The Authentic Letters of Paul
A New Reading of Paul’s Rhetoric and Meaning
By Arthur J. Dewey, Roy W. Hoover, Lane C. McGaughy, Daryl D. Schmidt
The Authentic Letters of Paul
- distinguishes Paul’s letters from others attributed to him in the canon
- disentangles component pieces of correspondence from the composite letters
- places the authentic letters in their chronological order and historical context, restores Paul’s voice in a fresh translation from the original Greek
This team translation of Paul’s authentic letters emerged from a collaborative research project called the Paul Seminar, which ran from 1993 to 2010. This translation is part of the Scholars Version (SV) translation of the Bible carried out by the Westar Institute. See a comparison of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and the Scholars Version (SV).
“Anyone wanting to defamiliarize an author whose message is easy to take for granted will find here a useful resource.” —Religious Studies Review
“It has been said, and I concur, that translation of New Testament texts should happen freshly as readers are born in new contexts. In many ways the [Scholars Version translation] offers a satisfying rethinking of how to express concepts in Paul’s undisputed letters. I welcome many of these efforts and commend the editors for their careful thought …” —Review of Biblical Literature
“A magnificent book! … brilliant scholarship … clear and readable prose … vibrant freshness … This is the best book on Paul I have ever read.”
— John Shelby Spong
“One of the most deeply satisfying Christian reads of recent time … a work to be savored and pondered, employed, shared and, ultimately, praised”
— Phyllis Tickle, founding religion editor at Publishers’ Weekly
“A view of Paul that will astound and amaze … This book provides a whole course of study on authentic Paul.”
— Bernard Brandon Scott, Phillips Theological Seminary
“A fresh, engaging, and lively translation that speaks to us as the letters were probably heard in the first centuries.”
— Joseph B. Tyson, Southern Methodist University, emeritus
“A stunning study of St Paul … The translation is a breakthrough in New Testament scholarship.”
— James Veitch, Victoria University, Wellington, NZ
“This “new reading” of Paul’s letters is, like the apostle’s own thinking and writing, fresh, full of energy, and constructively provocative.”
— Victor Paul Furnish, Southern Methodist University, emeritus
“Paul’s authentic letters reveal a visionary who imagined a society where women, slaves, and non-Jews were social equals with high status freeborn males.”
— John L. White, author of The Apostle of God
“Those who appreciated the fresh and edgy translation of the Scholars Version of the Gospels will be thrilled with the Westar Institute’s latest published translation, The Authentic Letters of Paul: A New Reading of Paul’s Rhetoric and Meaning. The translators … work on Paul is easily as bold and innovative as the earlier work on the Gospels.”
— Mark M. Mattison (read the full review)
Learn more about the Paul Seminar
Get a 30-day reading plan for The Authentic Letters of Paul and read others’ responses on the 30 Days of Paul site
Listen to a 2-part interview with the translators of The Authentic Letters of Paul on AuthorTalk Radio
