Mark’s Gospel for Serbian Readers. A Brand New Translation of the Gospel According to Mark in Serbian: A Reader’s Response

Abstract

In the last two centuries, the Gospel according to Mark has been translated into Serbian approximately fifteen times. This paper reflects on a new translation of the Gospel of Mark by Professor Predrag Dragutinović. The translation is based on the critical edition of the New Testament and is both easy to read and meticulously translated with sharp, direct language. It captures the essence of the Gospel according to Mark, a simple, early Christian text that delivers the Good News immediately and directly. The author believes that the clear and simple language, contemporary expressions, and grammar used in this translation make it readable and understandable for modern Serbian readers. The primary purpose of this paper is to showcase Professor Dragutinović’s efforts and to illustrate how this translation stands out among other contemporary Serbian translations of Mark’s Gospel in terms of style and language. It is an accurate and direct translation that modernizes the Biblical message for contemporary readers who may not understand archaic language. Although the language of this translation could easily reach a younger Serbian audience, it does not simplify the message through improvisation; rather, it captures the spirit of the original text. Finally, the paper also presents a few observations, questions, and suggestions regarding this translation.