Revised Protestant Bible unveiled in Hong Kong

The Revised Chinese Union Version (RCUV) of the Bible was published with modern readers in mind and a closer meaning to the original text. Many words in the old Chinese Union Version were different from today’s terms and the translation work done 91 years ago might not be able to bring out the true meaning of Scripture, says Chris Chow, marketing manager of the Hong Kong Bible Society.

He cited an example in which Jesus is described as “rallying” in Galilee (John 7:1) in the old version. “This is now revised as Jesus ‘visits’ Galilee, since the word ‘rally’ nowadays carries the meaning of protest and confrontation.”

Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong unveils the Revised Chinese Union Version of the Bible

The RCUV will also reflect more contemporary understanding of the original text of the Bible, Chow noted. The old version, published in 1919, was translated by Bible societies in Britain and the US as well as some mission societies and Chinese Christians. Over the years, it has become the authorized, canonical version used by 70 million Chinese Protestants around the world.

However, the call for a revision has existed since the 1950s. After consulting Chinese Church leaders in Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan and in Southeast Asia, the United Bible Societies decided to begin revision in 1983 but later turned it over to the Hong Kong Bible Society in 2000. “Since revising the Bible requires huge resources, it took 27 years and 40 scholars to complete the project,” Chow added.

Dedication ceremony of the Revised Chinese Union Version of the Bible.

Observing that there are more iPhone users, mostly young people, in Hong Kong, the local bible society also hopes to introduce an RCUV app by the end of this year as “we always strive to provide different platforms for Bible readers,” he noted.

The dedication ceremony of the RCUV was conducted by Archbishop Paul Kwong of the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (Anglican Church) at the St. John’s Cathedral on Sept. 27. Chow Lien-hwa, the RCUV project’s chief editor, and Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, along with representatives of the Bible societies conducted a scroll-opening rite in the ceremony.

Father Dominic Chan Chi-ming, Vicar General of the Hong Kong Catholic diocese told the media in the ceremony that the Studium Biblicum have also been revising the official Chinese Catholic Bible for 20 years and the revision of the four Gospels have been finished in 2000.