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

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Sawyer, Leicester A. (Leicester Ambrose), 1807-1898 [Translator] Project Gutenberg 2008 Not confirmed
Bible. New Testament Readers of public-domain and historical texts
Project Gutenberg digital edition en

Edition facts

Words 178,541
Reading time 777 min
Text sections 19

This digital edition of 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 is described by source-level measurements including 178,541 words, 12 hr 57 min estimated reading time, and 19 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 24.4 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Bible. New Testament,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Leicester A. Sawyer's 1858 translation of the New Testament, featuring a chronological arrangement of books and revised chapter/verse divisions, with a preface defending literal yet modernized rendering.
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THE GENEALOGY AND BIRTH OF CHRIST.

1 [1:1]AN account of the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. [1:2]Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Judah and his brothers; [1:3]and Judah begat Pharez and Zarah by Thamar; and Pharez begat Hezron, and Hezron begat Ram, [1:4]and Ram begat Aminadab, and Aminadab begat Nashon, and Nashon begat Salmon, [1:5]and Salmon begat Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz begat Obed by Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse, [1:6]and Jesse begat David the king.

2 And David begat Solomon by the wife of Uriah, [1:7]and Solomon begat Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begat Abijah, and Abijah begat Asa, [1:8]and Asa begat Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begat Jehoram, and Jehoram begat Uzziah, [1:9]and Uzziah begat Jotham, and Jotham begat Ahaz, and Ahaz begat Hezekiah, [1:10]and Hezekiah begat Manassah, and Manassah begat Amon, and Amon begat Josiah, [1:11] and Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brothers at the Babylonian exile.

3 [1:12]After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begat Zerubabel, [1:13]and Zerubabel begat Abiud, and Abiud begat Eliakim, and Eliakim begat Azar, [1:14]and Azar begat Zadoc, and Zadoc begat Achim, and Achim begat Eliud, [1:15]and Eliud begat Eleazar, and Eleazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat Jacob, [1:16]and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, called Christ. [1:17]All the generations therefore, from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations; and from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; and from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations.

4 [1:18]The birth of Christ was thus. His mother Mary having been espoused to Joseph, before they came together, was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. [1:19]But Joseph her husband being a righteous man, and not wishing to make her an example, was designing to put her away privately. [1:20]But while he was thinking of these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit, [1:21]and she shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.

5 [1:22]But all this was done, that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying; [1:23]Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel; which is interpreted, God is with us. [1:24]And when Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took his wife, [1:25]and knew her not till she bore a son, and he called his name Jesus.

THE INFANCY OF CHRIST.

1 [2:1]AND Jesus being born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold Magi came from the East to Jerusalem, saying, [2:2]Where is the king of the Jews born? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him. [2:3]And Herod the king hearing this was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; [2:4]and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ is born. [2:5]And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet; [2:6]And you Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the governors of Judah, for out of you shall come a governor who shall rule my people Israel.

2 [2:7]Then Herod, calling the Magi secretly, asked them the precise time when the star appeared; [2:8]and sending them to Bethlehem, said, Go and inquire diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, tell me, that I also may come and worship him. [2:9]And hearing the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they saw in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. [2:10]And seeing the star they rejoiced with great joy; [2:11]and coming into the house they saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they presented him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. [2:12] And being divinely instructed in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their country another way.

Leicester A. Sawyer's 1858 translation of the New Testament presents itself not as a paraphrase or compromise but as "a strict literal rendering" that "neither adds nor takes away." The preface immediately distinguishes this work by its dual commitment to scholarly precision and practical religion, aiming to be "a superior instrument of piety and virtue." Sawyer adopts a "thoroughly modern style" except in prayers, freely making changes for clarity while claiming utmost fidelity to the Greek. The chronological arrangement of books and improved divisions of chapters and verses are structural innovations that invite readers to encounter the text in a new order.

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.

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