John's Gospel: Word Come Alive

Word Come
is an expanded translation (paraphrase) of the New Testament of the Bible by respected editor Martin Manser
supplies linking phrases and background information in italics within the text to help make its message more immediately understandable
aims to express the sense of the original in contemporary, natural English
aims to have a powerful effect on readers, with a fresh, incisive quality that will make readers sit up and think.


Who is behind Word Come Alive?
Martin Manser, a professional reference-book editor. He has compiled or edited more than 200 reference books, particularly Bible-reference titles, English-language dictionaries and business-skills books. He is also a Language Trainer and Consultant with national and international companies and organisations.

Who is Word Come Alive aimed at?
1 Christians who are so familiar with the language of the Bible that it has little or no impact on them, but who want to maintain a living relationship with Jesus Christ. I want such readers of WCA to then go back to their NIV, ESV, NLT, KJV or NKJV to see what that says.

2 Readers without a knowledge of the Bible but who want to understand its message.


Features of Word Come an extended translation (paraphrase) of the New Testament

1 Additional explanatory phrases [shown in the actual text in italics]
John 13:10 Jesus ‘If you go out for a meal, you have a bath before you go, so that when you arrive, you only need to wash your feet; your whole body is already clean. In the same way, once you’ve been cleansed and put right with me and have had your sins forgiven, you don’t need to keep washing your whole body. That washing is a once-for-all action when you first come to trust in me. After that, you only need to keep washing your feet, that is, to keep receiving fresh forgiveness for the dirt of the sins you pick up day by day. And most of you have been washed clean and share in my salvation, though not all of you.’

2 Background to a passage
John 8:6 A tense silence came over the whole group. What would Jesus do? How would he respond? Would he side with the chief priests and Pharisees and stone her, so not forgiving her? Or would he agree with the ordinary people and release her, so setting aside the law? Jesus then did something strange that captured the attention of everyone present. Rather than answer his accusers directly, he bent down and began to use his finger to write in the dust.

3 The rich meaning of key passages
John 8:12 Jesus spoke once more to the people, ‘The whole world is in darkness, but I give light to everyone. I am the light of the world. If you walk with me through life, trusting me and following my example, you won’t stumble along in the gloom. No, I lift the darkness. My light will shine on you to guide you. I will light up your path and show you the right way to live. You will then be able to see the way ahead clearly and know where you’re going.’

4 Natural, contemporary informal English
John 16:8 ‘When the Mentor comes in fresh power he will impress on the hearts of those who are hostile to me that they’ve been wrong about sin, about what is right and about judgment.’


I and my reviewers have worked from and checked my text against United Bible Societies’ 4th edition/26th and 27th editions of Novum Testamentum Graece [Greek New Testament] (Nestle-Aland) as well as other English translations. My reviewers are respected NT Dr Gervais Angel, formerly NT Greek Examiner for the Church of England and tutor in NT Greek, Trinity College, Bristol, England, and Dr Pieter Lalleman, Tutor of New Testament, Spurgeon's College, London, England.