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With the multitude of English versions of the New Testament available both on the Internet and in bookstores, the translator of the MEV is well aware that his readers might ask why the world needs another one. However, Helm's purpose with this work is to provide what he sees as a much needed translation in modern colloquial English that will also serve as a "bold witness" for the good news about Jesus Christ. In keeping with these goals, he has opted not to simply rely on a literal, word-for-word translation from the original Greek but instead has chosen to employ a "dynamic equivalent" rendering of scripture as needed. The result is a version that most modern readers of English should easily understand.
Of course, subjectivity plays a role in almost any translation, and some may or may not agree with certain decisions Helm has made in his work. For example, the use of the word "soul" has a long history in Christianity and is a translation of the Greek word ψυχή (psychē). But Helm argues that our concept of this term is based on the pagan view of the soul's immortality and that this doctrine is "a subtle denial of salvation by grace alone and Christ alone." Therefore, he uses different wording in verses where this term appears such as in Matthew 10:28 where he opts for "life" as a replacement. In a less controversial move, he has decided to capitalize all pronouns in the text that refer to God, a practice that many Christians already embrace in writing but that is only used in a few versions of the Bible. Adoption of the MEV will be a matter of personal conviction and preference. However, almost any student of the Bible should appreciate the scholarship evident in this translation. Body.