Fresh insights into familiar verses by Martin Manser

Expanding the Bible text into everyday language can bring new ways into the text – find out more here from Martin Manser

It’s Saturday evening and you haven’t yet started the prep for tomorrow morning’s service. You’ve been delayed by some pastoral issues and you’re starting to panic.

The text you have in mind is familiar: Matthew 11:28-30: ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light’ (NRSV). Its familiarity, however, is part of the difficulty. How can you say something new about a text that is already well known to many in your congregation?

Relax, I’ve done the hard work for you! This is where a new teaching resource ‘Word Come Alive’ comes in. I’m taking the New Testament text phrase by phrase, expanding and expressing the wording in contemporary English, offering fresh insights into familiar verses. My additions are in italics so you can see the changes that I’ve made to the original. So, these same verses in ‘Word Come Alive’ read: ‘Come to me, all of you who are worn out, overwhelmed and weighed down by the stresses and strains of life. I will relieve you of these heavy burdens. Submit to me; live your life harnessed to me. Follow me and become my apprentices. Let me teach you and train you because I am sensitive and humble in heart and you will find spiritual strength andrefreshment. Following me is a delightful joy, not a chore or heavy burden.’

A second example is Acts 1:8: ‘You will receive power from heaven when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Only when you’re brimming over with the energy of the Holy Spirit will you be equipped to take the initiative and be effective witnesses for me. The Holy Spirit will mobilise you to boldly declare the good news. You will go out in ever-widening circles, first to Jerusalem, next to all of Judea and Samaria and then eventually to the furthest corners of the earth.’

‘Word Come Alive’ is the result of two burning convictions in my 42-year career in words. First, my background of English dictionaries: I wanted to write dictionaries from the age of 6! So I’ve edited about a dozen thesauruses (thesauri if you prefer) and many books on grammar and usage for such publishers as Penguin, HarperCollins, Chambers, Macmillan, Bloomsbury and Oxford University Press. Secondly, I’ve worked on a wide range of Bible versions: NRSV, GNB, NIV, ESV, NLT, KJV, NIRV. I was Revising Editor of the Matthew Henry Commentary (Zondervan, 2010) with its 8 million words, and have edited some study Bibles including Christian Basics Bible (NLT, Tyndale, 2017), NIV Bible Speaks Today Bible (IVP UK, 2020) and the Spiritual Growth Bible (NLT, Christian Art, 2021). I’ve also compiled books on business skills such as project management and time management.

My editing on ‘Word Come Alive’ is challenging but also fulfilling. I sense that I am touching the very heart of God. I understand the thought of the Bible translator, J. B. Phillips, who wrote: ‘Translating the New Testament was like rewiring a house with the mains left on.’

Martin Manser is a professional reference book editor and has worked on over 200 publications, including in the areas of English language and Bible reference. You can find out more about ‘Word Come Alive’ at www.wordcomealive.net and about Martin’s other work at www.martinmanser.co.uk.