Frequently Asked Questions
Our project
Who is behind the 2001 Translation?
We are unpaid volunteers, mostly non-denominational Christians, presided over by an editor. The project is backed by its readers, not a church.
Since the late 1990s, at least 200 people have assisted with translation, notes, and commentaries, mostly anonymously through the Internet.
Why is it called the 2001 Translation?
Every translation is a product of its time. For example, the King James Version was created between 1604 and 1611 and reflects that era in more than just its wording; it also does so in the manuscripts and historical information available to the translators.
We want to make it abundantly clear that this translation is a product of modern discoveries in manuscripts, archaeology, and linguistics. What better than to say so in its name?
What are the qualifications of the translators?
We’ve never asked. We ignore qualifications and only consider good evidence and good arguments. After all, an appeal to authority is a logical fallacy. Being impressed by someone’s education is not evidence. A truly qualified person should have no problem backing up their argument with evidence; if they can’t, then what use are their qualifications?
The days of trusting some unknown, distant authority are over. With modern technology, you can easily check critical editions, dictionaries, and historical records for yourself. You can even see photographic scans of the manuscripts with your own eyes! You don’t need to take someone’s word for it anymore.
However, we do happen to know that many past contributors are qualified in subjects like theology, history, and ancient languages. In fact, some have even produced their own Bible translations.
As for the decision-making process of the editor, that is open for scrutiny by all. See our charter and how we make corrections.
Why create this translation?
- See the page Why a New Translation?
Can I help with the translation?
We accept all well-researched input.
- Learn how we make corrections.
Can I donate?
Yes, you can either donate to the project using Buy Me a Coffee, or you could donate to charities we support, like OpenDoors, which gives help and relief to persecuted Christians worldwide.
Are you on social media? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc?
No.
If you see any social media accounts claiming to be from the 2001 Translation, these are fake.
Our Bible
Why do you use the Greek Septuagint?
We believe the text to be more reliable than the Hebrew in critical places. Learn more.
Is the Greek Septuagint reliable?
While there are errors in the Septuagint, overall, we believe it to be more reliable than the Hebrew Masoretic text in the most important ways.
Also, according to early Christians, the Hebrew text was corrupted in places, perhaps even deliberately in order to discredit Christianity. However, we still consult the Hebrew text. One does not need to entirely reject one and completely accept the other (that would be a false dilemma fallacy).
We need both.
Does your Bible include the Apocrypha?
We’re currently translating these books. See the All Texts page for a list of all the texts we currently have.
Why do you use God’s Name?
God’s Name appears thousands of times in Bible manuscripts, either spelled out as YHWH (in both Hebrew and some Greek) or as circumlocutions. While the tradition arose to replace it with Lord, our project charter forbids removing or censoring words and translating terms to say what they mean.
Why do you use ‘Jehovah’ instead of ‘Yahweh?’
The traditional pronunciation Jehovah is familiar to hundreds of millions of English speakers because of its use in the King James Version and by groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
However, you can change it to Yahweh or the original circumlocutions (‘Lord’) in your settings.
Why do you use the God’s Name in your New Testament?
The Name appears over 100 times in the Greek manuscripts as a circumlocution. It’s ‘Lord’ (kyrios) with a missing article (‘the’) beforehand. That was the standard circumlocution that the Greek Septuagint used to replace the Name, which Greek-speaking Jews had been using for centuries.
In the Aramaic manuscripts, the Name often appears as a different circumlocution, as the word maryah (meaning ‘highest Lord’) over 130 times.
Therefore, we translate these circumlocutions to say just what they were originally designed to mean: God’s Name. However, you can switch this off in your settings if you don’t like it.
See our article God’s Name in Christian Texts for details.
Why did you translate such-and-such that way?
Please see our translator notes. The relevant link may be in the verse in question. You can also click the verse number to view the verse in interlinear sources.
What’s the correct way to cite the 2001 Translation elsewhere?
Any way you wish.
However, here are some recommendations.
If quoting from a Septuagint-based book (Genesis-Malachi), you could say (LXX, 2001translation.org).
For example:
‘In the beginning, The God created the sky and the land’
–Genesis 1:1 (LXX, 2001translation.org)
If quoting from Matthew-Revelation, just say (2001translation.org).
For example:
‘This is how [much] God loved the world: He gave His one-and-only Son so that all that believe in him might not be destroyed but have age-long life.’
–John 3:16 (2001translation.org)
This is done automatically when you click the verse number and select ‘Copy verse text’ from the pop-up menu.
Technical translation questions
Which Bible text family is the 2001 based upon?
Genesis-Malachi are based on the Greek Septuagint (learn why).
Matthew-Revelation are based on the Greek texts, but in books that were available in Aramaic very early on, we defer to the Aramaic manuscripts whenever the two languages differ. Learn why.
From what critical editions or manuscripts is the 2001 translated?
Originally, our Old Testament source was Swete’s Septuagint. However, over time, volunteers consulted other critical editions. We have begun a massive proofreading project to return the text to only using Swete’s Septuagint for the sake of consistency and transparency (it’s primarily the Codex Vaticanus).
Our New Testament source was originally the Greek Westcott and Hort critical text. However, volunteers consulted others so much when researching corrections that no single critical edition became more used or trusted.
However, we have begun our proofreading project to base our New Testament strictly on the Codex Sinaiticus.
However, for books which had Aramaic versions available in the 2nd century AD, and where the Aramaic differs from the Greek, we’ll defer to the Aramaic. This project is currently underway. Our Aramaic source is the Khabouris Codex as transcribed by Stephen P. Silver, available from the excellent Dukhrana project.
The reason for all this is so you, the reader, knows exactly what manuscripts we are basing our translations on. If we were to pick-and-choose the manuscript on a verse-by-verse basis (as most modern Bibles based on critical editions do), you would no idea where anything comes from, why, or the how the decisions were made.
If we keep it simple and transparent, you know that you’re reading a real text that really existed, used by real people at an ancient time. Anything more can and will appear in translator notes.
Publications
Will there be an audio Bible?
Yes. AI-generated audio versions will be available soon of books we have proofread.
Is a print version available?
Not at this time.
Is there an app?
Not at this time.
Is there a module for e-Sword (or some other software package)?
Not at this time.