Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels

An important work within the Messianic Jewish community is about to be revealed. First Fruits of Zion has finally announced that The Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels: A Hebrew/English Translation (DHE) is now complete and currently at press.

Many people are already aware of the superb Hebrew translation of the New Testament created by the great scholar Franz Delitzsch in the late 1800’s, and which is still considered one of the greatest Hebrew translations of the New Testament to date.

As not only a biblical scholar familiar with Hebrew, Delitzsch was also a scholar of rabbinic texts, and considered a great Talmudist. Although a few other Hebrew translations of the New Testament existed at the time, Delitzsch felt that none of them had fully captured the “natural Hebrew essence of the New Testament.” Furthermore, Delitzsch was readily familiar with many of the halachic and rabbinic nuances that also had to be adequately rendered. Over several years, each edition continually produced a better and more refined translation.  And a number of great contemporaries of Delitzsch also added to its sophistication, offering numerous suggestions and corrections. Some of these scholars included Rabbi Yechiel Tzvi Lichtenstein, Dr. Joachim Heinrich Biesenthal, Dr. Gustav Dalman, among many others.

Although some great English translations now exist which have attempted to restore the New Testament into a thoroughly Jewish context, there is always room for improvement.

This new edition features Delitzsch’s monumental Hebrew translation alongside a fresh new rendition into English. The volume also includes useful tools, maps and appendices. One such appendix that is sure to quickly become popular is the included glossary of key Hebrew terms and idioms used in the Gospels.

This monumental work is a significant and historic contribution to solid biblical scholarship. If you desire to better understand the Jewish context of the Gospels, th new DHE is an absolute must!

I have been waiting for the official announcement of the DHE’s release for some time as I had the privilege of serving as a consultant on this project.  I was one of the participants on the review team to go over the translation and offer corrections or suggestions based on the Hebrew text. Knowing how important such a work would be, I jumped at the chance to participate as a reviewer for this exciting project. And as each phase was completed, my excitement only increased for its conclusion and release. The FFOZ team has done a thorough and superb job. The new Delitzsch Hebrew-English Gospels will be an invaluable resource for biblical study and spiritual growth.

Finally together in one volume – a monumental Hebrew version of the Gospels alongside a fresh new English translation. This new version brings out the Jewishness of the Gospels in a way never before produced into English. Beautifully bound with useful tools and appendices, this is a thoroughly Jewish text worthy of any Jewish bookshelf. I highly recommend it!

For more information about the new Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels or how you can be one of the first people to get your hands on a copy, visit the FFOZ website.