Maybe you’ve heard about The Voice, no, not the silly TV singing show with blind auditions, but the new Bible translation from Thomas Nelson (see the website Hear the Voice). Obviously the English-speaking world needs another English translation of the Bible about as much as I need a colonoscopy from a man called “hook.” We’ve had a spate of recent translations with TNIV–>NIV10, CEB, and Wright’s NTFE translation, with much controversy too, esp. by ESV-philes. See my prior comments on NTFE and CEB. But The Voice (TV) looks like a very interesting translation/paraphrase of the Bible. Here’s a few NT examples:
Matt 1:21
She will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus, which means “the Lord saves,” because this Jesus is the person who will save all of His people from sin
Mark 1:1
This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King, the Son of God.
Luke 4:18
The Spirit of the Lord the Eternal One is on Me.
Why? Because the Eternal designated Me
to be His representative to the poor, to preach good news to them.
He sent Me to tell those who are held captive that they can now be set free,
and to tell the blind that they can now see.
He sent Me to liberate those held down by oppression.
John1:1
Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking. The Voice was and is God.
Acts 2:36
Reconsider your lives; change your direction. Participate in the ceremonial washing of baptism in the name of Jesus God’s Anointed, the Liberating King. Then your sins will be forgiven, and the gift of the Holy Spirit will be yours.
Rom 3:22-25
This redeeming justice comes through the faithfulness of Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King, who makes salvation a reality for all who believe—without the slightest partiality. You see, all have sinned, and all their futile attempts to reach God in His glory fail. Yet they are now saved and set right by His free gift of grace through the redemption available only in Jesus the Anointed. When God set Him up to be the sacrifice—the seat of mercy where sins are atoned through faith—His blood became the demonstration of God’s own restorative justice. All of this confirms His faithfulness to the promise, for over the course of human history God patiently held back as He dealt with the sins being committed.
1 Cor 1:18
For people who are stumbling toward ruin, the message of the cross is nothing but a tall tale for fools by a fool. But for those of us who are already experiencing the reality of being rescued and made right, it is nothing short of God’s power.
1 Tim 2:11-14
It’s best if a woman learns quietly and orderly in complete submission. Now, Timothy, it’s not my habit to allow women to teach in a way that wrenches authority from a man. As I said, it’s best if a woman learns quietly and orderly. This is because Adam was formed first by God, then Eve. Plus, it wasn’t Adam who was tricked; it was she—the woman was the one who was fooled and disobeyed God’s command first.
Jas 2:14-17
Brothers and sisters, it doesn’t make any sense to say you have faith and act in a way that denies that faith. Mere talk never gets you very far, and a commitment to Jesus only in words will not save you. It would be like seeing a brother or sister without any clothes out in the cold and begging for food, and saying, “Shalom, friend, you should get inside where it’s warm and eat something,” but doing nothing about his needs—leaving him cold and alone on the street. What good would your words alone do? The same is true with faith. Without actions, faith is useless. By itself, it’s as good as dead.
1 John 2:1
You are my little children, so I am writing these things to help you avoid sin. If, however, any believer does sin, we have a high-powered defense lawyer—Jesus the Anointed, the righteous—arguing on our behalf before the Father.
Rev 1:4-5
I, John, to the seven churches in Asia: May you experience God’s favor and rest in the peace that comes from the One who is, the One who was, and the One who is coming; from the seven Spirits, the Perfect Spirit, constantly before God’s throne; and from Jesus the Anointed, the Witness who is true and faithful, the first to emerge from death’s cold womb, the chosen Ruler over all the kings and rulers of the earth. To the One who loves us and liberated us from the grip of our evil deeds through His very own blood and who established us to be His kingdom and priests for God, His Father. May glory and power be His throughout all the ages. Amen.