Not as thought provoking as I had hoped. I found many of her choices forced. ( )

I found this to be a very unhelpful translation. ( )

The review is for Ruden's translation, remarkable in its achievement of her goal to strip centuries of artififce from the text and instead to 'look first at [the] thing itself', and not for the spiritual nature of the content. This was a fascinating dive into these venerated and oft misunderstood Christian texts that was done with a reading club.

I am perhaps leaving with more questions than answers (as is so often and pleasurably the case with academic study!), but the references to contemporary myth and pagan practices as well as to Graeco-Roman literature (both epic and tragic) ground these works as very much of their time. The exercise of identifying the clearly unique themes from one gospel to the next makes this worth reading in itself. Ruden's translation provides a philosophically stimulating experience and a compelling study in ancient literature. ( )

I love her writing, and always find something I hadn’t considered. 3/4/22

The introductory sections are the most interesting, as the author explains how difficult it can be for us modern Christian culture-soaked minds to imagine what the Gospels felt like to their original readers.

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Stunned almost beyond [the] capacity to be stunned
Review of the Modern Library hardcover edition (2021) translated from the Koine Greek of the Novum Testamentum Graece (Greek New Testament) (Nestle-Aland 28th edition 2012) based on the original manuscripts (70-110 CE) first published 382 CE

My lede is perhaps overly dramatic, but I couldn't resist adapting this new Mark 5:42 translation to introduce this very readable new translation of the 4 Evangelist Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) from the New Testament of the Bible. That verse was the first point* in the book where the language used definitely reinforced the idea that I was reading a 21st Century translation. For comparison:

καὶ εὐθὺς ἀνέστη τὸ κοράσιον καὶ περιεπάτει· ἦν γὰρ ἐτῶν δώδεκα. καὶ ἐξέστησαν [εὐθὺς] ἐκστάσει μεγάλῃ. - Mark 5:42, Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28 - 2012)

And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. - Mark 5:42 King James Version (1611)

Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. - Mark 5:42 New International Version (1978)

And right away the little girl stood up and walked around; she was twelve years old. Then [right away] they were stunned almost beyond their capacity to be stunned. - Mark 5:42 Sarah Ruden Version (2021)

Ruden’s translation with its occasional 21st century vernacular has the curious effect of bringing us closer to the original text but at the same time making it newly strange and different. The ‘newly strange’ effect is from transliterating the Koine Greek, but not ‘translating’ the Aramaic, Greek and Roman personal and placenames, but rather leaving them as they are given. The occasional Aramaic word or phrase is also left as is (but explained in the generous footnotes). So you have to adapt to regularly seeing Iēsous for Jesus, Galilaia for Galilee, Pilatos for Pilate, etc. I’m only giving a few examples, but there are usually dozens on every page.

Overall, I wouldn’t say that there was anything shocking about this translation, but very rarely some 21st century phrasing did make me sit up and pay close attention. This was especially so in John 19:5 and Matthew 22:50:

Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! - John 19:5, King James Version

When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" - John 19:5, New International Version

So Iēsous came outside again, wearing the thorny garland and the purple robe. And Pilatos said to them, “Look at this guy.” - John 19:5, Sarah Ruden Version

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him. - Matthew 26:50, King James Version

Jesus replied, "Do what you came for, friend." Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. - Matthew 26:50, New International Version

But Iēsous said to him, “Do what you came for, pal.” Then they came up to Iēsous, laid hands on him, and took hold of him. - Matthew 26:50, Sarah Ruden Version

The use of "guy" and "pal", instead of the commonly known "man" and "friend", is explained by Ruden in her notes, which distinguish the levels of contempt or distance from a person in various Koine Greek phrasings.

Overall this was a fascinating reading experience and was especially user friendly compared to most Bible publications with their cramped two columns per page design. Ruden’s The Gospels is printed with regular one-column pages and with copious footnotes at the bottom of each, to avoid the annoyance of having to constantly flip to the back of the book.

I am looking forward to seeking out further translations by Sarah Ruden, of which there are several.

*Ruden's translation gives the Gospels in the order of their most likely historical date of writing, so it is Mark, Matthew, Luke and John (actually given here as Markos, Maththaios, Loukas and Iōannēs) rather than the conventional order of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Trivia and Link
You can see the Novum Testamentum Graece (Nestle-Aland 28th edition 2012) online at Academic Bible. It is mostly not translatable by online translators due to the archaic nature of most of the Koine Greek words. ( )

Gary Wills: “The first translation since Dryden’s that can be read as a great English poem in itself.” The New York Review of Books