Motu Bible (MEUPNG)

Overview

The Holy Bible in the Motu language of Papua New Guinea, published by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1959. Motu Bible translation work began in the late nineteenth century under the London Missionary Society (LMS). Reverend W.G. Lawes, who arrived in Port Moresby in 1874, became an expert in the Motu language and commenced Scripture translation. [1] The Gospel of Mark, revised by Lawes, was printed in Sydney in 1881 in an edition of 500 copies — the first portion of Scripture translated into any language of south-east New Guinea. [2] The Gospels of Matthew and Luke followed in 1882, and the Gospel of John in 1884. [2] Lawes also published a grammar and vocabulary of Motu in 1885. [1] Work on the full Bible continued through the twentieth century, with the complete text copyrighted 1959-1973 by the Bible Society of Papua New Guinea. [3]

Translation History

The earliest Motu Scripture translation was undertaken by Reverend James Chalmers, who translated the first three Gospels. Reverend W.G. Lawes carefully revised the Gospel of Mark for publication in 1881, then revised Matthew and Luke by 1882 and translated John himself by 1884. [2] The British and Foreign Bible Society's 1883 report noted that the circulated Gospel of Mark was "more widely read than was expected." [2] Subsequent LMS missionaries continued the translation work through the early twentieth century. The full Motu Bible was eventually completed and published by the Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, with the copyright period spanning 1959 to 1973. [3]

Language and People

Motu (ISO 639-3: meu) is spoken by approximately 39,000 people in Papua New Guinea, Map 16. [Glottolog: motu1246]

Publishing and Organizations

Published by BFBS, London and Sydney.

References