Press Releases

The Hawai'i Pidgin New Testament - "Da Jesus Book" - Now Available for your PDA!

SPOKANE, SPOKANE, WA – (September 18, 2006) – In partnership with Wycliffe Bible Translators, Olive Tree Bible Software has released the Hawai'i Pidgin New Testament for use with the Palm, Pocket PC, Smartphone, and Symbian BibleReader applications. This translation of the New Testament was done by a team of 26 dedicated local people, all native speakers of Hawai'i Pidgin in the Islands. They worked from the original Greek, with the help of the Wycliffe Bible Translators, and also referred to English translations and commentaries. It is intended for speakers of Hawai'i Pidgin who want to read and appreciate the New Testament in their mother tongue. The Pidgin language differs slightly in different parts of the Island chain, just as Standard English differs in different parts of the US mainland. Language differences also can be found between urban and rural speakers. The Pidgin used in this translation leans toward a rural, common form that is understood in most of the areas where many people speak the language more. The download also includes a dictionary of concepts that has two purposes: (1) to explain the cultural concepts from Jesus' time that may not be familiar to readers today; (2) for readers whose experience with the Bible up to now has been only English, it gives the Pidgin expressions that are in use for some of the more basic Biblical concepts.

Wycliffe Bible Translators and its associated organizations are dedicated to seeing God's Word become accessible to all people in the language that speaks to their heart. "For those people who are not fluent in English, the Bible in English is a closed book," says Joe Grimes, consultant for the Hawai'i Pidgin Bible. "Many are completely bilingual in Pidgin and English; but even some of these people say, in essence, 'The English Bible speaks to my head; but the Pidgin Bible speaks to my heart.' Several of the latter group have requested a PDA version of 'Da Jesus Book' that they can use with their Pidgin-speaking friends and in their own Bible reading."

Here's a look into "Da Jesus Book" (John 3:15-17): "15 so dat everybody who stay trus me, can get da real kine life dat stay to da max foeva. 16 God wen get so plenny love an aloha fo da peopo inside da world, dat he wen send me, his one an ony Boy, so dat everybody dat trus me no get cut off from God, but get da real kine life dat stay to da max foeva. 17 You know, God neva send me, his Boy, inside da world fo punish da peopo. He wen send me fo take da peopo outa da bad kine stuff dey doing."

About Olive Tree Bible Software

Olive Tree Bible Software provides Bible versions and study tools for Palm OS, Pocket PC, Smartphone and Symbian cell phones, and BlackBerry devices. They publish over 80 electronic translations of the Bible, as well as commentaries, dictionaries, eBooks, and parsing tools. The Bible is offered in various languages, including German, French, Spanish, Chinese, and many others. Original Hebrew and Greek texts are also available. Additionally, web and online cell phone Bible search engines are provided. Visit www.OliveTree.com.

About Wycliffe Bible Translators

Wycliffe Bible Translators, USA is part of an international association of Wycliffe organizations dedicated to seeing God's Word become accessible to all people in the language that speaks to their heart. In its 70-year history, Wycliffe has been involved in more than 600 translations, representing greater than 77 million people. Today Wycliffe consists of more than 6,000 personnel working in partnership with expatriates and nationals worldwide. Visit www.Wycliffe.org.