The NJPS (New JPS Translation, published in 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society) is a modern English rendering of the Hebrew Bible made for today’s Jewish readers, while the JPS 1917 is an older English translation from the same publisher that reflects early twentieth-century English and scholarship. In short, the NJPS reads more like contemporary English and draws on newer scholarship, while the JPS 1917 keeps the stately cadence of its era. Readers who want a clear, current text for study and synagogue-adjacent reading often prefer the NJPS, while those who value a traditional literary voice or who appreciate older phrasing may still reach for the 1917 edition.
Background
The Jewish Publication Society of America, founded in 1888, produced the 1917 translation under the title The Holy Scriptures according to the Masoretic Text. It was a landmark for English-speaking Jewish communities, offering a complete Hebrew Bible rendering that stood apart from the Christian translations most readers had known. Its prose was shaped by the English of its day, and it remains widely respected for that dignified voice.
The NJPS followed roughly seven decades later and was published in 1985 as The Holy Scriptures: A New Translation. It was prepared by a committee of Jewish scholars and built on advances in Hebrew philology, archaeology, and the study of ancient Near Eastern texts. Its purpose was to update the language, correct readings that newer research had clarified, and address a modern audience that no longer shared the 1917 translators’ vocabulary.
Translation Method
Both translations aim to render the Hebrew meaning faithfully rather than paraphrase, so they fall within the broad family of formal, text-based translations. Where they differ is in how closely they follow Hebrew word order and idiom. The 1917 edition tends to keep more of the Hebrew structure visible, which can make its sentences feel distinctive and sometimes unfamiliar to modern ears.
The NJPS adjusts syntax and idiom more readily so that the English reads smoothly, while still aiming to be accurate to the Hebrew. The trade-off is that a reader comparing the two may notice the NJPS choosing a clearer English equivalent where the 1917 edition preserves a more literal feel. Neither approach is simply better; each serves a different kind of reading.
Reading Level and Style
The 1917 translation reads with the formality of early twentieth-century English, with longer sentences and vocabulary that some younger readers find archaic. Its rhythm is memorable, and many people who grew up with it associate it with home, school, and the sound of the text read aloud.
The NJPS uses contemporary English that is generally easier for newcomers to follow. Its sentences are shorter and its word choices more familiar, which makes it a practical choice for classroom study, adult education, and personal reading. Some readers miss the older cadence, but many find the clarity helpful when working through difficult passages.
A Verse to Compare
Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.
(WEB)
This familiar opening shows the difference in approach well. The 1917 edition keeps a more formal, almost liturgical sentence shape that echoes older English prayer language. The NJPS renders the same idea in plainer modern English, prioritizing immediate understanding over the rhythm of the original phrasing. Reading both side by side can reveal how much of a verse’s feeling comes from word choice and how much from the underlying meaning.
Who Should Use It
Choose the NJPS if you want a current, readable English Bible grounded in modern scholarship. It suits students, teachers, and readers who are new to the Hebrew Bible and want to understand the text without decoding older phrasing. Its main limit is that some listeners who learned the Scriptures through traditional English may find its voice less familiar.
Choose the JPS 1917 if you value a dignified, traditional literary style or if you want to read the text in the voice many older Jewish readers grew up with. It is well suited to devotional reading and to comparing wording across translations. Its limits are the older vocabulary and sentence structures, which can slow comprehension for some readers and draw on scholarship that has since been revised in places.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the NJPS a revision of the JPS 1917?
The NJPS is a new translation rather than a light revision of the 1917 edition. It was prepared by a different committee using later scholarship. Some readers still treat the two as companion texts.
Which translation is more accurate?
Both aim at faithfulness to the Hebrew, but they make different trade-offs between literal structure and modern English. Accuracy depends partly on what you are measuring, so comparing specific passages is more useful than declaring one the winner.
Can I use both for study?
Yes, many readers read the two side by side. The contrast in wording often clarifies difficult verses and shows how language and understanding have changed over the past century.
