A dazzling reconsideration of the language and translation of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, from the acclaimed scholar and translator of classical literature.

Making clear that she is not a Biblical scholar, cleric, theologian, or philosopher, Sarah Ruden-a Quaker-speaks plainly and accessibly in this inspiring book. She argues that while the Bible has always mattered profoundly, its modern translations often lack clarity and vitality. Singling out the most famous passages, such as the Genesis creation story, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Beatitudes, Ruden reexamines and retranslates from the Hebrew and Greek, illuminating what has been misunderstood and obscured in the standard English translations. By showing how the original texts more clearly reveal our cherished values, Ruden gives us an unprecedented understanding of what this extraordinary document was for its earliest readers and what it can still be for us today.