The New Testament Translated From the Original Greek, With Chronological Arrangement of the Sacred Books, and Improved Divisions of Chapters and Verses. — A Reader’s Guide

A Translator's Defense and Historical Precedent

Sawyer's preface anticipates resistance to new translations, citing the fates of Wycliffe and Tyndale. Wycliffe's 1380 translation, though made from the Vulgate and imperfect, "proved a great blessing" despite opposition. Tyndale, contemporary with Luther, completed his New Testament in 1526 and was later executed. Sawyer frames these figures as martyrs for biblical access, implicitly positioning his own work in that lineage. He does not claim persecution but acknowledges that "new translations of the Scriptures are generally introduced with apologies and received with caution and distrust." This historical grounding serves to legitimize his project while reminding readers that textual innovation has always faced resistance.

Literal Rendering in Modern Idiom

The translation itself demonstrates Sawyer's method. In Acts 9, the conversion of Saul is rendered with directness: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" and "I am Jesus whom you persecute." The narrative proceeds with minimal elaboration: "And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight." Sawyer's style is plain and unadorned, avoiding archaic diction. He uses "store-basket" for the container lowering Paul from the wall, a concrete term. The healing of Tabitha (Dorcas) is similarly straightforward: "Tabitha, arise! And she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter sat up." The prose prioritizes clarity over ornament.

Chronological Rearrangement and Chapter-Verse Divisions

Sawyer's title announces two structural changes: chronological arrangement of the sacred books and improved divisions of chapters and verses. While the excerpts do not reveal the full order, the preface indicates that this is not a work of "conjectural interpretations" but a deliberate reordering. The chapter and verse numbers in the excerpts (e.g., 9:12, 9:13) appear to follow a revised system, though the exact scheme is not detailed. Readers encountering this edition should note that the sequence of books and the numbering of passages may differ from familiar versions, requiring adjustment when cross-referencing. Sawyer's aim is to present the text in a historically informed sequence, potentially altering the traditional reading experience.

Practical Religion as the Translation's Aim

Sawyer explicitly states that his translation is "designed to be a still more important contribution to practical religion." He argues that the Bible's value lies in its "superior adaptation to this end," and that the translation's success depends on its usefulness for piety and virtue. This pragmatic focus shapes his choices: modern style for accessibility, literal rendering for accuracy, and chronological order for historical understanding. The excerpts do not show how this plays out across the entire New Testament, but the preface suggests that Sawyer intends the translation to serve devotional and moral purposes, not merely scholarly ones. Readers are encouraged to test this claim by reading passages in their new arrangement.

This edition rewards readers who attend to its preface as a key to the translator's intentions. Sawyer's historical references and stated principles provide a framework for evaluating his choices. As you read, compare passages with other translations to observe where Sawyer's "strict literal rendering" and modern style diverge. The chronological arrangement invites a fresh perspective on the narrative arc of the New Testament, though its full impact can only be assessed by reading through the entire work.

Fingering the worn cover of Sawyer’s New Testament, I thought of how its patient reordering of time felt like sitting with a friend who arranges old photographs slowly. That unhurried trust in sequence, in letting meaning emerge from placement, mirrors something in Patience — Story, Setting & Ideas. Both ask only that you wait, quietly, for the pieces to settle.