The Jefferson Bible for the 21st Century!
is a modern paraphrase of
The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth
(as it was originally titled by Thomas Jefferson)
widely known as
The Jefferson Bible
paraphrased by
Timothy Pontious
This Smashwords edition is the eBook version of:
ISBN 978-0-615-30345-1 (paperback available at www.lulu.com)
©2009 Timothy Pontious. All rights reserved. For distribution information by ebook or audiobook or other means, refer to the License Information section in the final pages of this book.
Published May, 2009 by The Reading Desk [http://www.thereadingdesk.com]. Second Edition.
Table of Contents
Foreword to the 21st Century Edition
Chapters 1 - 17
Postscripts: of further historical interest
More About the Original Work
What is Deism?
Table of Scriptures used
License Information
Foreword to the 21st Century Edition
“When a person has completed 95% of his journey, he is only halfway there.”
- Japanese Proverb
“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”
- Don Williams Jr
This project started off as an audio book project in the spring of 2009, to make Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth more accessible to modern readers disappointed by the antique English of Thomas Jefferson’s efforts. My initial idea was that since it is only a few pages and also familiar subject matter, that I should be able to knock out an audio book version of Thomas Jefferson’s version of the life of Jesus in fairly short order.
I have a background in broadcasting, and I’m a writer by profession. The audio book should have been a simple thing to record, but I was completely frustrated. No matter how I approached the subject the original text by Jefferson just refused to roll off my tongue. After a couple of days I had a pitiful example of an audio book, and even with careful edits it sounded forced, unnatural and therefore uncomfortable to listen to. It was like William Shatner reading Shakespeare’s Sonnets - not what I wanted.
I decided that since I had difficulty wrapping my tongue around this nearly Shakespearean selection of scriptures, that I would put my tongue around a more comfortable version of the same scripture passages. If I could do a modern parallel of the same text and perform an audio book from a new manuscript, would that not be even better?
However, I discovered that for a project of this size, most modern translations of the Bible would be prohibitive based on copyright and fair use issues. Since cost is an obvious factor I began a search to find a suitable translation, or one that I could paraphrase for this purpose.
I found the World English Bible (WEB) [http://ebible.org/]. This is a free version of the Bible that is in turn based on the American Standard Version (ASV), which has fallen into the Public Domain.
Using the WEB, I pulled the same collection of verses together in the same order as Thomas Jefferson. While this was a significant step forward, I felt that it still did not completely cross the chasm of time as completely as other versions of scripture. It was an improvement on the original Jefferson version, but still lacked the last full measure of casual modern English, which was my goal. I found ample room for streamlined sentence structures, reduced punctuation, and other enhancements that would make reading less of a tune-out for today’s Internet-driven readership.
I compared a few sample sections of the WEB to the New American Standard Bible (NASB - the Lockman Foundation), the New International Version (NIV - Zondervan) and the New Living Translation (NLT - Tyndale House Publishers). I was constantly intrigued in the similarities and the differences among these versions.
It was during this process that I felt driven to continue with a complete paraphrase of the WEB version of these verses to move toward a highly readable, easily understood, and completely unique approach.
This therefore is a paraphrased edition of the “Jefferson Bible”, based on the World English Bible, and should NOT be considered a ‘scholarly interpretation’ or a ‘translation’ of scripture. I have used a great deal of the same vocabulary as the WEB, but I changed the sentence structures around and removed some redundant phrases (that were probably necessary in Greek but not in today’s English). I also updated the general format. I kept the same chapter and verse organization but organized it into a paragraph structure that is easier to read.
There may be passages where this paraphrased text may be similar to other versions of scripture, but this is unintentional. There are after all, many versions of scripture that all come from the same source texts and similarities abound.
I am not a deist. I do not necessarily subscribe to all of Thomas Jefferson’s reasons for collecting these scriptures together for us. I do understand Jefferson’s aversion to trusting the early church fathers though, and he felt that much of the material he was leaving out was simply added by the early church or edited in by the four evangelists for emphasis. (For more historical perspective, please read the postscripts.)
Even if we had an autographed copy of the sermon notes from Jesus, it would not be enough proof for devoted skeptics. “Proof” for some is always room for doubt for others. This is why these things are a matter of faith.
I appreciate Jefferson’s result - a very streamlined and chronological version of the life of Jesus that is separated from the distractions of the controversies (miracles, divinity, angels and so on).
I have met resistance from Christians as I’ve moved forward on this project, which I find sort of ridiculous. I remind them that this is composed of red-letter text from their New Testament - yet they somehow feel that I’ve done evil. This however, is not my problem. I feel that while this might be contentious for those seeking the entire gospel, it is a starting place for many who are curious about the teachings of Jesus, but feel highly skeptical of things like angels and miracles. I’m inclined to let normal human curiosity move the reader toward other translations or a full version of the New Testament, or not, from here.
I am releasing this book and all related materials (eBook formats and audiobook files) under the Creative Commons license for noncommercial use (except where commercial use is explicitly authorized).
For a simplified description of the license see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
Timothy Pontious
Indianapolis
May 2009
Chapter 1
1-10 Caesar Augustus made a decree one day, that the entire world should be enrolled in a census. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everybody went to their home city to enroll themselves. Joseph went from the city of Nazareth in Galilee into Judea, to the city of David (called Bethlehem) because he was a descendant of David. He enrolled himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him, and was also pregnant at the time. While they were there, the day came for her to give birth. She gave birth to her first child, a son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. When eight days had passed and it was time for the circumcision of the child, they decided that his name was to be Jesus. When they had done everything required by the Law of Moses, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. The child was growing, and grew strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was with him.
11-19 When he was twelve years old, they went to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. Later, on their way home, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t realize it, and thought that he was in their group. They went a day’s journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting with the Teachers of the Law of Moses, both listening to them, and asking them questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Look, your father and I were anxiously searching for you.” And he went with them, back to Nazareth. He was obedient to them, and his mother kept all these things to herself. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
20-21 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee. Herod’s brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, and Annas and Caiaphas were in the high priesthood. This is when the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
22-26 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to see him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
27 Jesus was about thirty years old when he began to teach.
28-32 He went to Capernaum, with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples. They stayed there a few days before the Passover of the Jews. Then Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the temple he found men who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money. He made a whip of cords and threw everybody out of the temple, including both the sheep and the oxen. He poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew their tables. To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father ’s house a marketplace!”
33-38 Then Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized people. When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew back to Galilee. Herod himself had given orders and arrested John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife (because he had married her). Then John said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother ’s wife.” Herodias became John’s enemy, and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t, because Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. Herod was disturbed and greatly puzzled when he listened to John, but he listened gladly.
39-41 One day Herod was celebrating his birthday with a supper for his nobles, high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the young lady, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” He made a vow to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”
42-46 She stepped out to discuss it with her mother, “What shall I ask?” Her mother said, “The head of John the Baptizer.” She came back in to the king, and demanded, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptizer on a platter, right now.” The king was exceedingly sorry, but because he had made vows in front of his dinner guests, he didn’t wish to refuse her. The king sent out a soldier of his guard immediately, and commanded him to bring John’s head. The guard went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady. The young lady gave it to her mother.
47-48 Jesus and his disciples next went to Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath day he went into the synagogue and taught. They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them with authority, not the way the Teachers of the Law did.
49-53 Once, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Hey, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!” But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David and his men did, when he was hungry? He entered God’s house and ate the show bread which was not lawful for him or his men to eat, because it was reserved for the priests! Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day, the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless?”
54-58 He left and went into their synagogue, where there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to eat on the Sabbath day?” (they were trying to accuse him). He said, “What man is there among you, who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won’t he grab it, and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.” He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
59-60 But the Pharisees went away, and conspired against him, wondering how they might destroy him. Jesus knew this, and withdrew from there. A great many people followed him.
61-66 During this time he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. In the morning, he called his disciples and picked twelve of them, and he called them apostles: Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. They went down the mountain together, and stood on a level place. There was a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon who came to hear him.
Chapter 2
1-11 Seeing the large crowds, he went back up the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying;
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, because of me. 12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for your reward in heaven is great. This is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13-15 “But sorrow comes to you who are rich! For you have received your reward. What sorrow to you who are full now, for you will be hungry! What sorrow to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.” There will be sorrows when men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.
16 “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, what will be used to make it salty again? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
17-19 “You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. When you light a lamp, you don’t put it under a measuring basket. Instead you put it up on a stand so that it shines to all who are in the house. So, let your light shine before men; that they may see the good things you do, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
20-21 “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. I tell you truthfully until heaven and earth pass away, not even one of the smallest letters or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
22-25 “Anybody who breaks one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. However, anybody who will do these commandments and teach them, will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Teachers of the Law of Moses and of the Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’ and ‘Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.’ But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever insults his brother, ‘You empty headed fool!’ will be in danger of the council. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fires of Hell.
26-29 “If you are offering your gift at the altar, and remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift near the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him. Otherwise it is possible that the prosecutor will deliver you to the judge, and the judge will deliver you to the officer, and you will be cast into prison. “I tell you now that you will never get out of prison until you have paid the last penny.
30-31 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
32 “If your right eye causes you to lose faith, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is better for you that part of your body should die, than for your whole body to be cast into Hell.
33 “If your right hand causes you to lose faith, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is better for you that part of your body should die, than for your whole body to be cast into Hell.
34-35 “It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’ I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress. Whoever marries her after her divorce commits adultery.
36-38 “You have heard the ancient saying, ‘You shall not make false vows, but instead perform your vows to the Lord.’ I tell you, don’t make vows at all! Not by heaven, for it is the throne of God. Not by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet. Not by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
39-40 Don’t swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ is of the evil one.
41-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t fight an evil person. Whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn anybody away him if they want to borrow from you.
46-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. ’ But I tell you to love your enemies and bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you. Then you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
49-50 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?
51-53 “If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get repaid. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend expecting nothing back. Your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High. He is kind toward the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father is also merciful.”
Chapter 3
1-4 “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving in front of people, just to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. When you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet for yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, to gain the praise of men. I tell you, they have already received their reward. But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, so that your merciful deeds may be in secret. Then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
5-8 “When you pray, you should not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. I tell you honestly, they have already received their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. In praying, don’t use vain repetitions like the Gentiles. They think that they will be heard for their repetitious words. So, don’t be like them. Your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.
9-13 “Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen. ‘
14-18 “If you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your faults. “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. They disfigure their faces, to look like they are fasting to other men. I tell you honestly, they have already received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face. Don’t make it look like you’re fasting when other men see you, but when your Father who is in secret sees you, your Father will reward you.
19-21 “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal. Put your treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal. Where your treasure is, there is where your heart will be.
22-23 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24-26 “Nobody can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, or what you will eat, or what you will drink, or for your body, or what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? See the birds of the sky. They don’t plant grain, or reap a harvest, or gather food into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?
27-34 “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin thread. Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which lives today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, even if you have little faith? Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Instead seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is enough.
35-36 “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged. By whatever measure you measure, it will be measured back to you.
37 “Give, and it will be given back to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For with the same measure you measure, it will be measured back to you.
38-40 ”Why do you see the speck that is in your brother ’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and look, the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother ’s eye.