Revised Chinese Bible - good news for a new era

The Bible is often said to be the best-selling book in the world's history; it has been translated into 2,508 languages, with millions over the years finding meaning and moral guidance in its pages. Indeed, the strength and endurance of Christianity has been its willingness to revise and interpret its sacred text in a way that its key messages can be carried through to the modern era.

Its influence has spread from the Western world across several oceans and continents, and is evident in Hong Kong today in the number of churches around the city and in the lifestyles we have adopted.

Now, after 27 years of work by an international team of experts led by the Hong Kong Bible Society, a revision of the Chinese Union Version has been published. The original version, published in 1919 and used by an estimated 70 million Chinese Christians, was the result of joint efforts between Western missionaries and Chinese believers, and took over 30 years to complete.

Whether or not you decide to take that leap of faith and subscribe wholly to Christianity, the Bible has undoubtedly provided guidance and consolation to millions of people around the world. Its parables and stories have the ability to spread messages of tolerance, love, unity and respect for the individual. But this admirable mission can only be achieved with a modern and relevant Bible in a language that stimulates interest and thought in readers worldwide.

Apart from the revised Chinese Union Version, another 40 versions of the Chinese Bible continue to exist. Undoubtedly, each Chinese version, and each translation into other languages, will have their nuances. This is a reflection of how the messages in the Bible are open to constant meditation.

Included in the latest revised version are over 2,400 footnotes regarding passages that are ambiguous, and readers are encouraged to judge their meanings for themselves. The success of the Bible lies in its letting readers derive spiritual meaning for themselves.