New Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Gaejeong)

Definition and Name

The Gaeyeok Gaejeong is a Korean translation of the Bible published by the Korean Bible Society in 1998. Its formal title is Seonggyeong Jeonseo Gaeyeok Gaejeongpan (The Holy Bible, New Korean Revised Version), and it is also called the Gaeyeok Gaejeongpan for short. The name signifies that the Gaeyeok (改譯, "revised translation") Bible was further revised, or gaejeong (改正, "corrected"). It contains both the Old Testament and the New Testament and is the most widely used translation in Korean Protestant worship and preaching.

Historical Background

Bible translation into Korean began with the work of missionaries in the late nineteenth century, and the first complete Bible, containing both the Old and New Testaments, appeared in 1911. A retranslation of this text, the Seonggyeong Gaeyeok (Revised Bible), was published in 1938. In 1961 the Gaeyeok Hangeul edition (Korean Revised Version) appeared, updating this text to conform to revised spelling conventions. For several decades the Gaeyeok Hangeul served as the standard Bible of the Korean church.

In 1988 new Korean orthography rules were officially promulgated, and complaints persisted that the archaic expressions of the Gaeyeok Hangeul were difficult to read. In response, the Korean Bible Society undertook a revision based on the Gaeyeok Hangeul and published the Gaeyeok Gaejeong in 1998. The revision was not a new translation. While preserving as far as possible the style and familiar passages of the Gaeyeok Bible, it focused on the following changes:

• Bringing spelling and word spacing into line with current standards
• Updating obsolete words and smoothing awkward sentences
• Replacing expressions that were demeaning toward people with disabilities or illnesses

As a result, most of the older literary style, including verb endings such as "…hasinira," remains. As in the Gaeyeok Hangeul, the divine name is rendered "Yeohowa" (Jehovah).

Use in the Korean Church

Since the 2000s most Protestant denominations have used the Gaeyeok Gaejeong as their Bible for worship. Pulpit Bibles, Scripture passages printed in church bulletins, Bible study materials, and Scripture memorization generally follow this translation as well. In bookstores, editions bound together with the 21st Century Hymnal, published in 2006, are commonly sold.

When the translation was first introduced, some churches and pastors continued to use the familiar Gaeyeok Hangeul. Criticism was also reportedly voiced regarding the translation's accuracy and the scope of the revision, and some churches still use the Gaeyeok Hangeul today.

The translation in use also varies by denomination. The Anglican Church of Korea is reported to have used mainly the Common Translation family of texts in its worship. In addition, many churches use the Gaeyeok Gaejeong for worship while also using the Revised New Korean Standard Version (Saebeonyeok), likewise published by the Korean Bible Society, for personal reading and comparative study.

The copyright to the Gaeyeok Gaejeong is held by the Korean Bible Society, so permission from the Society is required to reproduce its text in publications or software. By contrast, the copyright term for the Gaeyeok Hangeul is reported to have expired, and it is used relatively freely in online Bible services and similar settings.