Who Is This For?
Best For:
Jewish readers wanting traditional English translation, Christians interested in Jewish interpretation, historical study of Jewish-American biblical scholarship.
Not Ideal For:
Those wanting contemporary English, New Testament readers, or those wanting most current scholarship.
Strengths & Limitations
✓ Strengths of the JPS
- Authoritative Jewish perspective on Hebrew Scriptures
- Quality scholarship from major Jewish institutions
- Focus exclusively on Hebrew Bible
- Elegant English prose
- Public domain - freely available
✗ Limitations to Consider
- Dated language imitating KJV style
- Hebrew Bible only - no New Testament
- Superseded by 1985 NJPS translation
- Pre-Dead Sea Scrolls scholarship
- Some readings now considered outdated
Overview
The Jewish Publication Society's 1917 translation was the first complete English Bible produced by a committee of Jewish scholars for Jewish readers. It provides a distinctively Jewish understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures while maintaining elegant English prose influenced by the King James tradition.
Want to read the JPS Bible online? Use our Bible search tool to find any verse, or start reading from Genesis.
Notable Features of the JPS
- First Jewish committee English Bible
- Hebrew Scriptures only (Tanakh)
- Reflects Jewish rather than Christian interpretation
- Elegant KJV-influenced prose
- Public domain
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the JPS 1917 Tanakh?
The Jewish Publication Society's 1917 translation was the first complete English Bible produced by a committee of Jewish scholars for Jewish readers. It provides a distinctively Jewish understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures while maintaining elegant English prose influenced by the King James tradition.
How can I read the JPS Bible online?
You can read and search the JPS 1917 Tanakh online for free at Acts1 Family. Use our Bible search tool to find any verse, chapter, or keyword in the JPS translation.
When was the JPS Bible published?
The JPS 1917 Tanakh was first published in 1917. It is classified as a Formal Equivalence translation with a 11th Grade reading level.
Who should use the JPS Bible?
Jewish readers wanting traditional English translation, Christians interested in Jewish interpretation, historical study of Jewish-American biblical scholarship.
How does the JPS compare to other Bible translations?
The JPS 1917 Tanakh (JPS) is a Formal Equivalence translation. Compare it with other versions like the KJV, ASV, or NIV using our Bible comparison tools to find the best translation for your needs.
Read the JPS Online
Search any verse, compare with other translations, or start reading from Genesis.
Start ReadingHistory
Complete History of the JPS Translation
The Jewish Publication Society of America, founded in 1888, recognized the need for an English Bible reflecting Jewish interpretation rather than Christian theological perspectives found in translations like the KJV. The project began in 1892 through cooperation with the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
Max Margolis, a Lithuanian-born scholar teaching at Dropsie College, was appointed editor-in-chief. Though Margolis edited the entire translation (contributed by 32 scholars) in just 12 months, the board of editors - representing Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform perspectives - debated details for years. Secretary Henrietta Szold reviewed the manuscript twelve times. The project eventually cost about ten times its original budget.
The Holy Scriptures was published in 1917 and became the standard English Bible for American Jews. Most Jewish textbooks and prayer books quoted from it. Notable differences from Christian translations include Isaiah 7:14 ('young woman' rather than 'virgin') and Psalm 22:16 ('like a lion' rather than 'they pierced').
This translation is now called the 'OJPS' (Old JPS) to distinguish it from the 1985 NJPS (New JPS), which used different translation principles.
Translators
Meet the 4 Key Translators and Contributors
Max Margolis
Editor-in-Chief
Lithuanian-born philologist (1866-1932) who taught at Columbia, Hebrew Union College, UC Berkeley, and Dropsie College. Expert in Septuagint studies.
Solomon Schechter
Editorial board
President of Jewish Theological Seminary and discoverer of the Cairo Geniza manuscripts.
Kaufmann Kohler
Editorial board
President of Hebrew Union College, representing Reform Judaism on the committee.
Henrietta Szold
Secretary and reviewer
Later founder of Hadassah, she reviewed the entire manuscript twelve times for consistency and accuracy.
Textual Basis
Manuscript Sources and Translation Methodology
Based on the Masoretic Hebrew text, the authoritative Hebrew Bible text preserved by Jewish scribes. Did not include any New Testament, as this is a Jewish Scripture translation.
Reception
Scholarly Praise
"The 1917 Tanakh 'aims to combine the spirit of Jewish tradition with the results of biblical scholarship, ancient, medieval, and modern. It gives to the Jewish world a translation done by men imbued with Jewish consciousness.'"
— Jewish Publication Society, The Holy Scriptures (1917 Edition) (2024) [source]
Scholarly Concerns
The translation is heavily indebted to the Revised Version and American Standard Version, and its archaic style ('thou shalt,' 'thee') was replaced by the 1985 NJPS with modern idiomatic expressions.
— Wikipedia, Jewish Publication Society Version (2024) [source]
Revision History
View 2 Major Revisions and Updates
- 1917 Original publication after decades of work.
- 1955-1985 Work on completely new translation (NJPS) began, eventually replacing the 1917 version.
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