JPS 1917 (Jewish Publication Society)

The first English Tanakh translated entirely by Jewish scholars.

JPS 1917 Bible - Jewish Publication Society Tanakh

Produced by the Jewish Publication Society of America, JPS 1917 was the first English translation of the Hebrew Bible undertaken entirely by a committee of Jewish scholars rather than a Christian one, closely following the Masoretic Text. It covers only the Old Testament's 39 books, with no New Testament, and you can begin at Genesis (JPS).


Old Testament

New Testament

About the JPS 1917 (Jewish Publication Society) (JPS) Translation

The JPS 1917 translation, produced by the Jewish Publication Society of America, was the first English translation of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) undertaken and published entirely by a committee of Jewish scholars rather than a Christian one. Closely following the Masoretic Text, it covers the 39 books of the Old Testament only - Genesis through Chronicles - and does not include a New Testament, reflecting the Jewish canon and tradition rather than the Christian one. Its language and style were modeled on the English of the King James Version, giving it a familiar cadence while offering translation choices, verse divisions, and interpretive emphases informed by Jewish scholarship. Read the JPS 1917 translation online here, verse by verse through all 39 books of the Tanakh.

Its language and cadence were modeled on the <a href="/bible/kjv">King James Version (KJV)</a>, giving it a familiar rhythm, while its translation choices and verse divisions reflect Jewish scholarship and tradition rather than a Christian committee's. Explore its rendering of <a href="/bible/jps/exodus">Exodus (JPS)</a> to compare the two traditions directly.