The Bible in Cockney

The Holy Bible In Cockney (well, bits of it anyway…), is the Bible translated into cockney rhyming slang. This text is aimed at people who wouldn't normally call themselves "Bible readers", as well as youth workers and ministers wanting a new approach to familiar stories, and secondary school teachers for use in RE lessons and assemblies. It contains an introduction explaining the aims and background of the book, including an explanation of cockney slang, plus seven Old Testament episodes and the stories of Mark's Gospel, "translated" into cockney slang. Read how Jesus feeds five thousand geezers with just five loaves of Uncle Fred and two Lilian Gish. Or how Noah built a bloomin' massive nanny. Then there's always the story of David and that massive geezer Goliath, or the time when Simon and Andrew's finger and thumb in law was Tom and Dick in Uncle Ned and Jesus healed her… .The book concludes with the Lord's Prayer and a full glossary of Cockney slang terms and phrases.

Author Mike Coles is Head of Religious Education at Sir John Cass's Church of England Secondary School in Stepney, East London. He hated RE when he was at school, and vowed that he would never make the children suffer as he had to. When he moved to the East End nearly 15 years ago, he immediately fell in love with Cockney rhyming slang and started to use it in his lessons. The children loved it, he decided to write down some of his stories and – well, here they are. Mike's aim is for people to enjoy reading the Bible stories in this very down-to-earth version, and to help God's word reach out to those who wouldn't normally read the Bible but who may pick up a copy of this book. 'Puts the energy and passion back into the stories' The Archbishop of Canterbury.