| November 18, 2010 |
| CEB November Newsletter |
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The CEB New Testament is now available electronically!
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Also, "friend us," "follow us" and bookmark www.commonenglishbible.com for updates, offers, free downloads and more!
 
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All Things in Common
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by Paul Franklyn,
Associate Publisher |
In Matthew 5, Jesus offers a list of macarisms (each phrase begins with the Greek word makarios) that define the kind of behavior or people that he expects in God's kingdom.
3 Happy are people who are downcast, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
4 Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad.
5 Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.
6 Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full.
7 Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy.
8 Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God.
9 Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children.
10 Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
11 Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me.
Several readers of the CEB have written to say that they do not approve of the term happy in this passage. We don't get good reasons why this word is wrong, other than some like the KJV word, blessed. Perhaps some Christians are suspicious of words that evoke human emotion because they prefer a faith that is based on fact or reason. Perhaps others mistakenly assume that happiness as a human condition is about human self esteem and not something that God does or wants. Read More...
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Common English Bible Wedding Edition Debuts
at Illinois Pastors’ Daughter’s Nuptials
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Toni Ross found the perfect accessory for her daughter’s wedding in a bookstore catalog. Toni and Howard Ross co-pastor the Illinois City and Pine Bluff United Methodist Churches. When their daughter, Nicole, was planning her wedding to James Bishop, she wanted to carry something a little "untraditional" down the aisle. "The scripture is important to James and Nicki and that is why she wanted to carry a Bible and not a bouquet of flowers. It just meant so much more to them," explained Toni. However, the only wedding Bibles she could find were in the King James Version. Then she heard that the Common English Bible Wedding New Testament was being released later in the year. Toni was already familiar with the new translation: she liked the language and the accessibility of it. When she saw that it was going to be available in a small wedding edition, she knew this was what Nicole needed for her special day. "I wanted a Bible that they would use and that would not just be a wedding day Bible, but would be a marriage Bible as well." said Toni.
Toni called her local Cokesbury store to ask if there was any way to get the Bible for an October 2 wedding. The challenge was that the Bible was being shipped from China and not due to hit U.S. shores until October. However, when the CEB team heard of this special occassion they saw an opportunity to do something special for a family that had a sincere love of the Scriptures and told her they were going to try to make this happen.
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Working with the printer in China, the team arranged to fly a case of the Common English Bible Wedding New Testaments to the Ross’s home as soon as they were printed. On September 15th, Toni received a call letting her know that the shipment had left China and the Bibles arrived a week before the wedding. The bride and the mother-of-the-bride were both thrilled.
Toni was even more pleased with the actual Bible. "I loved the scriptures in the back. And the presentation page is wonderful, because it has a place to record the bride and groom, the date, location and other details about the wedding. And it also has First Corinthians, Love never fails, on that page. I will give this out to wedding couples in years to come as well."
The happy couple is now at home in Ohio where Nicole is in her first semester at the Methodist Theological School. The bride’s parents have a special appreciation for the entire CEB team who went out of their way to make Nicole’s wedding a day to remember.
The Common English Bible Wedding Edition, along with small gift edition Baby Testaments are now available.
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Common English Bible Meditations
Praying the scriptures:
“Dear friends, let us love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8, CEB)
Taking Time
When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with a friend? This person is someone you trust, someone you confide in, and vice versa. Often these types of conversations wait until some crisis in life hits or, on the flipside, when great news just has to be shared. Consider contacting a friend you haven't seen in awhile and schedule lunch or some fun outing together. This gift of loving each other helps us better understand the gift of God's love for us.
Scripture Comparisons with the Common English Bible
Philippians 4:4-7
Common English Bible
4Be Glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad! 5Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near. 6Don’t be anxious about anything; rather bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. 7Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.
New Revised Standard Version
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
New International Version
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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