Unique Audio Bible Took Four Years, 600 Famous Actors, to Complete

by Teresa Neumann : Nov 13, 2009 : Rick Kogan - Chicago Tribune

"I was scared to death I might make a mistake, maybe with issues of translation. This was a huge mountain to climb."

(Chicago, Ill.)—Inspired by the film, The Passion of the Christ, JoBe Cerny—most famous as the voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy—has just completed his ambitious dream of producing an audio version of the King James Bible in its entirety. (Photo by: Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Called The Word of Promise Audio Bible, the set of 79-CDs—which took four years to complete at his production company Cerny/American Creative—runs 98 hours. Six hundred actors were used in its making, including Jim Caviezel as the voice of Jesus, Richard Dreyfuss (Moses), Gary Sinise (David), Marisa Tomei (Mary Magdalene), Stacy Keach (Paul), Louis Gossett Jr. (John), Joan Allen (Deborah), Max von Sydow (Noah) and Luke Perry (Judas).

As noted in the Chicago Tribune report, Stefano Mainetti wrote the score for the project, Michael York narrated, and British actor Martin Jarvis provides the voice of God.

Cerny reportedly saw his mission as one that "turns these characters into real characters, have them played with full emotion, with context. To put these in the moment in time when these words were first spoken."

According to the report, to do this "he was in frequent consultation with theologians and linguists, reading and re-reading the Bible, 'trying to bring these passages, these people to life.'"

"I was scared to death I might make a mistake, maybe with issues of translation," he is quoted as saying. "This was a huge mountain to climb."

   

• Star-Trek Type Device Can Diagnose Cancer in Minutes
• Church Impacts Community with "Pray-it-Forward"
• Option Line Launches Upgraded, Interactive Site for Connecting Women to Life-Affirming Help
• A Global Plan for the Gospel in Every Language
• How a Foul-Ball Worked Miracles in a Major League Baseball Player and His Fan
• Business Owners in China Finding that Christians Make Better Workers—Government Takes Note
• Hundreds of Volunteers Spending Labor Day Vacation Building Homes for Low-income Families as Part of Worldwide Housing Event
• Dig in Jordan Substantiates Old Testament Description of the Idolatry of the Moabites
• UK Study Finds "Religious" Doctors' Care for Terminally Ill to be More Life Affirming
• How Some Radical Christian Families are Changing Their Communities
• Think You'd be Happier Shopping on Sundays Than Going to Church? Wrong, Says Study
• Church Changes a Country and Saves Lives Along the Way
• In Arizona, God's "Torch" Transcends Headlines and Border Controversy: the State is Ablaze with Prayer!
• TheCall Goes Forth to Sacramento: September 3-4
• Bollywood in Israel to Make Jesus Movie
• Hollywood Star Couple Chooses Family instead of Emmy Parties
• The Carolina Emperor: Record-Breaking Emerald Found on North Carolina Farm
• Latest American Released from North Korean Prison Returns Home
• Gutenberg's Great Invention giving Everyman the Word of God
• Romanian Christian Leaders Promulgate Pro-Life, Pro-Family Timisoara Declaration

   
 

Listen online to 24/7 streaming radio of cutting edge music by
ElijahStreams!

"I have just been introduced to your network and have been basking in the blessing all day! I hope all the listeners will continue to support you so that this blessing on the Church can continue."
- an ElijahStreams Listener

Steve Shultz, Managing Editor

Aimee Herd, Editor

Teresa Neumann, Reporter