Thomas Wayment has just completed a translation of the New Testament designed specifically for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The translation was born out of a desire to increase biblical literacy and is intended for those who are new to the Bible as well as those who are seasoned scriptorians. It is like many other study bibles in the way it combines the leading scholarship of today with the best Greek manuscripts of the early Christian era.
The translation differs from any other version of the Bible because of its specific focus on Latter-day Saint doctrine.
Significant portions of Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible are included, and extensive study notes include cross references to scriptural works peculiar to church members such as the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants.
Each book of the New Testament begins with a concise three-part introduction. First, Wayment introduces readers to the author. Second, he provides context for the book by summarizing the author’s main purposes. Lastly, he highlights the most important ways in which the New Testament writing connects to Latter-day Saint beliefs.
The end result is a highly readable translation of the New Testament produced by a Latter-day Saint scholar for Latter-day Saint disciples.
This article originally appeared in the Deseret News.
