The Hughes Literal Translation (HLT) represents the fruit of many years of study, prayer, and devotion to the sacred Scriptures. It was born from a deep desire to render the Word of God into English with a faithfulness that honours both the original text and the divine Author who inspired it. The guiding principle of this translation is expressed in its very name: literal. The HLT seeks, insofar as the English language allows, to present the words, structure, and meaning of the Greek Scriptures in their most direct and unembellished form.

The Scriptures are not merely ancient documents or literary relics; they are the living revelation of the eternal God to humankind. The HLT proceeds from the conviction that every word of Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), possessing divine authority and enduring truth. Therefore, this translation is not an interpretation but a faithful representation, a bridge for the reader to encounter the inspired text as it was originally given.

Purpose and Vision

The purpose of the HLT is twofold: accuracy and clarity. Many excellent translations exist that emphasize readability or theological expression. The HLT, however, aims primarily to preserve the form and function of the original language, allowing the modern reader to experience the rhythm, idiom, and precision of the biblical text with minimal interpretive intrusion.

It is designed for the serious student of Scripture, those who seek to study the Word in depth, to perceive its linguistic nuances, and to grasp its meaning as closely as possible to the inspired original. By adhering closely to the grammar and syntax of the source texts, the HLT offers a valuable tool for study, teaching, and exegesis, while maintaining a reverent English style suitable for public reading and personal devotion.

Philosophy of Translation

Translation is both an art and a science. The translator stands between two worlds, the ancient and the modern, and must render not only the words but the thoughts, patterns, and intentions of the inspired writers. The HLT follows a formal equivalence approach, meaning that it seeks word-for-word correspondence wherever possible, preserving original sentence structures and key grammatical features.

When literal translation would obscure the meaning or violate natural English expression, minimal adjustments are made for clarity, but always with transparent fidelity to the underlying text. In such cases, the guiding question has been: How can this phrase be rendered in English while remaining as close as possible to the original intent and form?

No attempt has been made to impose theological bias or denominational perspective upon the text. The translator’s task is not to interpret doctrine but to transmit faithfully the inspired words from which doctrine must be derived. The HLT thus seeks to stand as a clear window to the ancient text, not as a stained glass of human commentary.

Sources and Textual Basis

The New Testament is translated from the Majority Text and the Nestle-Aland (28th Edition), with careful reference to the Greek Textus Receptus for clarity and balance. Textual variants of note are documented in the text where they bear significance for understanding or translation.

Throughout the process, extensive consultation was made with lexical, grammatical, and exegetical resources, including the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon, and a range of modern critical commentaries and concordances. During the translation work careful comparison was also made to other English Bible translations.

Style and Format

The English of the Hughes Literal Translation aims to be dignified yet plain, faithful yet readable. Archaic expressions are avoided unless necessary to preserve the precision of meaning.

Words supplied for clarity but not directly represented in the original text appear. Whereas some English Bibles insert these words in italics, the HLT does not. Paragraph divisions follow the sense of the original text rather than modern editorial conventions, helping preserve the natural flow of the inspired writings.

Acknowledgments

No translation of Scripture is the work of one person alone. Though this version bears my name, it stands on the shoulders of countless scholars, linguists, and saints who have preserved, studied, and transmitted the Word of God across the centuries. I am indebted to their labors and to the grace of God who has sustained me through every stage of this work.

Special gratitude is given to those who encouraged this project with prayer, counsel, and critique. Their contributions have been a constant reminder that the work of translation is not merely academic but deeply spiritual, a sacred trust to handle the Word of Truth faithfully (2 Timothy 2:15).

Closing Reflection

May the Hughes Literal Translation (HLT) serve as a tool for deeper understanding and devotion, a means by which readers may come nearer to the heart of God revealed in His Word. It is my earnest prayer that this translation will not only inform the mind but transform the soul; that through its words, the voice of the living God may be heard anew in the hearts of all who read.

“The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God stands forever.”
 Isaiah 40:8

Nathan A. Hughes
Translator