Melpa New Testament (MEDPNG)

Overview

The Melpa New Testament, titled Got Nga Nambuha Ik Kai ("God's New Word"), is a 1995 translation published by the Bible Society of Papua New Guinea. [1] It was created by Wycliffe Bible Translators and represents a revised edition; an earlier Melpa New Testament was published in 1965 by the British and Foreign Bible Society. [2] The 1995 edition thus builds on three decades of use and feedback from the Melpa-speaking Christian community in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea, centered around the Mount Hagen area. [3]

Language and People

Melpa (ISO 639-3: med) is spoken by approximately 100,000 people in Papua New Guinea, Map 6. [Glottolog: melp1238]

Melpa is a Trans-New Guinea language of the Chimbu-Wahgi group within the Hagen subfamily. [4] It is the principal language of the Mount Hagen area in the Western Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. The Melpa people are well known in anthropological literature, particularly through the work of Andrew Strathern, for their elaborate ceremonial exchange systems (moka). Mount Hagen, the largest town in the Highlands region, serves as a center for the Melpa-speaking community. The language has a "developing" vitality status, reflecting its active use in daily life and its growing body of written materials. [4]

Publishing and Organizations

Created by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. Published by Bible Society of Papua New Guinea. Translation type: New.

References