John Phillips

Background

Phillips was born in Barnes, Surrey.

Education

He was educated at Emanuel School in London and took an Honors Degree in Classics and English from Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Career

He is most noted for his version of The New Testament in Modern English. During World World War II, while a minister at Church of the Good Shepherd in Lee, London, he found the young people in his church did not understand the Authorised Version of the Bible. He used the time in the bomb shelters during the London Blitz, to begin a translation of the New Testament into modern English, starting with the Epistle to the Colossians.

The results appealed to the young people who found it easier to understand.

Post-war Encouraged by their feedback, after the war he continued to work the rest into colloquial English. At first he couldn"t find a publisher but with help from writer and Christian apologist Christian Science Lewis, Geoffrey Bles agreed.

Portions were published starting with in 1947, which received Lewis" backing. In 1952 he added the gospels.

In 1955 he added Acts and titled lieutenant

In 1957 he added. The final compilation was published in 1958 as The New Testament in Modern English for which he is now best known. This was revised and republished in 1961 and then again in 1972.

Time Magazine wrote of Phillips, "..he can make Saint Paul sound as contemporary as the preacher down the street.

Seeking to transmit freshness and life across the centuries". In his Preface to the Schools Edition of his 1959 version of the New Testament, Phillips states that he "wrote for the young people who belonged to my youth club, most of them not much above school-leaving age, and I undertook the work simply because I found that the Authorised Version was not intelligible to them." Phillips also translated parts of the Old Testament. In 1963 he released translations of Isaiah 1-39, Hosea, Amos, and Micah.

This was titled Four Prophets: Amos, Hosea, First Isaiah, Micah: A Modern Translation from the Hebrew.

After that, he did not translate the Old Testament any further. He talked of the revelation he received as he translated the New Testament, describing it as "extraordinarily alive" unlike any experience he had with non-scriptural ancient texts.

He referred to the scriptures speaking to his life in an "uncanny way" similarly to the way the author of Psalm 119 talks. Phillips died in Swanage in Dorset, England in 1982.

Works

• book

  • Appointment with God by J. B. Phillips 1967

    (1967 Ninth Print - Macmillan Publishing Hardcover - New a...)

  • THE Young Church in Action - A Translation of the Acts of the Apostles

    (This is a 103 page hardback authored by J. B. Phillips an...)

  • Letters to Young Churches
  • The Young Church: A Translation of the Acts & the Epistles (The Young Church in Action, The Acts and Epistles/Letters to Young Churches in 1 Volume)

    (Includes J. B. Phillips' translation of the Acts and Epis...)

  • The New Testament in Modern English 1958 Edition

    (8.5 X 6, brilliant red, heavy gilt page tops, love blue m...)

  • Plain Christianity Other Broadcast Talks
  • The Young Church comprising two books The Young Church in Action & Letters to Young Churches
  • Newborn Christian by J. B. Phillips (1984-03-23)
  • A Man Called Jesus The Gospel Story Told By J B Phillips In 26 Short Plays
  • The Young Church in Action — The Acts of the Apostles Translated into Modern English