From Good News for Modern Man to Good News Bible: Origins and Early Issues

This article draws on interviews with key personnel and archival material to offer insight into the translation of and publishing issues in the Good News Bible. The New Testament was published by the American Bible Society (ABS) in 1966 as Good News for Modern Man: The New Testament in Today’s English. The success of the translation led to a decision to undertake the Old Testament. The ABS translation committee and board reviewed the OT drafts extensively, a process which often put them in conflict with the translators. The article will discuss key decisions taken by ABS. Some, for example the cover and artwork of the New Testament, were successful. Others, for example the marketing plan for the Old Testament, proved to be less so