In 2018 when I began this translation project, it was my aim to put down in one place many of the things that I had learnt over the years as a cross cultural missionary with the Asengseng tribe in Papua New Guinea and as a Baptist pastor in Australia. And what better place than the New Testament with study notes! Of course this is not the first time that I have translated the New Testament. The first time was the Asengseng New Testament for the people living in that language group in West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea. It was published in 2006 with 1500 copies being printed. I believe God inspired and challenged me with the idea to do it all again but this time in a new English version which utilizes all the translation knowledge and skills gained the first time around. Why another English version when there are over 200 English translations? Good question. The simple answer... Languages are ever changing and English is the trade language of the world. And because new discoveries are being made all the time such as the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 and new insights into verses, I believe that a lot has been missed. I have always gone by the mantra since my missionary days that the best Bible translators are Bible teachers and the best Bible teachers are Bible translators of which I have had the privilege of doing both. So what am I saying? I am saying that translations need to be 'road-tested' so that the best translation can be achieved. My 'Everyday Dynamic Version' (EDV) is not just an academic translation but uses information gained from many years of Bible teaching experience both on the foreign mission field and in the local church context in Australia.
