Our Publications
Chinese Bibles published by the United Bible Societies
Shen Tian Sheng Shu (also known as the Morrison Version) (1823) - supported by the British and Foreign Bible Society to start the translation by Rev Robert Morrison
Chinese Translation by Walter Henry Medhurst, Charles Gutzlaff, Elijah Coleman Bridgman, and John R. Morrison (1838)
Delegates’ Version (1854)
Chinese Translation by Charles Gutzlaff and Michael Simpson Cultberson (1863)
Chinese Bible in vernacular Mandarin (1878)
Chinese Translation (in easy literary Chinese) by Rev John Griffith (1885)
Chinese Translation (in easy literary Chinese) by Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky (1902)
Chinese Union Version Bible (in easy literary Chinese) (1904)
Amalgamated Literary Chinese Translation (1919)
Chinese Union Version Bible (1919) - most popular among Chinese Christians. Publishing fee sponsored by the British and Foreign Bible Society, American Bible Society and the National Bible Society of Scotland.
Features:
- elegant and fluent style
- faithful to the original text
- symbolic of collective wisdom
Chinese Bible published by Hong Kong Bible Society
Lu’s Translation (1970) - Mr Lu Zhen Zhong devoted his lifetime in translating this version, published with sponsorships of Hong Kong Bible Society.
Features:
- faithful to the original text
- carefully delineate the text by first writers and addendums by posterity
- use contemporary words, e.g., “rabbi”, “synagogues” are rendered as “teacher”, “congregation”
Today’s Chinese Version (TCV) (1979) - sponsored and coordinated by the United Bible Societies, completed by Dr. Mose Hsu, Dr. Chow Lien-hwa, and Dr Wang Cheng-zhang, with Dr. I-Jin Loh as Translation Consultant. The translation was based on Today’s English Version as a blueprint, furthered with revisions by Bible scholars according to the original text.
Features:
- avoid religious jargons, easier to be understood for new believers and faith-seekers
Chinese Union Version with New Punctuation (CUNP) (1988)
Features:
- use contemporary punctuations
- use contemporary names of places and people
New Cantonese Bible (revised edition, 2006) - translated in Cantonese dialect
Revised Chinese Union Version (RCUV) (2010) - Revision started from 1985 by the United Bible Societies. In 2000, Hong Kong Bible Society took up the responsibilities in providing financial and ongoing support for the revision project of Chinese Union Version. Editors-in-chief include Dr. Chow Lien-hwa and Dr. I-Jin Loh, with Dr. Joseph Hong as Translation Consultant.
Features:
- minimal changes, preservation of the original style of the Chinese Union Version
- Chinese Bible scholars from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and other countries participated in the revision
- faithfulness to the original text, conformity to current usages and expressions of today’s Chinese language