Gedaged
Gedaged is also known as Graged, Regetta and Bel. It is spoken in coastal villages and on islands in Astrolabe Bay in Madang Province of northern Papua New Guinea.
First Translations
The first complete book of the Bible in Bel (formerly known as Ragetta), was the Gospel of Luke. It was translated by H. George of the Lutheran Mission. It was published as “Me idinad tamol ujan, idinad patud-paseknen mai Jesus Kristus inan Totol Gamun Lukas gaselak”. The publication was paid for by the family of Mrs Douglas Jones, wife of Col. Jones, a member of the BFBS committee, as a gift for her 80th birthday.
Luke was revised, and printed along with Acts, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon, and James in 1935. These were translated and revised by H. George of the Lutheran Mission. The publication was entitled “Lukas, Apostelsai, Tesalonika I, Filemon, Jakobus”.
New Testament 1960
The New Testament (Temaneknen Faun) in Gedaged was translated by E.F. Hannemann of the American Lutheran Mission, assisted by Kadeu, Los, Bazan, and Jabon. The translation is based on the Nestlé Greek text with reference to the RSV. The New Testament was published by the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) in London in 1960 as “Idinad ujanzen Jesus Kristus: Inan temaneknenfaun, inan gazekgazek, meglaumgaz degazelak”. It includes cross-references to other Bible passages.
Psalms 1960
The Psalms were also translated by Dr. E. R. Hannemann with the help of assisted by Kadeu, Los, Bazan, and Jabon. The Psalms were published in 1960 as “Israel Nadin Kanam”, by the Lutheran Mission Press.
Genesis 1971
Genesis was also translated by Dr E. R. Hannemann with the help of native speakers. It was published by the Australian Bible Society in 1971, in an edition of 1,600 copies.
Digital Edition
The New Testament and Psalms from 1960 and Genesis from 1971 were digitised with the help of MissionAssist in 2025, from original copies at the Bible Society archives at Cambridge University in England. Although these were published separately the New Testament, Psalms and Genesis have been combined for convenience.
