A PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE TRANSLATOR
Why I Began This Journey
Before explaining the research, methodology, or technology behind this translation, I believe it is important to explain why I began this journey in the first place.
I want to understand Scripture.
That is the foundation of this entire undertaking.
I have spent time reading the Bible, studying its teachings, asking questions, and exploring the history of Christianity. Along the way, I have discovered just how much there is to learn. Passages I once believed I understood have revealed greater depth through historical context, linguistic study, and the examination of different interpretations.
The more I learn, the more I realize how much I have yet to understand.
I believe the Bible is the Word of God. I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. And I believe that if I am going to build my life around the teachings of Scripture, I have a responsibility to make a sincere effort to understand what those teachings actually say.
That conviction is what led me to this project.
My original intention was not simply to produce another English translation of the Bible. There are already many respected translations available, created through generations of dedicated scholarship.
Instead, I wanted to go deeper.
I wanted to examine the ancient writings, understand the languages in which they were composed, explore the historical circumstances surrounding them, and investigate why certain passages have been translated or interpreted differently throughout Christian history.
I wanted to ask questions, including difficult ones, without being afraid of where the answers might lead.
As that desire grew, so did the scope of the project.
I eventually realized that the most meaningful way to document what I was learning would be to work through Scripture itself, examining its passages and attempting to communicate their meaning in clear, understandable English.
This translation is the result of that pursuit.
It is the culmination of my effort to understand Scripture more deeply, preserve what I have learned, and share that understanding with others.
I do not approach this work believing that I already possess all the answers.
I approach it because I want to learn.
My Christian Faith
This is, without question, a Christian translation of the Holy Bible.
My faith in Jesus Christ is central to my life and to the purpose behind this work. I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, and I make no attempt to conceal or diminish that conviction.
At the same time, I recognize that sincerely believing something does not automatically mean I have understood every passage of Scripture correctly.
Christians have spent centuries studying the same biblical writings and have sometimes reached different conclusions about their meaning.
Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions share a profound reverence for Scripture while differing on matters of doctrine, interpretation, and the boundaries of the Old Testament canon.
I believe those differences deserve careful examination rather than automatic dismissal.
My purpose is not to produce a translation that deliberately favors a particular denomination or attempts to settle theological disagreements through selective wording.
I want to understand what the biblical authors wrote, what their words meant in their original context, and how those writings fit into the larger message of Scripture.
If that research challenges something I have believed for years, I want to have the humility to examine the evidence honestly.
I want Scripture to shape my understanding of Christianity, rather than allowing my existing understanding of Christianity to determine what Scripture must say.
That is a commitment I intend to carry throughout this project.
A Biblical Foundation for Understanding Scripture
One of the passages that speaks most directly to the purpose of this undertaking is found in the Book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 8:8 describes the reading of God’s Law and the effort made to help the people understand it.
The passage explains that the Law was read clearly and its meaning was explained so that those listening could understand what was being read.
This is significant to me.
The people were not merely expected to hear the words. They were being helped to understand their meaning.
Although this passage describes the public reading and explanation of Scripture rather than the production of a new translation, I believe it demonstrates the importance of making God’s Word understandable.
The New Testament also provides an extraordinary example of the message of God crossing language barriers.
In Acts 2:6–11, people from many nations heard the mighty works of God proclaimed in their own languages.
The message was being communicated in words the listeners could understand.
The New Testament itself was written in Greek, even though much of the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and portions in Aramaic. The New Testament authors also frequently quoted the Old Testament using Greek wording associated with the Septuagint, an ancient translation of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Translation has therefore played an important role in the history of Christianity from its earliest centuries.
These examples do not provide unlimited permission to alter biblical wording. They do, however, demonstrate the importance of communicating Scripture across languages and helping people understand its message.
That is the principle I hope to follow.
The Responsibility of Handling Scripture
While Scripture demonstrates the importance of understanding God’s Word, it also contains serious warnings about mishandling it.
Deuteronomy 4:2 warns against adding to or subtracting from God’s commands.
Proverbs 30:5–6 warns against adding to God’s words.
Revelation 22:18–19 contains a solemn warning concerning the words of the prophecy recorded in that book.
I do not take these passages lightly.
I recognize that their immediate contexts must be respected, but I also believe they reinforce the seriousness of faithfully preserving and communicating what God has revealed.
Translating Scripture necessarily involves decisions about language, grammar, vocabulary, and expression. Those decisions are not inherently attempts to add to or remove from God’s Word.
However, a translator can distort the meaning of a passage by introducing ideas that are not supported by the original text or by deliberately removing ideas that are present.
That possibility is one of the greatest responsibilities associated with this work.
I must be careful not to confuse my understanding of Scripture with Scripture itself.
I must also recognize the warning given in James 3:1, where James explains that those who teach will be judged more strictly.
Although translating Scripture is not identical to serving as a teacher, I recognize that the words I choose may influence how others understand the Bible.
That responsibility demands humility, honesty, and careful examination.
Another passage that I consider especially relevant is 2 Timothy 2:15, where Paul instructs Timothy to correctly handle the word of truth.
That is the standard I want to pursue.
I do not believe that attempting to translate Scripture is inherently sinful. But I recognize that mishandling Scripture, misrepresenting its meaning, or knowingly altering its message would be a serious matter.
My responsibility is to approach this work with reverence and to make every reasonable effort to remain faithful to the text.
My Approach to Translation
This project will follow a meaning-for-meaning translation philosophy, sometimes referred to as functional or dynamic equivalence.
Rather than attempting to reproduce every Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek word in precisely the same order it originally appeared, I will seek to communicate the intended meaning of each passage in clear, natural, contemporary English.
Languages do not always translate neatly from one to another.
An expression that made perfect sense to someone living in ancient Israel or the Roman Empire may sound confusing or unnatural when translated literally into modern English.
In some cases, translating every word individually can actually obscure the meaning of the original sentence.
My goal will be to understand what the biblical author intended to communicate and express that meaning faithfully in language that modern readers can understand.
Where a literal translation communicates the meaning clearly, I will preserve it.
Where ancient sentence structures or idiomatic expressions create unnecessary confusion, I will seek wording that communicates the intended meaning without introducing ideas that are absent from the original text.
I will also make every effort to preserve the literary character of Scripture.
Poetry should retain its beauty. Historical accounts should remain faithful to their narratives. Prophecy should retain its significance. The teachings of Jesus should communicate the substance, authority, and force of His words.
I recognize that some passages are difficult because of unfamiliar language, while others are difficult because the subject itself is profound.
I do not intend to remove those complexities simply to make the Bible easier to read.
My goal is to simplify the language without simplifying the truth.
Researching the Ancient Scriptures
The foundation of this translation will be the surviving Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek biblical texts.
I intend to consult recognized scholarly critical editions, ancient manuscript evidence, linguistic references, historical documents, and academic research to establish the most defensible understanding of each passage.
For the Old Testament, this will include research into the Masoretic Hebrew tradition, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Septuagint, and other relevant textual witnesses.
For the New Testament, I will examine scholarly Greek critical editions and investigate significant differences among surviving ancient manuscripts when appropriate.
I understand that the original handwritten documents produced by the biblical authors are not known to survive.
What remains is an extraordinary collection of ancient manuscript copies, fragments, quotations, and translations preserved throughout history.
Modern Bible translations depend upon the careful examination of this surviving evidence.
When textual differences arise, I will make a good-faith effort to understand the available evidence and determine which reading is most likely to reflect the earliest recoverable text.
I will not automatically assume that the oldest surviving manuscript is necessarily the most accurate.
Manuscript age, historical transmission, relationships between textual witnesses, scribal practices, and literary context must all be considered.
Where the evidence strongly supports a particular reading, I will seek to follow that reading.
Where meaningful uncertainty remains, I intend to acknowledge it rather than present an uncertain conclusion as an established fact.
I recognize that some textual questions may never be resolved with absolute certainty.
That uncertainty deserves honesty rather than speculation disguised as fact.
Learning from Existing Bible Translations
Although this translation will be grounded in original-language research, I will also consult existing English Bible translations throughout the process.
Translations such as the New International Version, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, New English Translation, King James Version, and others represent generations of biblical scholarship.
Their work deserves respect and careful consideration.
I will use these translations as comparative resources to examine how other translators have understood particular words, expressions, and passages.
When my findings agree with established translations, that agreement may provide useful support for my interpretation, although it does not by itself establish that the interpretation is correct.
When differences arise, I will investigate the reasons behind them, including manuscript evidence, grammatical considerations, historical context, and translation philosophy.
I will not deliberately change familiar biblical wording simply to make this translation appear different or original.
If an existing English expression accurately communicates the meaning of the ancient text, I see no reason to reject it merely because readers already recognize it.
Likewise, I will not automatically accept a traditional rendering simply because it has been repeated across generations.
My objective is to evaluate the evidence carefully and communicate the meaning faithfully.
I am not undertaking this project because I believe existing Bible translations are inherently unreliable or that generations of biblical scholars have failed in their work.
On the contrary, their dedication and research have made much of this undertaking possible.
I intend to learn from that scholarship while pursuing my own goal of understanding Scripture and communicating its meaning clearly.
Accuracy will always take precedence over originality.
The Use of Artificial Intelligence
I want to be completely transparent about the role technology will play in this project.
This translation is an independent undertaking. I am not representing a formal Bible translation committee, academic institution, or religious organization.
Throughout the research and translation process, I intend to use multiple artificial intelligence systems, including advanced AI reasoning technologies, to assist with linguistic analysis, manuscript comparisons, historical research, and the evaluation of scholarly interpretations.
These tools offer extraordinary opportunities to explore ancient writings and examine complex information in ways that were once far more difficult for independent researchers.
Artificial intelligence can assist in identifying linguistic patterns, comparing interpretations, organizing research, and examining historical and textual questions from multiple perspectives.
However, I recognize that artificial intelligence has limitations.
It can make factual mistakes, misunderstand ancient languages, misrepresent scholarly conclusions, overlook important historical context, and occasionally provide inaccurate or nonexistent references.
It can also produce explanations that sound convincing while being factually incorrect.
For these reasons, I will not treat artificial intelligence as an unquestionable authority.
I intend to use multiple systems where beneficial, compare their findings, and make every reasonable effort to verify important conclusions against identifiable historical documents, academic research, and original-language evidence.
I also recognize that agreement between multiple artificial intelligence systems does not necessarily establish accuracy.
These systems may share similar training sources, assumptions, or errors.
Their conclusions must therefore be evaluated according to the quality of the supporting evidence rather than the confidence with which they are presented.
Artificial intelligence may assist with research, analysis, drafting, and translation, but I will remain responsible for evaluating its contributions and determining the final wording.
I will not conceal the involvement of artificial intelligence or misrepresent its contributions as independent human scholarship.
I believe honesty about the tools used in this project is essential to maintaining the trust of its readers.
Technology can be an extraordinary resource, but it cannot replace the responsibility to examine evidence carefully, acknowledge uncertainty, and correct mistakes.
My Personal Commitment to Good Faith
I recognize the magnitude of undertaking a Bible translation.
I do not claim to possess the collective expertise of professional biblical scholars, historians, linguists, or translation committees.
Nor do I claim divine inspiration, special revelation, or unique authority over the meaning of Scripture.
I am an individual who loves the Word of God and wants to understand it as faithfully as possible.
My Christian faith is the reason I am undertaking this work, but I recognize that personal beliefs and theological traditions can influence how Scripture is interpreted.
I will do my absolute best to approach every passage in good faith, allowing the available textual and historical evidence to guide my conclusions rather than attempting to make Scripture conform to my existing beliefs.
If my research challenges something I have long understood or believed, I will strive to examine that evidence honestly.
I recognize that mistakes are possible and that some questions may remain unresolved.
When errors are identified, I will remain open to correction.
I would rather acknowledge uncertainty than offer a confident answer unsupported by the evidence.
I would rather correct a mistake than preserve it out of pride.
And I would rather present a difficult truth faithfully than replace it with a more comfortable interpretation.
My intention is not to establish a new theological movement, challenge the authority of Scripture, or claim that my understanding is superior to those who have devoted their lives to biblical scholarship.
I simply want to undertake this work with sincerity, diligence, and reverence for the Scriptures.
I believe that approaching the Word of God in good faith requires more than good intentions.
It requires the willingness to question assumptions, investigate competing interpretations, and accept correction when the evidence warrants it.
That is the standard I intend to pursue throughout this project.
A Bible for Everyone
Although this project began as a personal journey to understand Scripture, I hope the finished translation may also benefit others.
I want to produce a Christian Bible that anyone can pick up, read, and understand, regardless of their education, familiarity with Scripture, or knowledge of Christian theology.
I want someone opening the Bible for the first time to understand what is happening, what is being said, and why it matters, without constantly needing a dictionary, commentary, or theological education.
I want young adults, new believers, lifelong Christians, and people simply curious about Christianity to be able to follow the story of Scripture without feeling overwhelmed by unfamiliar language.
I want readers to understand the lives of the people they encounter, the historical events unfolding around them, the teachings being communicated, and the relationship between the Old and New Testaments.
I want the words of Jesus to be understandable without losing their authority, depth, or significance.
I want the wisdom of Proverbs, the poetry of Psalms, the prophecies of Isaiah, and the letters of Paul to communicate their meaning in language that feels natural to contemporary readers.
This does not mean every passage will be easy.
Scripture contains profound theological questions, challenging teachings, ancient poetry, difficult prophecies, and mysteries that have been studied for centuries.
I do not intend to remove those complexities or pretend that every question has a simple answer.
Instead, I want the language itself to be as clear as possible so readers can engage with those questions without unnecessary confusion.
Where additional explanation is needed, translation notes may provide historical context, alternative interpretations, or clarification without inserting unnecessary commentary into the biblical text.
My hope is that readers can focus on understanding Scripture rather than struggling to understand the translation.
I believe a person should not need an advanced education to begin understanding the Bible.
The message of Jesus Christ was proclaimed to ordinary people.
His teachings reached fishermen, farmers, laborers, religious scholars, rulers, and those who had been pushed to the margins of society.
I want this translation to reflect that accessibility.
The language should never become an unnecessary obstacle between the reader and the message.
My Promise to the Reader
I cannot promise that this translation will be perfect.
I cannot promise that every scholar, denomination, or reader will agree with every decision I make.
I can promise that my intention is to approach this work with reverence, honesty, humility, and a sincere commitment to accuracy.
I will consult ancient textual evidence, examine scholarly research, compare established translations, and use modern technology responsibly in pursuit of that goal.
I will strive to distinguish the words of Scripture from my own interpretations and acknowledge significant uncertainties wherever they arise.
I will remain open to correction, recognizing that responsible scholarship requires a willingness to reconsider conclusions when stronger evidence becomes available.
And I will remember that the purpose of this project is not to demonstrate my knowledge, establish a new theological movement, or claim superiority over the many faithful translations already available.
I began this journey because I wanted to understand Scripture.
The research, the questions, the comparisons, the challenges, and the discoveries are all part of that pursuit.
This Bible is simply the work that will emerge from it.
If the finished translation helps someone open the Bible for the first time, understand a passage that once confused them, discover the teachings of Jesus Christ, or develop a deeper appreciation for the Word of God, then it will have accomplished something far greater than I originally set out to do.
But even if this work never reaches beyond my own hands, the effort will not have been wasted.
Because the purpose was never merely to produce another Bible.
The purpose was to understand the one I already had.
I undertake this project as a Christian, with faith in Jesus Christ, respect for the historical preservation of Scripture, and a sincere desire to understand and communicate its message faithfully.
I know that the responsibility is significant.
I know that the work will be challenging.
And I know that my understanding will never be beyond correction.
But I believe the effort is worthwhile.
I began this journey seeking a deeper understanding of God’s Word. My hope is that the Bible that emerges from it will help others discover that same understanding.
That is my purpose.
That is my commitment.
And that is the responsibility I accept in undertaking this translation.
Dathan Pyle
Author