My Neighbor Jesus: In the Light of His Own Language, People, and Time
By virtue of his birth place, linguistic ability, and his scholarly achievements, George M. Lamsa was ideally suited to accomplish his outstanding contribution to the field of Biblical research. As all serious students of the Bible know, no one particular version of the Bible may accurately be called THE Word of God as originally given by God. In order to arrive at an accurate understanding of certain scriptural passages, one must at times examine various translations of the Bible, as well as the underlying original, ancient Biblical languages. Lamsa’s pioneering work, including the notable Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts, provided invaluable resources for Biblical scholars and kindled a widespread interest in the long neglected, yet crucial, primary Aramaic texts. Dr. Lamsa dedicated his life to the work of translating the ancient texts into English and traveling the country to generate awareness and interest in Aramaic. Called by God, and encouraged by hundreds who heard him speak in churches, seminaries, and lecture halls; he labored for over 30 years to translate the entire Old and New Testaments. His first work in Aramaic translations, Four Gospels, was published in 1933; followed byNew Testament According to the Eastern Text in 1940. His culminating work, Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts in 1956, presented a translation of the Aramaic texts into easily understood modern English based upon the wording style of the King James Version. He also wrote several other books, including commentaries describing the customs and manners of early Christians.