Dear friends of the World English Bible:
Today, Deuteronomy reached the "essentially done" stage. The only
formats that are currently updated are the new HTML layout, USFM,
and USFX of all three editions of the World English Bible (WEB,
WEBBE, and WEB:ME).
The folder full of emails to review that suggest changes to the
World English Bible is down to 816 messages, ranging in date from
10/11/2001 to 10/6/2009. These suggestions range from extremely
valuable, correct, and insightful to just plain wrong and promoting
some heresy instead of sound Bible translation. Some are hard to
figure out. Some are easy. Some just ask questions. Given the age of
those emails, I won't normally answer them except in broad
generalities to this list, but just prayerfully verify, consider,
and accept or reject the suggestions. The size of the messages range
from a first pass edit of a whole book (thank you, James) to a
comment about a typo or grammar issue in one specific verse. Some of
those messages repeat the suggestions found in other messages, and
some suggest corrections that have already been made or that are on
my list of language updates to make. I feel bad about the magnitude
of the backlog, but that is one consequence of working on this very
part time until recently. The good news is that the backlog is
shrinking, and the good suggestions that pass the verification and
prayer phase are making a positive impact on the quality of the
World English Bible.
Right now, proofreading comments are still appreciated, as always,
but I would prefer if they are about the "essentially done" books
(Genesis - Deuteronomy, Esther - Song of Songs, Hosea - Malachi, and
the New Testament), and if they are about either obvious typos,
seriously awkward wording, or any apparent departure in meaning from
other good Bible translations (or the original languages) that isn't
covered by a footnote. (I already know where major manuscripts
differ, and have put footnotes there.) Proofreading should be done
from the HTML version on the web site at
http://eBible.org/web/,
http://eBible.org/webme/, or
http://eBible.org/be/, so that it is
from the current version.
I'm splitting my work time between:
- Proactive editing of the World English Bible (making changes
like quote mark addition that I already know need to be done)
- Reactive editing of the World English Bible (evaluating,
praying about, and possibly making suggested changes or an
alternate edit in response to an emailed suggestion)
- Programming to create more electronic formats of the World
English Bible and hundreds of other Bible translations
- Preparing Scripture translations in other languages for
posting on the Internet in various formats
- Preparing and posting audio Scriptures
- Communication -- necessary to keep the above going
The most frequently asked questions are "When will the whole World
English Bible be done?" and "Can I buy a printed version of the
whole World English Bible?" The answer to the second question is
that we are planning a print run after the whole World English Bible
is done. The answer to the first question is that you should stay
tuned to either of the two mailing lists that I'm posting this
message to if you want to be among the first to be informed when a
real date is known and cleared with the Author.
Thank you for your faith in God, patience with me, and prayers.
--
Aloha,
Kahunapule Michael Johnson