The Clear Word

The Clear Word, originally published in March 1994 as the Clear Word Bible, is an English-language "devotional paraphrase of the Bible expanded for clarity".[1][2] It is an interpretive text of the Bible written as a personal devotional exercise by Jack Blanco, former dean of the School of Religion at Southern Adventist University, to be an additional study tool and devotional alongside the Bible. Major portions of the translation are material added by the author.[3] It is printed in chapter-and-verse format, two columns to a page.

The Clear Word
Full nameThe Clear Word
Other namesThe Clear Word "An Expanded Paraphrase"
AbbreviationTCW
LanguageEnglish
Complete Bible
published		1994
AuthorshipJack Blanco
Translation type100% paraphrase rate, Contemporary
Version revision1996
PublisherJack Blanco
Copyright1994
This earth began by an act of God. He created the heavens and the earth. The earth was only a mass of created matter floating in space, covered with a vapor garment. Everything was dark. Then the Holy Spirit hovered over the vapor, and God said, "Let there be light." And everything was bathed in light.
Genesis 1:1 in other translations
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to come here and die, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life.
John 3:16 in other translations
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The free paraphrase [4] was initially printed at the school by the Southern College Press of Southern Adventist University and sold in Church-owned Adventist Book Centers. Though The Clear Word is not officially endorsed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, it is now being printed by the Review and Herald Publishing Association.

History and reception

Blanco originally wrote The Clear Word as a devotional exercise for himself. After friends and family saw what he did, they encouraged him to publish it. The New Testament part was first published and readers widely received and encouraged him to continue paraphrasing the whole Bible.

It is considered a free paraphrase of the Bible:

Free paraphrase: Paraphrases take great liberty with the biblical text and seek to convey the meaning of the author using contemporary phrases and metaphors. The best-known paraphrases are The Clear Word (Clear Word), The Living Bible (TLB), and The Message (Message). [5]

In the preface Blanco explains precisely what he did in producing the paraphrase.

Chapters 11 and 12 of Daniel were a challenge. Here more interpretative freedom in the light of historical studies and related prophecies (such as found in Revelation) had to be exercised in order to make the chapters more readable and understandable. In the New Testament, I attempted to harmonize in the four gospels what at first appears to be contradictory. The more difficult passages were made clearer by allowing each gospel to inform the other three and elaborating on certain points or scenes revealed in the other gospels. Certain passages from the book of Acts, a historical narrative, were slightly expanded with insights gleaned from commentaries. The epistles of Paul were the most difficult to paraphrase.[6]

A former President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Pastor Robert S. Folkenberg read it and endorsed it. It was also advertised on more than one occasion in the Adventist Review.[7]

Blanco himself states in the preface of the book, "Those who are better qualified have given readers of the Holy Scriptures excellent translations for such purposes and undoubtedly will continue to do so as additional manuscripts come to light."

Controversy and criticism

In response to criticism, the South Pacific Division of the church released the following statement:

The Clear Word Bible is not produced, nor endorsed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but is the private enterprise of an individual. The Adventist Church does not use the Clear Word edition, which includes passages from Ellen G. White’s writings, for its worship services and Bible studies around the world, but quotes from well known and well accepted Bible translations in the various languages. In the English language for example, the church uses the King James Version, the Revised Standard Version, the New American Bible, [sic] [recte New American Standard Bible] the New International Version, and others

— Australasian Conference Association Limited[8]

David Newman, editor of Ministry magazine wrote a letter expressing concerns about The Clear Word (June 28, 1994), stating that "A cursory examination of the Clear Word Bible reveals the prolific addition of many ideas not found in Scripture."[9]

Others within the church, such as Phil Ward, have expressed criticism in two areas. One that the current publisher does not have a large enough footprint to get The Clear Word out to mainstream Christian book centers, and that the paraphrase has too much extra material in it.[10]

See also

References
  1. preface to the Clear Word
  2. So Many Versions by William G. Johnsson, March 16, 2006 issue of Adventist Review, page 5, "The Clear Word is an 'Adventist' paraphrase, incorporating insights from Ellen White."
  3. http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_vers2.htm
  4. Choosing a Bible Translation by Michael Zwaagstra, http://www.adventist.org/spirituality/bible-study/article/go/0/choosing-a-bible-translation/
  5. "Choosing a Bible Translation". Seventh-day Adventist Church. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  6. "Preface Condensation". South Pacific Division, Seventh-day Adventist Church. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
  7. Folkenberg endorsement and Adventist Review advertisement, reproduced by SDAnet.org
  8. "Do Adventists have their own edition of the Bible called the Clear Word?". South Pacific Division, Seventh-day Adventist Church. Archived from the original on June 7, 2007. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  9. David Newman. "Letter (reproduced by SDAnet.org)". Retrieved 2007-03-29.
  10. "Clear Word Bible:exceptional, but..." Adventist.fm. Archived from the original on April 8, 2009. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
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