Annie Cressman (1913-1991) was a Mennonite farm girl born in Elmira, Ontario, Canada. In 1935, while reading a copy of The Pentecostal Testimony she noticed a report by Sophie Nygaard, a Liberian missionary. Annie realized that this was God calling her to Liberia, West Africa. As a missionary of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, she devoted her life to Liberia, studying the Tchien dialect, translating scripture and teaching the Bible. While teaching in an English language Bible School in Liberia in the 1950s, she realized that she was having to spend too much time explaining the basic meaning of the text. Cressman then started preparing passages in an easier form of English. The gospel of Mark was first published by Full Gospel Publishing in Toronto, Canada in 1959 and the whole New Testament was published in 1969 as Good News for the World The New Testament in Worldwide English for SOON Publications in conjunction with Operation Mobilisation by Thomas Samuel and reprinted in 1971. The second edition was published in 1996 as The Jesus Book - The Bible in Worldwide English - New Testament by SOON Educational Publications and Evangel Publishing House, Nairobi, in association with No Frontiers and Operation Mobilisation, England. It was reprinted with revisions in 1998 by Soon Educational Publications.
For sample verses from the translation by Annie Cressman, click here
Gospel of Mark
Despite the attribution to Cressman, her name does not appear anywhere in this publication.
Title: The True Servant Mark's Story About Jesus
Date: Copyright 1959, Second edition 1960, Third edition 1963
Publisher: Copyright Full Gospel Publishing House, Toronto Canada. Third Edition printed by Gospel Literature Worldwide, "Vicotts", Bolney, Haywards Heath, Sussex, England. Also, the American Bible Society.
Contents: Mark. Small stapled pamphlet, 89 pages. Text arranged in paragraphs in a single column with verse numbers in the text. There are illustrations opposite pages 5, 11, 21, 27, 35, 41, 49, 65, 75, and 83.
References: Chamberlin 673-1, Herbert see 2327
Images: Cover, Title Page
Gospel of John
Despite the attribution to Cressman, her name does not appear anywhere in this publication.
Title: He Gave His Only Son The Gospel of John
Date: No copyright information. Printed 1965
Publisher: Gospel Literature Worldwide, "Vicotts", Bolney, Haywards Heath, Sussex, England. Printed by permission of The American Bible Society, New York. Printed at the W.E.C. PRESS, Kilereggan, Scotland.
Contents: John. Small stapled pamphlet, 94 numbered pages. Text arranged in paragraphs in a single column with verse numbers in the text. There are illustrations on pages 5,7,11,23,25,56,65,83 and Full page illustrations opposite pages 4,42,48,78,92.
References: Chamberlin 688-8
Images: Cover, Title Page
New Testament - First Edition
The first edition was printed in 1969 and reprinted in 1971.
Title: Good News For The World - The Life and Teaching of Jesus - The New Testament In Worldwide English
Date: 1969 (reprinted 1971)
Publisher: SOON! Publications: Bombay
Contents: New Testament
References: Chamberlin 589-6, Taliaferro-BVE see CN00113, Taliaferro-EELBV 8055.100.
Images: Jacket, Title Page
New Testament - Second Edition
The second edition was printed in 1996 with a revised edition printed in 1998.
Title: The Jesus Book - The Bible in Worldwide English - New Testament The Life, Teachings and Works of Jesus Christ and his Church
Date: 1998
Publisher: SOON Educational Publications: England
Contents: New Testament
References: see Chamberlin 589-6 for information on the 1969 edition, Taliaferro-BVE see CN00113, Taliaferro-EELBV 8055.110.
Images: Cover, Title page
