NASHVILLE, TN - A new Bible translation tackles the challenge of turning ancient Greek and Hebrew texts into modern American English and then adds a twist: It's written like a screenplay.

The idea for "the Voice" was a longtime dream of Chris Seay, pastor of Houston's Ecclesia Church. Seay says he had had success in helping church members relate to the Bible by dividing out the parts of the various speakers and assigning roles to church members.

Seay says the format isn't a gimmick. He hopes this new version of the Bible will help readers understand the meaning behind the sometimes archaic language and enjoy the story enough to stick with it.