A User’s Guide to Bible Translations: Making the Most of Different Versions - Dewey, David. InterVarsity Press, 2004. 239p. $13.00, Paperback. ISBN 0830832734. 220.5’2 Bible, English—Versions—History.

With so many versions of the Bible available (at least 30), choosing one can be a daunting task. David Dewey, a Baptist minister from England, has produced an excellent guide for the bewildered and the curious. In the first part of his User’s Guide to Bible Translations, he discusses translation, explaining such considerations as: the literal-to-free translation spectrum; form-driven vs. meaning-driven; word-for-word vs. meaning-for-meaning; paraphrases; and matters of style and gender. The book’s second part offers a thorough survey of the wide range of Bible translations and revisions available today, explaining for each the history of its creation, how it compares with others, and its critical and popular acceptance.

Generously supplied with tables (often comparing two or more translations of a selected Bible passage to illustrate characteristics of each) notes, bibliography, Scripture index, and appendices, including one on Internet resources. This is a terrific resource for congregational libraries.

Monica Tenney
C&SL Media Review Editor
Maple Grove United Methodist Church
Columbus, Ohio