Customer Reviews

Aramaic English New Testament 4th Ed. (Hebrew Letters)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Also known as Mari, or P.E.A.C.E (Pesh_tta Eastern Aramaic Critical Edition), the Aramaic English New Testament (AENT) is the gold standard for Ketuvim Netzarim (Writings of the Nazarenes, erroneously labeled as "New Testament") translations. Though it is widely held in the western tradition that these Scriptures were written in Greek, in the East, it has always been known that they were originally in Aramaic. Mr.Roth provides astounding evidence for this in 1700 footnotes and 350 pages of appendices. Things like poetry and word plays found only in Aramaic, or words that have dual meanings and were mistranslated into Greek, etc. It's very interesting to see what we're missing in our Greek texts. The AENT Scholarship DVD Volume 1 (available separately) also contains lectures on Aramaic Primacy where Mr.Roth provides ample evidence (both historically and from a textual standpoint) that the Greek had to have come from an Aramaic source.

One of the great things about the Aramaic is that any contradiction or difficult passage that people have tried to justify in the Greek, such as Yeshua dining at a lepers house when the Torah forbids it (Matthew 26:6-7 compared to Leviticus 13:45-46); a camel unable to fit through the eye of a needle indicating that it's impossible for a rich man to enter heaven; Elohim forsaking Yeshua on the stake; genealogy issues in Matthew where it states 14 generations from exile until Yeshua when there's only 13; how about leading Pharisees denying the Exodus (John 8:33) or being clueless that half a dozen prophets actually did come out of Galilee (John 7:52); what about eunuchs not being allowed to worship in the temple (Acts 8:27, compare it to Deuteronomy 23:1); or, here's a good one: no one dieing for a righteous man, but someone might die for a good man in Romans 5:7 (how does that make sense?). ALL of these things are cleared up in the Aramaic, and the list goes on and on! One more noteworthy point though is the whole slew of discrepancies/massive variations between the Greek family of texts (ending of Mark, story of the Adulteress, etc. what was originally written in the Scriptures???). Greek vs Aramaic aside, the textual criticism offered with the Aramaic is great for those caught up in the KJV-only cults because regardless of the primacy issues, the Aramaic has come from an earlier source than the texts which make up the Greek Majority text and Greek Critical text. Therefore, it is a very, very important third witness in textual studies and should be consulted more often. Also, by being a sister language to Hebrew, many concepts you find in the Tanak are also found directly in the Aramaic text. Any Hebrew reading Jew will notice this vast difference from the Greek immediately, making this a very important witnessing tool for our Jewish brethren who don't yet see Mashiyach. The other benefit is that unlike Greek, Aramaic is much more straight forward. What I mean is, you can render several controversial passages in the Greek text several different ways because of the multiple meanings of Greek words. Aramaic is a lot more simple and straight forward.

Aramaic primacy issues aside, the other benefit to the Aramaic text is that it has the true kadosh or set-apart names and titles in the manuscripts. Those who are strict about their Torah Observance no longer have to worry about de-hellenizing a Greek text! The end result of the Aramaic context is transporting you back in time so that it actually feels like you are there with Yeshua and the disciples! The AENT boasts providing the very words which they spoke, and it does not disappoint! Imagine going back in time before any of the corrupted history of the church and seeing what it was like at the beginning... this is what the AENT provides! It is a very literal translation that is faithful to the original manuscripts. It makes use of the oldest Aramaic text available (Khabouris Codex, which states that it was copied 100 years after the Great Persecution, which is 165 CE) and it is diligently compared to the modern Aramaic authorities (i.e. 1905 Edition of the Syriac New Testament by the British and Foreign Bible Society). As a base text, Mr.Roth uses Paul Younan's translation of Matthew - Acts 15, and then uses James Murdock's translation for the remaining. Both of these are public domain and not copyrighted, so they are perfect for a base text. Using these, a word for word critical analysis of the text has been done to Khabouris and the Eastern Pesh_tta with the result being an updated fresh translation with no archaic words or sentence structuring. Proper names and titles have also been restored, adding in a substantial amount of clarity and cultural context. On top of that, you will find extensive textual criticism through the 1700 footnotes and 350 pages of appendices. Many, many variations from the Greek and any small variation in the family of Aramaic texts are noted (it's very surprising how few variations there are in the Eastern Aramaic Pesh_tta, and none of them change the meaning of the text...).

Beyond these features, one of the best things that the AENT has to offer is CONTEXT! We always hear about how we have to study the Scriptures in context, etc. Well, Mr.Roth is one of the few that actually provides key insight into the historical first century culture and context. With in the 1700 footnotes, we gain special insight into the Hebraic mindset/thought patterns of Yeshua and His disciples, and learn about what was really going on in the first century. Without knowing why something was taught or emphasized in the early letters according to the contextual situation of the day, many passages become useless and do nothing more than cause division from the many interpretations out there. This was the big problem during the Reformation when everyone could finally read the Scriptures for themselves... nobody knew the context and as such, they disagreed and split up. This is why we have so many denominations and off shoots in modern day christianity. But much of this confusion is avoided and cleared up by the contextual clarity that the AENT provides. This alone makes it a very valuable addition to any library.

The AENT measures 6.1 inches x 9.25 inches x 1.96 inches. It is a beautiful brown hardcover with gold lettering and comes with a brown ribbon marker. The text quality is crisp, clear, and of a good font size. The footnotes are of a smaller font size but still very readable. Although I am a sucker for double column, paragraph format, Mashiyach's words in red, genuine leather Scripture kind of guy, I must say that I enjoy this book. The binding I don't quite give 5 stars because while it's nice, it's still not of the quality of say, a Koren Tanak. The translation receives a 4.5/5 for a few minor errors that I noticed, such as a tense issue in Colossians 2:16 and an instance of MarYah (see next paragraph) that was missed at the end of Revelations. There was also an error in Galatians that was corrected in the second edition. Compared to any other translation though this is nothing!

The BEST thing about this translation however is that it is FINALLY an accurate and faithful translation in restoring the name of the Almighty, YHWH, in it's proper location. In the Greek texts, there is no distinction between Master (referring to the Son) and MASTER (referring to the Father). The Greek uses Kurios for both. In the Aramaic text however, the Aramaic equivalent of the tetragrammaton (MarYah) actually exists, and the AENT is one of the very few translations that recognizes and translates this correctly. The result is astounding! There is an intense theological clarity which comes from this, and I will let you find out for yourself by reading through the text. So unlike the various Sacred Name Bibles out there that obsess over inserting the name into Greek translations, there is absolutely no guesswork with the name of YHWH in the Aramaic text. This alone makes the AENT a gem to be treasured. MarYah is translated as Master YHWH, allowing you to pronounce the name however you wish (and avoiding the highly disputed translation of "jehovah"). You will also find proper titles, such as Elohim in the text (instead of "god") and more literal, accurate renderings of other words (such as "Set Apart" for holy, indicating more precisely what the word holy is supposed to mean). Since this comes from the Aramaic, you will not find any hellenized words, and unlike George Lamsa, Mr.Roth does not translate according to the tradition of hellenization. This again gives us a new clarity not offered in other versions of the Scriptures.

Finally, I should make a very important note in terms of translation bias. Since the AENT is translated by an individual, Andrew Gabriel Roth, it is a valid concern that translational bias will be entering the text. It should be noted however that Mr.Roth's translation has employed a diverse group of scholars and Bible students from Christian and Jewish backgrounds who scrutinized the AENT. The objective was to keep the translation as devoid as possible of any theological bias, and it has been quite successful in doing so. Of course, bias will always creep up in the footnotes, but this is no different than any other study edition of the Scriptures. In fact, since you shouldn't be going to just one source when you're reading commentary, the AENT is extra important based on the fact that it comes from an Eastern Hebraic perspective (the one in which the Scriptures were written) as opposed to a Western Greco-Roman mindset that's so prevalent in other translations. Therefore, regardless of whether or not you agree with the conclusions in the footnotes, they are valuable in our overall study of the Scriptures.

So, to sum things up, by coming back to the original Hebraic context and mindset of the first century believers, reading this translation is like getting to know Yeshua and reading the Ketuvim Netzarim for the first time all over again. You will clearly see how they did not embrace hellenized culture and stayed faithful to the Torah of YHWH according to Mashiyach. There are absolutely NO contradictions in the original faith. If you long for the ancient paths of Jeremiah 6:16, this is your book! With the 1700 footnotes and 350 pages of appendices, this is the first and only scholarly Messianic/Netzarim study version of the Scriptures. The footnotes alone are worth the price of the book. The only downfall to the AENT is that it leaves you thirsting for a faithful version of the Tanak with the same kind of scholarly footnotes and appendices. Thankfully, YHWH is blessing us with Mr.Roth's work, because he is indeed working on a Tanak that, although years away from publication, will be a beautiful companion (note: his Tanak translation is called Matara: Masoretic Targummic Amplified Edition).

If you do not have this, I suggest you stop reading and go buy one right now! May YHWH bless you in the study of His word and allow you to grow closer to Him through this wonderful resource. Amain.

Wow! I am delighted and overwhelmed to have a copy of Andrew Roth's ARAMAIC ENGLISH NEW TESTAMENT, Netzari Press, 2008. This is the Aramaic New Testament book for true scholars! I am well familiar with the topic of this book since I have been studying the Aramaic New Testament literature since I first met the late Aramaic Scholar and Bible translator, George Lamsa, about forty years ago.

Andrew Roth has distilled the original Aramaic New Testament 22 books plus the Western five additional books into a perfectly balanced English translation that maintains the Semitic foundations without confusing the reader. For his Aramaic text in Estrangela Midyat font, Roth used the ancient Khabouris manuscript of the 22 books of the Aramaic New Testament, along with the 1905-1920 Edition of the Syriac New Testament published by the British and Foreign Bible Society. For his English text Roth started with and edited two excellent public domain translations, the original Aramaic New Testament Interlinear by Paul Younan and the translation of the Syriac New Testament western version by James Murdock. This functional use of existing translations is clearly explained in the book's Introduction.

Roth carefully reviewed and contrasted the Aramaic text with the English text and deftly made editorial changes and revisions that incorporated his rational interpretation of the underlying Aramaic text and Semitic culture. Roth's numerous footnotes (over 1,500) clearly explain these issues in helpful detail. He presents the English text and original Aramaic text side-by-side for easy comparison. Aramaic scholars can readily compare the English text to the corresponding Aramaic text. Roth's numerous footnotes clearly explain the important issues associated with his editorial changes in helpful detail.

The Appendix is an intellectual gold mine of 82 separate relevant topics including: a survey of Aramaic Bible primacist scholarship, eighteen New testament misconceptions, Torah in the renewed covenant, when was the crucifixion, when was the resurrection, and Y'shua in the Talmud.

I have recently seen some depressingly negative reviews of Roth's book which I believe were related to the reviewers' failure to understand Roth's methodology which is clearly explained in his book's Introduction section. Instead of writing yet another translation of the Aramaic New Testament, Roth has verified, improved, and elucidated the text using two existing public domain versions.

Prof. Otto G. Raabe
Davis, California USA

I wrote my doctoral dissertation containing a defense of the Majority Text of the Greek New Testament. There is very strong agreement of the Greek Majority Text with the Aramaic Peshitta that is the basis for Andrew Roth's translation. After considering the "Semiticisms" of the Greek text I have long believed that the original documents had a Semitic source. Mr. Roth's notes help to provide an accurate historical cultural context for his translation. For these reasons, I consider the AENT the best English representation of the New Testament that I have ever come in contact with.

Russ Hills, Ph.D.
Former Professor of
New Testament Greek,
Church History & Theology at
Southern California College, El Cajon, California.

This is, in my opinion, the best New Testament translation available today! The traditionally held view is that the New Testament was originally written in Greek, but the large body of evidence suggesting that it may have been originally written instead in Aramaic is astounding. Mr.Roth provides excellent footnotes regarding this. By translating from the Aramaic, the cultural context of Jesus and his disciples (being Jewish and ministering first to the Jews and then later the Gentiles) is very rich in detail when compared to reading from any New Testament that uses a Greek text as it's basis. Truly, the AENT gives you the feeling of actually being back there with the disciples and understanding things from their perspective. The footnotes provided by Mr.Roth and the appendixes (which are practically a third of the book) help to expand on this perspective as well. The result is offering you an original look at the teachings of Jesus and his disciples as opposed to how those teachings have been interpreted, passed down, and promoted in our mainstream churches today.

If you read online about the Netzari (which I'm sure many of you have) you will see the perspective which this translation comes from. Most notably is that much of Hebrew culture has been retained by transliterating names, specific words, and places as opposed to translating them. This means that you will see Jesus's original Hebrew name "Y'shua" as opposed to the Greek translated "Iesous" which became "Jesus" in English. "God" is "Elohim", "Christ" is "Messiah", "John" is "Yochanan", "Holy Spirit" is "Ruach haKodesh" and "Holy" by itself is translated as "Set Apart". These are just a few examples, but approaching the New testament using these specific transliterations and translations offers a fresh new look at Scriptures that most of us have become very familiar with. The result? It's like reading the New Testament for the first time all over again.

Unique to the Aramaic text also is that God's name (YHWH), the tetragrammaton (written as LORD in most Bible in the Old testament) is retained. In the Aramaic text it is written as "MarYah" which Mr.Roth translates/transliterates as "Master YHWH" (again, extensive footnotes will explain the basis for these translations and transliterations so you won't be completely lost if you're not familiar with the use and context of these). To me this is key because there is much debate on the pronunciation of God's name and simply transliterating the tetragrammaton as YHWH as opposed to adding in vowels to try and spell some specific pronunciation (Yahweh, Yahuwah, Yahuah, Yehowah etc.) is the best way to go. This way the reader can pronounce the name however he or she pleases. This is also much, much better then putting the name as "Jehovah" since not all readers will agree with that particular spelling and pronunciation either (especially Messianic/Netzari/Nazarene readers). So truly, one of the best ways to appeal to all sorts of readers is to just leave it as YHWH, and Mr.Roth has done exactly that.

The basis for the English text, as noted in the introduction by Mr.Roth, comes from Paul Younan's and James Murdock's older Aramaic translations. Andrew Gabriel Roth and Paul Younan also work together. So please don't be discouraged by some negative comments and reviews being posted here, because there is nothing fishy going on. Mr.Roth has essentially taken what was available, compared both translations word for word with the original Aramaic texts, and made all the appropriate revisions and transliterations (as opposed to translations, like I mentioned earlier). Then, with every change and every detail, there is a footnote (or appendix reference) which explains the reason and underlying theology behind it all. In fact, the foot notes and appendixes themselves could make up an entire book and are filled with a wealth of knowledge that I think should be available to every New Testament scholar. Really, the Greek text, being studied in-depth at Bible Colleges everywhere, is only offering us so much where as the Aramaic (specifically as presented in the AENT) just has so much more that is simply not commonly covered much, if AT ALL.

So, let me wrap up by saying that the AENT is an exciting new look at the New Testament for absolutely everyone, regardless of your theological background. Amazon seems to be out of stock, but if you haven't already, just do a quick google search for AENT and it should be the second result! The main website still sells plenty of copies and has more information about it before you decide to buy. Oh, I should also mention too that out of all the Aramaic versions available, the presentation and bounding of the AENT is excellent. it is a very beautiful book to behold and read.

I really hope that the AENT can help you to grow spiritually and expand your understanding of the New Testament, just as it has for me :)


UPDATES TO THE SECOND EDITION

The second edition AENT has improved print (darker) and several text corrections and additions. A few spelling errors (such as in Luke 3:23 and John 11:17) have been corrected, and some of the translation has been improved as well. The best example I can give is Galatians 4:29 which in the first edition reads "And just as he who was born through the flesh was persecuted by he who was (born) through the Spirit, so it also is now." This is saying that we who are born of the Spirit persecute those who are born of the flesh. It should be the other way around, and this has been corrected to read "And just as he who was born after the flesh persecuted he who was (born) after the Spirit, so it is today."

I was disappointed to see that Colossians 2:17 was not corrected though. Since Murdock's translation was used as a base text, Colossians 2:17 carries some "baggage" from the translation. The text reads "which were shadows of the things then future; but the body of Mashiyach". The word in question is di'ythahein which Murdock always translates in the present tense except for this one verse where he puts it in the past tense. So the correct rendering of this verse should be "Which ARE shadows of the things future/to take place/to come; but the body of Mashiyach". Hopefully this is corrected in a future edition.

The only other mis-translation I noticed is in Revelation 22:20 where there is an instance of MarYah that is still missed. In the first edition it was rendered "Lord" which in this edition has been corrected to read "Master", but in the Aramaic it's not Mari but MarYah. Some versions of the Scripture out there have also footnoted the beginning of Jude verse 4 as having an occurance of MarYah (where in the KJV text it reads "Lord God"), but if you check the Aramaic text, the vowel pointing is slightly different. Roth has an extensive footnote in both editions on this particular word though, so you can check that out to see what he says.

There are some additional footnotes thrown in which you will notice when there is a footnote #1 and then a footnote #1a. All the new footnotes have a letter like that, so it's easy to see what's been added. Looking through the text though, there aren't that many new additions.

The binding and ribbon marker are the same as the first edition.


UPDATES TO THE THIRD EDITION

The third edition AENT is awesome! Most notable at first is that there is a new cover with improved binding, paper quality, print quality and ribbon marker. These aesthetic features are great and can be seen in the pictures below. The book itself is a lot more thin (almost a quarter inch) because of the improved paper quality, and the ribbon marker is longer and fray-proof (BIG bonus), unlike the one from the first two editions. Even though the print quality was improved in the second edition, it's even further improved in the third! Crisp, dark and clear!

The biggest change that's immediately apparent upon opening the book is that the Aramaic text has been put into Hebrew letters. This means that for those of us who can read Hebrew, we now will be able to sound out the Aramaic and have a better indication of what's in the text. This is helpful in a few instances where word order is important, and if you can read Hebrew you will be able to figure out the Semitic context of the word ordering (which is often changed in English for clarity sake, but sometimes the Semitic order is important).

Before I get into the text changes, let me note that the mis-translation in Colossians 2:17 and Revelation 22:20 still haven't been corrected in this edition. Some other parts of the text that seem a bit choppy remain the same as well. In my personal study copy I make note of how the translation could be smoother and I was hoping that there would be some changes like this in the third edition, but, not this time.

There are again some additional footnotes added, but unlike the second edition, all the footnotes have been re-numbered. So instead of saying footnote "12a" and "12b" for additional footnotes added, footnote 12a becomes 13, and what was footnote 13 is now 14. (and so on and so forth). This will make it more difficult to find the new footnotes, but they'll be things you find as you keep referencing the text in your studies.

The biggest changes I've noticed so far though are in Acts 2:36, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 12:3, and Philippians 2:11. At first I had wondered about the changes but reading through one of the new appendices called "Divinity Passages", it became very clear why it was done. It has to do with the Semitic thought pattern of how you would say something, and the more I study the Hebraic understanding of the YHWH-Yeshua connection, the more that it's making sense to me. I won't go into too much detail on these passages though, but rather, let you explore them (and the corresponding appendices) for yourself.

There are two new appendices in the third edition. The first one is called "Alef Tav" which simply explains what this phrase means. The second, as mentioned above, is called "Divinity Passages". It goes over several passages from both Tanak and the Netzarim Writings concerning the divinity of Yeshua. The passages from Tanak have in-depth commentary on them where as the passages from the Netzarim writings are mostly just showing the text itself (and the text really is pretty straight forward). At the end however the word ordering change found in places like Philippians 2:11 is explained in detail. It's actually a very controversial subject, but it's one that I really encourage you to approach with an open mind. We often get so stuck in a certain way of thinking that anything contrary to it raises a red flag where we become quick to scream "heresy". But I would really pay attention to what Andrew Roth is trying to say here, because I believe that he's really on to something. Whether I agree 100% with him or not is another question, but I know that his perspective has some key points that I strongly believe will play a part in bringing the faith to our Orthodox Jewish friends who will never accept the idea of Elohim being a trinity. It will also help to point us to a deeper understanding of our Mighty One, YHWH!

Overall, the third edition is definitely worth picking up. While no translation is perfect, the AENT still serves as being one of the top translations out there that should be referenced in all of our studies of the Ketuvim Netzarim (especially considering how Eastern Hebraic commentary for the NT is so very scarce!) From reading the subsequent editions and having been through the AENT cover to cover almost twice, my five star rating is retained 100%.


UPDATES TO THE FOURTH EDITION

The 4th edition AENT still has the same cover, page quality, print quality, and ribbon marker quality of the third edition (which, to re-iterate, is excellent). Searching through the pages it seems that for the most part things are the same, but there are a few updates to the translation itself and some new footnotes. I haven't found all of the updated translations, but here is a list of the new footnotes if you have a third edition and would like to see them,

Matthew
Footnote #20, 208 (updated reading with 23:1), 273

Mark
Footnote #43

Luke
Footnote #19, 84, 88, 98, 135, 136

John
Footnote #15, 87, 174, 175, 176 (updated reading with 19:14), 185, 197

Acts
Footnote # 145, 146, 147, 207 (I especially like 207!)

Ephesians
Footnote #19, 20 (updated 2:12)

23 new footnotes in total (where as the 3rd edition had 26 new footnotes and two new appendices). Now, many of the new footnotes deal with issues regarding the sequence of events during the week of Yeshua's death and resurrection. Specifically, it helps to clear up the apparent confusion/contradiction of John's accounts VS the Synoptics. Roth did an excellent job covering this in the first three editions, but the detail provided here is even better! With in the Aramaic text there are some very interesting grammatical issues in John's account which seems to provide more evidence for both Aramaic primacy as well as Greek mistranslation. But I'll let you dive into the footnotes for yourself to see just what I mean. There is also an updated appendix. Baruch's account of "When Was the Resurrection Part 2" is updated with a refined understanding in light of Andrew's research on "Wheel of Stars" and a few other things. If there are any other updates than I have not yet found them.

The 4th edition also comes in a soft cover large print format which is very nice, but I will have a separate review for that as there is a separate listing for it on amazon. In the meantime, Shalom and Shavua Tov!

It seems Amazon.com is allowing their book review space to be used by people who have NOT bought the AENT, such as "reverend" Dave Bauscher who clearly wrote a nasty review because he has a personal vendetta against Andrew Gabriel Roth - not to mention, he has his OWN version of a New Testament he wants to steer people to! (So much for professionalism among peers...)

Bauscher's comments not only reek with jealousy (which is a sin) but they also drip with blatant acrimony and raw arrogance. His overt slander against Roth is completely unbecoming of a supposed "believer" and the man should be ashamed to call himself a pastor!

I was the editor of the AENT and I know for a fact that Andrew isn't guilty of plagiarism, so the only one guilty of deception here is the "reverend" who has now been "outed" by an article on The Refiner's Fire: [...]

Carmen Welker

Very timely shipping, excellent quality material, perfect for someone who is seeking to learn to read Hebrew because the Hebrew & vowel points are highly visible.As I understand, this book was written from a Orthodox viewpoint & that one must keep an open mind to certain scriptures which reference Messiah Yeshua,ie; Psalms 22 or Isaiah 53."However,if you know your English bible well and are grounded in your faith you can usually sort things out." I would recommend this book for it's overall translation of the Tanach and for anyone wanting to study the Hebrew language.

There aren't enough words in the English language to describe the treasure called "Aramaic English New Testament" - TRUTH at last! Andrew Gabriel Roth and Baruch ben Daniel have presented the Gospels from a Hebraic (instead of the usual Greek) viewpoint that explains, in detail, what the writings of Paul and others actually SAID. (Yeshua and His Disciples and Apostles spoke Hebrew and Aramaic - the languages of Israel in those days - so why would they have written the Brit Chadasha [NT] in a foreign language that detracted from the actual verbiage or meaning?)

The AENT is over one thousand pages of factual and fascinating reading, complete with copious footnotes and appendixes that will absolutely bring tears to your eyes! FINALLY, someone has produced a New Testament that reflects the original writings! Halleluyah!

I bought this book at a discount because there was some supposed damage to the book cover. The "damage" was so minute, that I never would have considered it damaged. So, I feel that I received a great deal ($20 off!).

Firstly, I believe all Christians need to be aware of the fact that there are ancient Aramaic scriptures that exist of the New Testament. From what I have seen, this is one of the best Aramaic-to-English translations (to me) because the author, Roth, has used the accurate name of the Messiah and the accurate name of the Father (to the best of current man's knowledge).

It's obvious that Mr. Roth put a lot of time into referencing and adding his own personal insights of scriptures and into writing the additional readings in the back of the book.

I found it interesting to discover that Y'hoshua (Joshua) and Y'shua (Jesus) are spelled exactly the same in the ancient Aramaic scriptures (as in the ancient Greek scriptures). This indicates to me that the Messiah's name may have been Y'hoshua, rather than Y'shua (some people spell it as Yeshua). So, it isn't an open-and-closed case for me that the Messiah's name is Yeshua. But, that is what I call Him, since that's the most we have and (to my knowledge) there are no ancient Hebrew scriptures that call Him, Y'hoshua.

Also, I have to declare that I do not agree with Roth's assessment that all Christians should be living under the law (which he discusses in a few places). I believe that all the law was fulfilled in Y'shua the Messiah. He was the perfect and final sacrifice to God for all sins. No one (besides Lord Y'shua) was able to keep all the law. I believe that we now live under the grace of the Lamb of God and we no longer need to go back under the bondage of the law. There are many New Testament scriptures that declare this.

But otherwise, there's some really good stuff in this book. I enjoyed the writing about how the Father's name was lost through the traditions of men. I also believe that since the name YHWH was given to us in scripture, we should be using it exactly how God our Father gave it to us. No one was supposed to change the Word of God -- but, it happened. I also believe in using the Messiah's true name -- Yeshua (or Y'shua). The name "Jesus" has only been around for approximately 400 years. Anyone may research this and see that it's true. You can view a reproduction of the 1611 King James (Iames) Bible (Amazon and other retailers sell this book) and see that the name "Jesus" didn't even exist in the original King James version of the Bible. These are facts that may be researched and every Christian should be aware of.

I also believe that all Christians need to be aware that the apostles and first-century church still used the name of YHWH (Mar Yah in Aramaic) in their writings and in prayer. This fact is lost in the Greek scriptures, which are the scriptures that most of the Western World has translated from.

Thanks, Mr. Roth, for being true to the names that were given us. Our Father ... hallowed be Your name!

I think this one of the best New Testament translations that I have ever read. The only two versions that I know that respect the Semitic background of the New Testament is the Complete Jewish Bible (with I really recommend) by David Stern and the Aramaic English New Testament of Andrew Gabriel Roth. I had read other Aramaic Bible translations, including in Spanish and they don't respect the original names of G-d and the Mashiach. Most of the translations don't correct mistakes that translators like George Lamsa and Paul Younan made.

The AENT has 1,500 footnotes that provide really accurate information about details in the translation and information about history and the culture that had been lost into the Greek and English. The appendixes are a gold mine, because they explain issues that had been controversial in the Church and Judaism. Roth take a middle ground between Classic Christianity and Judaism to explain this issues with the scripture, showing mistakes in both sides.

If you want an accurate and detailed translation of the New Testament that reflects the mind from the first century culture, this is your opportunity. There are some contradictions and mistakes when you read the Greek text, but when you read this versions all this walls between the Tanakh and the B'rit Hadahsha start to melt. I think the Aramaic was the original language of the New Testament.

The other good thing is that this version has the Aramaic in one side and in the other the English, so you can learn by yourself how to read the Aramaic and check by yourself the Roth translation. No translation is perfect and this edition is no exception, but is really accurate and solid.

To produce this translation, Andrew Gabriel Roth spend almost 10 years of his life. If you are a serious student of the Bible and like to know the truth, you need to have one for yourself. If you are Jewish and the New Testament don't make much sense with the Tanakh, it is because you don't have the right version. This version will open doors to your understanding of the Tanakh, for sure.

I fully agree with the following comment by a former reviewer -

"The only downfall to the AENT is that it leaves you thirsting for a faithful version of the Tanak with the same kind of scholarly footnotes and appendices."

For several years I've been struggling with motivation to read the Renewed Covenant scriptures, as, after a seminary education, I'd come to realize that they were compromised from at least Constantine forward. Roth's AENT is an amazing answer to that dilemna. I now love to immerse myself daily, and thankfully find no conflict with the teachings of Tanach! This book also enriches my confidence in interaction with Jewish brothers and sisters. Thank you, too, for the companion video lectures. Bless you, Andrew, and may even your unspoken longings be similarly provided for by a fresh outpouring of the power of Ruach haKodesh upon your life.