but the NJV is particularly interesting for people with an interest in the Hebrew roots of the Judeo-Christian faith.

The name of God is most significant in the Scriptures, where He manifests Himself in various ways. A common name used for the Supreme Deity is God, a translation of the Hebrew “Elohim.” Another title for the Supreme Deity is Lord, a translation of the Hebrew “Adonai.” However, these do not represent the personal name of God. God’s personal, most holy and unutterable name is written and read in Hebrew from right to left: יהוה. The name is composed of the Hebrew letters Yod (י), Hey (ה), Vav (ו), Hey (ה), it is also referred to as the “Tetragrammaton,” which means “the four letters;” YHVH in Latin script. In the Jewish tradition the Divine Name is too sacred to be uttered, it was therefore already in ancient times replaced vocally by the Hebrew “Adonai” (LORD), which was translated as “Kyrios” (LORD) in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Septuagint or LXX). Most English Bibles owing to the Jewish tradition therefore write the name as ‘LORD.’ Out of respect for the holy name the New Jerusalem Version has preserved the original Hebrew: יהוה. It is up to the reader how to pronounce the most holy name, though not to be used in vain. In Jewish tradition it is not without reason that when the name is spoken aloud it is uttered as “Adonai” or “Hashem” (The Name). This goes back to the third commandment: “You shall not take the name of יהוה your God in vain; for יהוה will not hold him guiltless who misuses His name.” (Deut. 5:11)

The name Jesus is a translation from the Greek Iēsous (Ιησους) which is derived from the Hebrew Yeshua (ישוע), which is based on the Semitic root y-š-ʕ (Hebrew: ישע‎), meaning "to deliver; to rescue." In the Greek manuscripts of the Bible, the name Iēsous occurs in both the Tanakh and Brit Chadashah. In the Septuagint, the Greek Iēsous is found in several passages (1 Chr. 24:11, 2 Chr. 31:15, and Ezra 2:2,6,36). In the Masoretic Text, the Hebrew manuscripts of the Tanakh, the name in these verses is, Yeshua (ישוע) or Yehoshua (יהושע‎). During Miriam’s pregnancy, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and said, “She shall give birth to a son; and you shall call his name Yeshua, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.’’ The angel didn’t speak Greek, as Joseph was a Jew from the tribe of Judah. The Angel told Joseph to call his name Yeshua, because he would yasha (deliver) his people.

The NJV distinguishes itself from most English Bibles by restoring: - The personal unutterable Hebrew name of God: יהוה - The Hebrew name of the Messiah: Yeshua - The Appointed times of God: Pesach, Shavuot, Yom Kippur, etc. - The names of God: Adonai Elohim Tzva’ot, El Shaddai, El Elyon, etc. - The order of books: following the Jewish tradition of the TANAKH (Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim). - Transliterations of Hebrew words that can't be captured in a single English word.

The intention of the New Jerusalem Version (NJV) is not to produce a new translation but rather to improve an existing one. The NJV is mainly an update of the 1901 American Standard Version (ASV), which is known for its excellent and reliable scholarship. Essentially the work of the 30 scholars who were involved with the work of ASV holds and forms the textual fundament of the NJV, with the exception that the text of the new testament is edited in accordance to Greek Majority Text.

When it comes to the transliteration of Hebrew words the NJV Bible focuses on balanced readability. One of the main editing goals is to insert transliterations that add clarity to the reading experience and at the same time function as pleasant speedbumps. Speedbumps are usually things that people dislike (even if they acknowledge their necessity). In the NJV speedbumps function as locales that require the reader to slow down, but for reasons to enjoy. Something to look forward to that not only under­lines the beauty of the Hebrew language but also adds depth, moments of enjoying vistas of Scripture.

The NJV is an essentially literal translation in English with transliterated Hebrew words. However, it is not an interlinear Bible, and thus it does not include the Masoretic/Hebrew text.