Work on the 'The Holy Bible in Modern English' began in 1853 by a London businessman named Ferrar Fenton (1832–1920). The complete Bible was first published in 1903, though some individual bible 'books' were published as separate volumes during the preceding 11 years.
Fenton is well known for a rearranging of the books of the Bible into what the author believed was the correct chronological order. In the Old Testament, this order follows that of the Hebrew Bible. The name of God was translated throughout the Old Testament as "The Ever-Living".
Fenton is an exciting translation that shows respect and gives clarity in many areas where other translations fall short. This Bible is described as being "translated into English direct from the original Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek languages."
Welcome to the new blog section. Join us in this exciting effort to display the works of Ferrar Fenton! The Holy Bible in Modern English is now fully digitized and can be seen for it's creative and artistic beauty as well as for the spiritual edification that we all need through the daily study of the scriptures.
This project actually began in 2012 when the conversion of scanned images, using OCR software, revived a very beautiful but tangled digital version of Ferrar Fenton's work. The major part of the editing, including verse alignment, OCR errors and chapter breaks took over one year. Still, as we go there are minor fixes to punctuation and a few odd necessary edits.
In its very raw form, 'The Holy Bible in Modern English' went online with a free but very undependable web hosting service in 2014, where it has been ever since.
With thanks to the generosity of others, just recently, the site has been moved to its current home. This hosting service is by far superior to the previous but costs are high so we are maintaining an ad service to help offset the costs.
RF JOH 10:1 | The Allegory of the Sheep-fold. |
RF JOH 10:2 | But he who enters through the door is shepherd of the sheep. |
RF JOH 10:3 | For him the door is opened by the door-keeper; and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. |
RF JOH 10:4 | And when all his own sheep have run out, he walks on before, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. |
RF JOH 10:5 | A stranger, however, they will not follow; on the contrary, they will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of the strangers." |
RF JOH 10:6 | This allegory was related by Jesus; but they did not understand what it was He was speaking to them about. |
RF JOH 10:7 | Jesus, addressing them again, therefore said: "I tell you plainly, I am the Door of the sheep. |
RF JOH 10:8 | All who came before Me were thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not listen to them. |
RF JOH 10:9 | I am the Door. If any one enters through Me, he shall be safe; and he can come in, and go out, and find pasturage. |
RF JOH 10:10 | The thief comes only in order that he may steal, kill, and destroy: I have come in order that they may enjoy life, and have it in abundance. |
RF JOH 10:11 | The Good Shepherd. "I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd lays down His own life on behalf of the sheep. |
RF JOH 10:12 | The mere servant, because he is neither shepherd nor owner of the sheep, on seeing the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and takes to flight; and the wolf snatches and scatters them. |
RF JOH 10:13 | He takes to flight because he is but a servant, and cares nothing about the sheep. |
RF JOH 10:14 | I am the Good Shepherd; and I knew My own, and My own know Me. |
RF JOH 10:15 | And as thoroughly as the Father knows Me, I also know the Father; and I lay down My own life on behalf of the sheep. |
RF JOH 10:16 | And I have other sheep beside these, which are not of this fold. Those also I must gather; and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, one Shepherd. |
RF JOH 10:17 | This is why the Father loves Me, because I lay down My own life, in order that I may receive it again. |
RF JOH 10:18 | None can take it from Me; on the contrary, I resign it of My own free will. I have authority to resign it, and authority to take it back again. These are the instructions which I have received from My Father." |
RF JOH 10:19 | The Judeans Divided About Jesus. A division came again among the Judean in consequence of these declarations. |
RF JOH 10:20 | And many of them said: "He has a demon, and raves; why do you listen to Him?" |
RF JOH 10:21 | Others remarked: "These are not the thoughts of a demoniac. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" |
RF JOH 10:22 | The Fourth Visit to Jerusalem. The Discourse at the Dedication Festival. After this, the festival commemorating the re-consecration of the temple took place at Jerusalem. |
RF JOH 10:23 | It was then the winter-time; and Jesus was walking about in Solomon's aisle in the temple. |
RF JOH 10:24 | The Judeans accordingly surrounded Him, and began asking Him: "How long are You going to keep our minds in suspense? If You are really the Messiah, tell us so plainly." |
RF JOH 10:25 | Jesus replied to them: "I have told you, yet you do not believe. The works which I do by the power of My Father, they are evidence in support of Me. |
RF JOH 10:26 | But as for you, you disbelieve because you do not belong to My sheep. |
RF JOH 10:27 | The sheep that are My own listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; |
RF JOH 10:28 | and I give them eternal life, and they shall never at any time be lost, and no one is able to snatch them out of My hands. |
RF JOH 10:29 | What My Father has endowed Me with is mightier than all; and no one is able to wrest from the hand of My Father. |
RF JOH 10:30 | The Father and I are one." |
RF JOH 10:31 | The Judeans again armed themselves with stones, for the purpose of stoning Him. |
RF JOH 10:32 | Jesus addressed them: "Many are the beneficent acts which I have done for you from the Father; for which of these acts would you stone Me?" |
RF JOH 10:33 | The Judeans answered Him: "We will not stone You for a beneficent work, but for blasphemy; and because You, although You are but a man, make Yourself out to be a god." |
RF JOH 10:34 | Jesus answered them: "Is it not written in your Own law, I Said, YOU ARE GODS?1 |
RF JOH 10:35 | If they are called gods, to whom the message came from God (and the Scripture cannot be set aside), do you say of the ONE Whom the Father has consecrated and sent to the world, |
RF JOH 10:36 | 'You blaspheme,' because I said, 'I am Son of God?' |
RF JOH 10:37 | If I do not carry out the works of My Father, do not believe Me; |
RF JOH 10:38 | but if I am carrying them out, although you have no faith in Myself, have faith in what I do, in order that you may understand more and more that the Father is one with Me, and I one with the Father." |
RF JOH 10:39 | They then made another attempt to arrest Him; but He escaped from their hands. |
RF JOH 10:40 | He accordingly returned once more to the other side of the Jordan, to the locality in which John was at first baptizing; and there He stayed. |
RF JOH 10:41 | Many persons then came to Him; and they said: "John, in fact, produced no evidence; but all that John said concerning this Man was true." |
RF JOH 10:42 | And many persons there became believers in Him. ————— 1. Psa 82.6 |