New Testament Introduction

The kitab Injil is divided into many books. In the beginning there are four writings that tell about Isa Almasi and about his life and teachings when he was here on earth.

Next is one portion that tells what the disciples of Isa did after Isa had gone to heaven. It is also told there how they were helped by the Spirit of God in their work and  how the good news about Isa Almasi spread around the world.

There are also twenty-one writings sent to the believers in Isa around the world. These letters were written so that their trust in Isa can become strong and that they better understand the teaching of Isa  and know how to live a good life.

In the end there is one more writing that tells what will happen in the future.

All  of the writings in the kitab Injil were written by some of the disciples of Isa. They were given thoughts and understanding by God when they wrote, therefore, all that they wrote are really God's words.

It is written here in the kitab Injil (2 Petros 1:21), “The words of God in the kitab are not from the mind of mankind. But the people used by God to spread his message were ruled by the Spirit of God. Therefore they spoke and wrote the words of God. "

It is also written here that it is good if we study in the kitab, that it is valuable for us and for teaching our companions. Paul wrote this to Timoteo, (2 Timoteo 3:16-17), “All that is written in the kitab was caused to be written by God and it is useful when we teach the true teaching and when we instruct those who have sinned, and when we straighten-out the people who do things that are not right, and when we teach good customs so that the expertise of a person belonging to God is complete and he is equipped to do whatever is good to do."

Therefore, it is excellent if we persevere studying in the kitab every day so that we will know what God wants us to do and so that we really know how to follow him.

The kitab Injil was first written in the Greek language. This language was understood by most of the people in the countries of old. This is what it looks like.

καὶ ἔχομεν βεβαιότερον τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον, ᾧ καλῶς ποιεῖτε προσέχοντες ὡς λύχνῳ φαίνοντι ἐν αὐχμηρῷ τόπῳ, ἕως οὗ ἡμέρα διαυγάσῃ καὶ φωσφόρος ἀνατείλῃ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται· οὐ γὰρ θελήματι ἀνθρώπου ἠνέχθη προφητεία ποτέ, ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ πνεύματος ἁγίου φερόμενοι ἐλάλησαν ἀπὸ θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι.

But nowadays, few of us understand the Greek language. How can we know the will of God if it is written only in a language that we do not understand? Therefore the kitab Injil was translated into the Yakan language.

We were very careful when we transferred this into the Yakan language so that the meaning of the words in the kitab Injil in Yakan is really the same as that written in the beginning in Greek.

There is an explanation at the beginning of these writings. It tells who wrote it, who it was written to, and what is written there, or the reason that it was written. The people who were first written to had very different customs from ours and their religion was also different as was the appearance of their land. Therefore, it is explained a little bit so that what is written in the kitab is easily understood.

In the end of this kitab there are also some words listed and explained. For example, if you find a word that you don’t understand very well, look first in the end to see if it is listed there.

There are also maps of the countries mentioned in this kitab so that you will know where those countries and their towns are.

There are also some pages with pictures placed in the end of this kitab so that you will easily understand the customs of the people of old, including their clothes, their houses, their animals, their fruits and other things.

Perhaps you are wondering why some of the words that are written are different from how you say them in your place. You know that even though we all speak Yakan we still pronounce it differently. Some say "pili" and others "pī", some say “seddili" and some "seddī". Some also say "kata'uhan" and others say "kete'uhan". There are still many words like that. Here in this book the words are only written as most people pronounce them, but when you read, you may pronounce them as you are used to.  

May God give you wisdom when you read this kitab and may he show you how great his love and his mercy is for you and for all mankind.

Wassalam