(EP News)

November 7, 2002

A Scandinavian Christian group is translating parts of Scripture in the most up-to-date language of young Norwegians: condensed text messages for cell phones. “We hope to inspire increased Bible use, so this is a way in with young people,” said Anders Torvill Bjorvand of Oslo’s GospelSpeak Internet site. Nearly every Norwegian teen has a cell phone, and communicating using Short Message Service (SMS) has become so popular that a hyper-condensed language has been created, using code words, abbreviations, and symbols. Bjorvand demonstrated the translation technique, using the Lord’s Prayer: Our father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come. (SMS: Fthr n hvn. u r holy. Come); Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. (SMS: rule earth as hvn. Giv us food.); And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (SMS: Forgiv our wrongs. keep temptation n evil from us.); For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen. (SMS: All is yours. U rul in glory. Amn.)