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About Chinese New Version
About Chinese New Version
1. Faithful to the original script
a) Accuracy
b) Never missed out on anything in the original
c) Never add anything on top of the original
d) Differentiation, presenting the same as in the original
e) Consistency in translation
f) Do not get singular and plural elements mixed up
g) Strive for precision
h) Avoid fussiness in translation
i) Bring out the central meaning of the original language in translation
2. Readability
3. Evangelical in faith & exaltation of the deity of Christ Jesus
a) Adopt easy to read and understand vocabularies and expressions
b) Apply discretion in eliminating use of obsolete vocabularies and expressions and adopt usage of modern vocabularies and expressions.
c) Adopt modern terms in disposal of the obsolete
4. Translation matches with the general theological flow of the whole Bible.
A brief description of the CNV Bible:
This is the first Chinese Bible translated by Chinese Biblical scholars directly from the Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic languages into modern Chinese ever in the history of the Chinese churches. The translation project was kicked off in 1972 by the New Chinese Bible Centre and the whole Bible was completed and published in 1992 by the Tien Dao Publishing House. A first draft of each book was done by a Bible scholar with expertise in Greek or Hebrew and Aramaic. It was then reviewed in a panel discussion where the original translator, a Bible linguist, a theologian or experienced pastor, a Chinese linguist and a translation researcher were present. After going through several rounds of review meetings and discussions of the researched results, a final draft was proposed. It was then sent for consultation among prominent Chinese church leaders worldwide to collect feedback and comments for final touch up.
This project was a joint effort of a team of around 100 prominent Chinese Bible scholars and language scholars from around the world. Some of them involved in the first draft translation and some in review and consultation before it’s first release in 1992. Some were involved in the recent years upgrades and revision processes. This team of scholars was made up of old and new prominent Chinese Biblical scholars in the 70s and recent years. The whole project was under the leadership of a group of Godly Chinese church leaders from beginning. These leaders included Rev. Dr. Philip Teng, Rev. Dr. John Pao, Rev. Dr. Timothy Lin, Rev. Dr. Samuel Tang, Rev. Dr. James Taylor III, Rev. Dr. Andrew Song, Rev. Dr. Wu Ming Chieh, etc. Rev. Paul Yung came on board at the very beginning of this project and worked under the leadership of the board in coordinating translators and review panels in different parts of the world with Hong Kong as the base. He was responsible for overseeing all publication, promotion and distribution of the CNV Bible.
Several million copies of this CNV Bible had been distributed including individual gospel booklets, New Testaments and whole Bible since the first release of the gospel of John in 1972 by the New Chinese Bible Centre. The Worldwide Bible Society was established in 2001 to promote this CNV Bible to the worldwide Chinese churches and Christian individuals. Since then, we had published many different editions of the CNV Bible to meet the different needs of the Chinese churches and individual Christians in different countries around the world in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters.
Here below is some information showing the acceptance of this Bible among the Chinese churches worldwide:
In Singapore, around 50% of Chinese churches have switched into using the CNV Bible as their pew Bible. The Singapore Bible College had adopted the CNV Bible as their official Bible version to be used in teaching.
In Hong Kong, nearly 500~600 local churches have used the CNV Bible in their meetings such as Sunday school, Bible Study classes and worship services. About 100 churches have switched into using the CNV Bible as their pew Bible.
In Malaysia, a considerable number of Chinese churches had also adopted the use of the CNV Bible in their meetings such as Sunday school, Bible Study classes and worship services. A small percentage of the Chinese churches in West Malaysia had switched into using the CNV Bible as their pew Bible.
In Taiwan, the percentage of churches switched into using the CNV Bible is comparatively smaller than the above three places. However, it’s beginning to catch up. The largest denominational church, which makes up over 50% of the total number of churches and also number of individual Christians in Taiwan began to show great interest in using the CNV Bible.
Regarding the States, individual Chinese churches are beginning to adopt the use of the CNV Bible as their pew Bible.
In Canada, the percentage of churches switched into using the CNV Bible as their pew Bible is comparatively smaller than the States.
In the Philippines and Europe, more Chinese churches are now aware of the CNV Bible and several had just started to switch into using it as pew Bible and many individual Christians in these areas began to purchase a copy for their personal use.
In 2007, many individual Christians in Australia and New Zealand started to use the CNV Bible and some churches had already switched into using the CNV/CUV parallel Bible as their pew Bible in these areas.
Even in Africa, some pastors in Nairobi, Kenya gave our CNV Bible to new converts baptized Christians as gifts.
Not to mention, the CNV Bible has become one of the most popular versions of the Bible in Chinese among the Christians in China. The three-self congregation asked for it, and the house church believers printed large quantities of hundreds of thousand copies for distribution without our knowledge. Pastors in China particularly love the CNV/CUV parallel Bible and the CNV Study Bible because they find it very helpful in preparing their sermons. They also find our CNV soul care Bible good for their pastoral ministry in China. Others like the several CNV English bilingual Bibles a lot.
The above was a brief overview of how the CNV Bible was accepted among the Chinese churches and individual Christians around the world. It is wonderful to know that the CNV Bible was not just welcomed by Christians, even non-Christians wrote to us to request for one or give us excellent comments of how they come to understand what the Bible said easily through this translation. Off and on, we received letters or emails giving us positive feedbacks or requests for the CNV Bible.