1st Edition

Bible in China The History of the Union Version or the Culmination of Protestant Missionary Bible Translation in China

By Jost Oliver Zetzsche Copyright 1999

    The Union Version, China's preeminent and most widely used translation of the Bible, had achieved the status of a sacred Chinese classic within the Chinese Church not long after its publication in 1919. Jost Zetzsche's monograph on this remarkable translation traces the historical and linguistic background that led to the decision to translate the Union Version, with detailed analyses of the translation efforts that preceeded it. Special attention is given to the cooperation and confrontation among Protestant denominations as well as the rising prominence of the Chinese translators as these groups attempted to form a cohesive translation of the Bible. This is set against the background of the development of the Chinese language during the 30-year translation process, both in the perception of the translators and in the country at large.

    1. Introduction Part 1: The History of Protestant Missionary Bible Translation from its Beginnings to 1890 2. The Beginnings of Protestant Bible Translation, 3. The Second Generation of Bible Translators 4. First At temptation Union Version: Long Lasting Division in the Protestant Mission, 5 Separate Activities: Baptist Translation Work 6. Various Translations of Biblical Books 7. Mandarin Discovery of Lingua Franca 8. Lower Classical: Translation of the Bible 9. Intermediate Summary and Conclusion Part 2: The Union Version10. The 1890 General Conference 11. Un io n Version: New Testament Translation 12. The 1907 General Conference 13. Union Version: Old Testament Translation 14. Union Version Developments after Publication 15. Conclusion16. Bibliography 17. Appendices

    Biography

    Zetzsche, JostOliver