I'm paraphrasing the last few chapters of "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth (The Jefferson Bible for the 21st Century)". I will be seeking an editor very soon, and I hope to have it ready to go by Mid May.
It's taking longer than I had originally anticipated, both because I go cross-eyed with too many commas and semi colons, and also because I am validating my paraphrase (from the WEB version of the Bible) against three other translations just to make sure I'm not making any left turns in the intention of the original passage.
I'm such a geek that I would probably be parsing ancient Greek if I had ever taken that up as a language option. I think at this point that I am glad that I did not.
I'm also thinking forward to marketing. It should be fun in the main, but I can't say that I'm looking forward to the whole marketing angle.
Ready for a sample? Here are the first eleven verses from Chapter 8 from the original text:
Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought in a woman caught committing adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was caught committing adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, to test him, that they might have cause to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, began going out one by one, beginning at the eldest: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, he said unto her, Woman, whither are they gone? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought in a woman caught committing adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was caught committing adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, to test him, that they might have cause to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, began going out one by one, beginning at the eldest: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, he said unto her, Woman, whither are they gone? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Here is the same passage from my updated version:
1Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Very early one morning he went back to the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down, and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman arrested while in the act of adultery. They stood her in the middle, 4 and they told him, “Teacher, we found this woman committing adultery. 5 Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such violators. What do you say about her?” 6 They said this to test him, so that they might have something to make an accusation against him. But Jesus stooped down, and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said, “If any of you are without sin, let him throw the first stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
9 When they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, they left one by one beginning from the oldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle. 10 Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”
More soon!
