New Testament Review: Williams (1937)

The New Testament in the Language of the People. Charles B. Williams 1937. 572 pages. [Source: Bought]

I found this New Testament at a local charity shop.

At the time it was published, the intent might have been to have a serious translation for bible study. I think time has proved it to perhaps be more of a paraphrase with devotional quality.

I have nicknamed this translation the KEEP ON translation.

• Keep on asking, and the gift will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and the door will open to you. Matthew 7:7
• Then Jesus said to His disciples: "If anyone wants to be my disciple, he must say 'No' to self, put his cross on his shoulders, and keep on following me. Matthew 16:24
• While he was still speaking, a bright cloud cast its shadow over them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, my Beloved, in whom I am delighted. Keep on listening to Him!" Matthew 17:5
• So keep on watching, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. Matthew 24:42
• You must keep on having salt within you, and keep on living in peace with one another." Mark 9:50
• If anyone is willing to keep on doing God's will, he will know whether my teaching comes from God, or merely expresses my own ideas. John 7:17
• Jesus said to them, "Only a little while longer you will have the light. Keep on living by it while you have the light, so that darkness may not overtake you, for whoever walks about in the dark does not know where he is going. John 12:35
• By this everybody will know that you are my disciples, if you keep on showing love for one another." John 13:35
• "Stop letting your hearts be troubled; keep on believing in God, and also in me. John 14:1
• This is my command to you, to keep on loving one another as I have loved you. John 15:12
• Up to this time you have not asked for anything as bearers of my name, but now you must keep on asking, and you will receive, that your cup of joy may be full to the brim. John 16:24
• Yes, we know that all things go on working together for the good of those who keep on loving God, who are called in accordance with God's purpose. Romans 8:28
• And yet in all these things we keep on gloriously conquering through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37
• Keep on thinking in harmony with one another. Stop being high-minded but keep on associating with lowly people. Stop being conceited. Romans 12:16
• Stop being conquered by evil, but keep on conquering evil with good. Romans 12:21
• So let us keep on pursuing the things that make for peace and our mutual upbuilding. Romans 14:19
• Keep on running from sexual immorality! Any other sin that a man commits is one outside his body, but the man who commits the sexual sin is sinning against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18
• Keep on pursuing love, but still keep cultivating your spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophesying. 1 Corinthians 14:1
• This is the freedom with which Christ has made us free. So keep on standing in it, and stop letting your necks be fastened in the yoke of slavery again. Galatians 5:1
• and always be speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Keep on praying and praising the Lord with all your heart; Ephesians 5:19
• Keep on praying in the Spirit, with every kind of prayer and entreaty, at every opportunity, be ever on the alert with perfect devotion and entreaty for all God's people, Ephesians 6:18
• Keep on fostering the same disposition that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:5
• Stop being worried about anything, but always, in prayer and entreaty, and with thanksgiving, keep on making your wants known to God. Philippians 4:6
• So if you have been raised to life in fellowship with Christ, keep on seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
• Let the peace that Christ can give keep on acting as umpire in your hearts, for you were called to this state as members of one body. And practice being thankful. Colossians 3:15
• Let the message of Christ continue to live in you in all its wealth of wisdom; keep on teaching it to one another and training one another in it with thankfulness, in your hearts singing praise to God with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Colossians 3:16
• Keep on thinking about what I am saying, for the Lord will grant you understanding of it in all its phases. 2 Timothy 2:7
• let us, without ever wavering, keep on holding to the hope that we profess, for He is to be trusted who has made the promise, Hebrews 10:23
• Keep on obeying this message; do not merely listen to it, and so deceive yourselves. James 1:22
• Keep on coming to Him, as to a living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious in His sight, 1 Peter 2:4
• and keep on building yourselves up, as living stones, into a spiritual house for a consecrated priesthood, to offer up, through Jesus Christ, spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God. 1 Peter 2:5
• but so far as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, keep on rejoicing, so that at the uncovering of His glory you may rejoice triumphantly. 1 Peter 4:13

I also loved how he incorporated the word PRACTICE into his translation.

• But I tell you, practice loving your enemies and praying for your persecutors, Matthew 5:44
• Then you must practice dealing with others as you would like for them to deal with you, for this is the summing up of the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12
• You must practice honoring your father and mother. And you must love your neighbor as you do yourself." Matthew 19:19
• But you must practice loving your enemies, doing good to them, and lending to them, despairing of nothing; so that your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Luke 6:35
• Practice forgiving others, and you will be forgiven. Practice giving to others, and they will give to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, people will pour into your lap. For the measure you use with others they in turn will use with you. Luke 6:38
• Practice rejoicing with people who rejoice, and weeping with people who weep. Romans 12:15
• Make it your practice to receive into full Christian fellowship people who are overscrupulous, but not to criticize their views. Romans 14:1
• Therefore, practice receiving one another into full Christian fellowship, just as Christ has so received you to Himself. Romans 15:7
• Finally, brothers, goodbye! Practice the perfecting of your characters, keep listening to my appeals, continue thinking in harmony and living in peace, and the loving, peace-giving God will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11
• I mean this: Practice living by the Spirit and then by no means will you gratify the cravings of your lower nature. Galatians 5:16
• Practice bearing one another's burdens, and in this way carry out the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
• So then whenever we have an opportunity, let us practice doing good to everybody, but especially to the members of the family of faith. Galatians 6:10
• You must practice being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has graciously forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
• and practice living in love, just as Christ loved you too and gave Himself for you as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2
• Practice doing everything without grumbling and disputing, Philippians 2:14
• Now, brothers, practice thinking on what is true, what is honorable, what is right, what is pure, what is lovable, what is high-toned, yes, on everything that is excellent or praiseworthy.Practice the things you learned, received, and heard from me, things that you saw me do, and then the God who gives us peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9
• Practice occupying your minds with the things above, not with the things on earth Colossians 3:2
• Practice living prudently in your relations with outsiders, making the most of your opportunities. Colossians 4:5
• By this we can be sure that we know Him -- if we practice obedience to His commands. 1 John 2:3
• Dearly beloved, let us practice loving one another, because love originates with God, and everyone who practices loving is a child of God and knows God by experience. 1 John 4:7

Overall, I think this was an enjoyable read. I found it to be encouraging. I like reading new-to-me translations because they help me re-engage with familiar texts and familiar truths.

I would rather read the Williams New Testament than the Message any day!

Do you have a favorite paraphrase?

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible