The New Testament of the New English Bible was first published in 1961 with a complete text available from 1970. This translation was the first to render the scriptures into contemporary English and to depart from the traditional linguistic style of the Authorized Version . Over the years the translation has come to be regarded as a classic text and it became a best-seller in many countries around the world. In 1989 its successor, the Revised English Bible , was published to great acclaim but there remain a significant number of readers who favour the NEB . This stunning edition - featuring the well-known line drawings by Horace Knowles - reintroduces the much-loved NEB text back into the Oxford list after an absence of nearly two years. This book is intended for committed users of the New English Bible text. Those preferring a literary translation of the Bible.