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Barbour Publishing Begins Concentrated Effort in Bible Publishing

Press Release posted on Friday, June 16th, 2006
Source Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Barbour Publishing Begins Concentrated Effort in Bible Publishing.
Offers Modern Editions Along with Traditional King James Version

As Barbour Publishing celebrates its 25th anniversary, it is adding a missing component to its publishing program—Bibles. While Barbour has released several traditional King James Bibles over the years, including a value-priced paperback edition that has sold more than 5.5 million units and a bargain Spanish Bible, Santa Biblia, that has sold more than a half million units, this summer will mark the beginning of a concentrated effort in Bible publishing. Barbour plans to release a trade edition of the New Life™ Version in July, followed by redesigned KJV Gift & Award Bibles in October.

"Publishing God’s Word has always been a desire of our publishing program," said Tim Martins, president of Barbour Publishing. "For nearly 37 years, the NLV has impacted literally millions of lives around the globe, and we’re delighted to add it to our growing line of Bibles. With the addition of the NLV, readers have the option of an easy-to-read version in addition to the traditional KJV—both value-priced to be affordable."

Appropriate for seasoned believers looking to gain new insights into scripture as well as seekers, new believers, and those for whom English is a second language, the NLV offers a readable, easy-to-understand English version of the Bible. Written at a third to fifth grade reading level, the NLV uses a vocabulary of only 850 words (not including proper names and places), limiting each word use to a single meaning and replacing difficult words with explanatory phrases. For example, “authority" is translated as the right and the power. A “Pharisee" is a proud religious law-keeper, to “repent" means to be sorry for your sins and turn from them, and “reprobate" is translated as a person in sin on his way to hell. The phrase “being saved" is explained as being saved from the punishment of sin, so as to not be confused with protection from physical danger or death.

Sample verses include:

For God did not send His Son into the world to say it is guilty. He sent His Son so the world might be saved from the punishment of sin by Him.
- John 3:17 NLV

That same day two of His followers were going to the town of Emmaus. It was about a two-hour walk from Jerusalem.
- Luke 24:13

The NLV is the result of an idea sparked in an igloo by a husband-and-wife missionary team, Gleason and Kathryn Ledyard. Raised in the evangelical tradition, Gleason graduated from Fort Wayne Bible College. The Ledyards served as missionaries to primitive Canadian Eskimos for a number of years with the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church before working among North American Indian groups. The idea for a readable, understandable version originated while working with the Eskimos, but it took many years for the Ledyards to see their idea come to fruition. The couple began the process of comparing several translations and original texts and, after four years of diligent work, completed the New Testament in 1969. Then, with the help of three additional people, the entire Bible was completed in 1986.

“Those of us who worked on this limited vocabulary New Life Version were constantly watching to keep it understandable without sacrificing accuracy," write the Ledyards in the Bible’s introduction. “There was no thought to change God’s Holy Word to today’s street language. In fact, in many places the wording and beauty of the older versions has been retained. Paraphrasing, or man’s idea of what the Bible says, was ruled out. The careful and prayerful use of some basic words can be made to say what the original languages said, thus assuring the reader of an accurate text."

Over the past 37 years, Christian Literature International (CLI), founded by the Ledyards and based in Oregon, has published and distributed more than five million copies of the NLV for use in prisons, while several million other copies have been used on the mission field. The version has also been available to consumers through its Web site. The New Testament has been through more than 70 printings and the entire Bible through more than a dozen.

“Signing the contract with Barbour is one of the final things that Gleason did before he died earlier this year," said Joyce Moore of Christian Literature International. "Throughout the many years of his ministry he saw how God had used the New Life text to reach millions with the gospel. It gave him great assurance to know that with Barbour Publishing reaching the retail marketplace with this unique translation, and the ministry of CLI continuing on, the New Life Bible will be more widely distributed that ever before."

Barbour will offer the complete NLV in paperback for a value price of $14.97 as well as in hardback for $19.97. In addition to the biblical text, the Bibles include more than 150 pages of topical studies that offer in-depth explanations of topics such as the Holy Spirit, angels and demons, sin, and the church, all written by the Ledyards.

Barbour has also retooled and redesigned its Gift & Award Bibles. Beginning in October, the paperback KJV Bibles will be available in blue, black, green, and red and include a dictionary, concordance, and maps section. Affordably priced at $4.97, the Bibles make an ideal presentation for commencements, Vacation Bible Schools, Sunday school graduations, and other gift-giving occasions.

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