Icelandic Bible © Icelandic Bible Society, 1981.

THE BIBLE OF 1981

In the 1950s it was clear that a new Bible was urgently needed, and a committee of translators was convened in the early 1960s. The three synoptic gospels were published in the 1970s, along with the Gospel of John and the Book of Acts. In 1981 the tenth version of the Icelandic Bible was published. The Old Testament was revised, in that ‘Jahve’ was changed to ‘Drottinn’ (Lord), under the leadership of Professor Þórir Kr. Þórðarson (1924-1995). The four gospels and the Book of Acts were published in a new translation, while the Epistles and Revelation were revised by Professor Jón Sveinbjörnsson (b. 1928).

The inclusion of the apocryphal books with the Bible had been considered, and their 1931 translation was revised and corrected. For some reason, however, this was postponed, mainly because this translation had too many shortcomings. So the Rev. Árni Bergur Sigurbjörnsson (1941-2005), along with Guðrún Kvaran (b. 1943) and Professor Jón Sveinbjörnsson, who also sat on the committee, completed a new translation of the apocryphal books. This was published in 1994.