PEOPLE who are “scared” of the Bible are being invited to thumb through a local vicar’s latest translation.
Former Golcar Baptist Church minister Mike Smith has translated Mark’s gospel into an easy-read version with his own commentary.
“It is intended for people who have never read the Bible before and feel scared of it,” said Rev Smith, who retired after 25 years as a minister in Golcar in 2005.
“I’ve tried to make it as simple as possible and if they want to know about Jesus this is where they should go.”
Mr Smith, studied classics before theology at Oxford and Durham. He lives in Marsden with his wife Diana.
He has been involved with exhibitions and talks at schools, churches and other places in West Yorkshire and his book was based on the need of having something which people could take away and was accessible rather than texts in more old fashioned English.
Mr Smith has written books on church history and articles for reference books and the Examiner’s Christian Comment section. He has also appeared on television and radio.
“A large number of people haven’t got the faintest idea about the Bible and as a Christian and a historian I wanted them to read the authentic story,” he said.
Gospel for Starters is published by Athena Press at £9.99 and is available from all good booksellers and Amazone.com
TRANSLATED phrases include:
John the Washer, for John the Baptist;
In Mark 1: 21-28 where Jesus commanded the devil to come out of an insane man saying “Shut up, and come out of him”;
And from Mark 12: 35-44 the story of the poor widow. Jesus said: “I tell you that this poor widow put in more than those other people. For all of them gave their surplus cash. But she took from her poverty, and gave all she had to live on.”
