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The Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition (TSE) is a conservative, scholarly Bible which uses the names Yahweh and Yahshua. The Assemblies of Yahweh undertook the project in 1981, building upon the translation work of the American Standard Version of 1901, which aims to preserve the ethnic idiom of the biblical text.

The Holy Name

Supporters of using the Name often cite from passages as Isaiah 42:8 wherein the original Hebrew texts the Name Yahweh is found Template:Hebrew. No Biblical commandment prohibits the use of the Name of (YHWH) Yahweh. Opponents often claim that the pronunciation was lost, or unknown. However, most prominent, authoritative reference works today do not coincide with such a view. The Encyclopedia Judaica makes the following statement:

"The true pronunciation of the name Yahweh was never lost...Greek writers of the Christian church testify that the name was pronounced Yahweh."

— Encyclopaedia Judaica, vol.7, pp. 679 - 680 (1971) "God, Names of"

Names restored

Bible translations such as the Rotherham's Emphasized Bible, the Anchor Bible, and the Jerusalem Bible have retained the Name Yahweh in the Old Testament. The Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition is the only Bible that uses Yahweh in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The Assemblies of Yahweh continue to use the Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition as their preferred text. It has currently undergone seven printings : In 1981, 1986, 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2008. The Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition is a publication by the Assemblies of Yahweh and its editor, Jacob O. Meyer.

Notability

Notable aspects of the Bible include its use of the Name Yahweh and the Semitic Name of the Messiah – commonly referred to as Jesus – Yahshua. It is also distinguishable by its preface section, which describes the setting, language and Name of the Bible. The Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition concludes with a "Pure Religious Vocabulary" section, which gives the explanation of words which should be avoided for those seeking "to purify their personal worship" Mark 16:17. This glossary of terms briefly traces and presents the etymology of words used frequently by Christian theologians which are pagan in origin. It also includes additional information for scholarly research that the reader can obtain.

Controversy

Though the Bible itself faces little controversy, modern religious authorities are showing some disgruntlement in the name Yahweh. Though Jehovah Witnesses accept Yahweh as the more accurate pronunciation, they choose to use the Emphatic Diaglott (Benjamin Wilson Bible) (1817-1900). They give the following position (as expressed in The Watchtower):

• "Nevertheless, many prefer the pronunciation Jehovah. Why? Because it has a currency and familiarity that Yahweh does not have.

Would it not, though, be better to use the form that might be closer to the original pronunciation? Not really, for that is not the custom with Bible names.

To take the most prominent example, consider the name of Jesus. Do you know how Jesus' family and friends addressed him ? The truth is, no human knows for certain, although it may have been something like Yeshua (or perhaps Yehoshua). It certainly was not Jesus."

On August 8, 2008, Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli of Paterson, N.J., chairman of the U.S. bishop's Committee on Divine Worship, announced a new Vatican directive regarding the use of the name of God in the sacred liturgy.

• "Specifically, the word 'Yahweh' may no longer be 'used or pronounced' in songs and prayers during liturgical celebrations."

This action was justified by claiming that Catholics should now have "respect" for Jewish Law in not mentioning His Name and therefore, remove the Name Yahweh from their Bible's and their songbooks. The Name Yahweh, though accepted as the most accurate pronunciation, is not a popular among either Christians or Jews. They are very few groups that hold to the use of the Sacred Name. The only unified group exclusively using the Sacred Name "Yahweh" being the Assemblies of Yahweh, which has existed for nearly half a century.

Other Uses

• Literature of the Assemblies of Yahweh has been used Universities around the world, such as Oxford University , Harvard University, Cornell University, James White Universities (Seventh Day Adventist), as well as Ambassador College (Worldwide Church of God).
• The Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition is available at some Central Libraries in England, and in the United States.

• The Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition is used at 'Obadiah School ' of the Bible at Pennsylvania.

See also

• Assemblies of Yahweh
• El (god)
• Elohim
• Sacred Name Movement
• Sacred Scriptures
• Yahweh
• YHWH

External links

• Official Assemblies of Yahweh site
• Review from a critic of the Sacred Name Movement. (via archive.org)

1. J.D Douglas. New Bible Dictionary, (Wm. B Eerdman's Pub. Co(c) 1962) p.9.)
2. "Yahweh" Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Edition
5. http://www.d.umn.edu/lib/bible/bibliog/e05.htm
6. http://www.innvista.com/culture/religion/bible/versions/ssbe.htm - http://www.tyndalehouse.com/

• Bible versions and translations
• Biblical phrases
• Hebrew words and phrases
• Hebrew Bible topics
• Yahweh