THE HOLY BIBLE

VERSION A - Plain text (paste into KDP, then bold the headings manually)

The Word of God in clear, natural, contemporary English.

The Master Standard Version (MSV) was prepared with a single aim: to present Holy Scripture in language that can be read and understood with ease, while remaining faithful to the meaning of the sacred text.

This edition is a careful revision of the American Standard Version of 1901 - a translation long admired for its accuracy and now in the public domain. Its language has been renewed for the reader of today. Archaic and difficult expressions have been replaced with words in common use, and long, involved sentences have been recast for clarity, always with care to preserve the sense of the original. The aim throughout has been readability without any loss of accuracy or dignity.

Volume II: The Historical Books, Part I - Israel and the Kingdom contains seven books - Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings - carrying the story of God's people from the crossing of the Jordan into the land of promise, through the days of the judges and the faithfulness of Ruth, to the rise of the kingdom under Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon, and on through the divided kingdom, the prophets Elijah and Elisha, and the exile of Israel and Judah.

What sets this edition apart

• Modern vocabulary and sentence structure, faithful to the meaning of the original
• Pronouns referring to God - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - are capitalized
• The divine name YHWH is rendered "Yahweh" throughout, and "Lord" is retained where it renders the Hebrew title Adonai
• No contractions, preserving the formal tone that belongs to Holy Scripture
• Section headings throughout to mark the movement of the narrative and the divisions of thought
• Clearly numbered chapters and verses, in a generous 7 x 10 page format

Whether for personal reading, family devotion, study, or the life of the Church, the Master Standard Version offers Scripture that is inviting on the page and clear to the ear.

The Master Standard Version is being published in eight volumes:

I. The Law II. The Historical Books, Part I: Israel and the Kingdom III. The Historical Books, Part II: Exile and Restoration IV. The Wisdom and Poetic Books V. The Major Prophets VI. The Minor Prophets VII. The Gospels and Acts VIII. The Epistles and Revelation

Translated and edited by Hegumen Abraam Sleman.