Bible Translation
status of Bibletranslation
Complete Bible: 451Complete Bible: 451
New Testament: 1185New Testament: 1185Some scripture: 851Some scripture: 851
Around 2,393 Around 2,393 language language communities still communities still have no have no translation translation
300 million people300 million people
Total Number of Languages with Some Scripture
Bible Translation: Looking Back
Bible into some major
world languages
Bible into some
minority languages
Authorized Version
kjvabc
Bible into some
European languages
Translation needs
AfricaAfricaAsiaAsia
Indo-Indo-PacificPacific
Why Bible translation?
Because the message of the Bible is that God wants to communicate about himself and his
nature to us
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the
prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to
us through his Son.
Hebrew 1:1-2
Because the message of the Bible is that God
reaches out to his people on a heart level
And we all hear these people speaking in our own
languages about the wonderful things God has
done!
Acts 2:11
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John
1v14
“God’s Word became a
human being and sat down among us.”
John 1v14 Kouya New Testament
Because the message of the Bible is that God cares about the poor,
marginalised and forgotten people of the
earth
God...
...communicates
...reaches out
...cares for the poor, marginalised and forgotten
Impact of Scripture
“When I read the Bible in the national language, it is as if someone prepared food, put it on a table and said “here is food, you may eat it if you like”...
…when I read it in my own language, it is as though someone is spoon-feeding me. The word of God goes right into my heart, and I understand it straight away”
Man in Asia
Vision 2025
• By 2025, together with partners worldwide, we aim to see a Bible translation programme begun in every language that needs one.
Bible Translation: Looking Forward
Vision 2025
• By 2025, together with partners worldwide, we aim to see a Bible translation programme begun in every language that needs one.
Partner organisations
Bible translation is about…
Partnership
Partnership between…
• God and his people
Partnership between…
• God and his people• The language community and
outsiders
The Language Community and
Outsiders
What happens in Bible translation?
Local Community Wycliffe
Other Partners
Partnership between…
• God and his people• The language community and
outsiders• A team of people with diverse skills
and backgrounds
A team of people with diverse skills and
backgroundsExegetesMother-
tongue Translators
Translation Advisors
Community Leaders
Counsellors
Project Managers Languag
e Assessors
IT Support
Church Leaders Member
Care Coordinators
Linguists
Literacy Workers
School Teachers
Software Developers
Scripture Use Promoters
Finance Staff
Language Assessment
Linguistics
A writing system
A good writing system depends on:• Good analysis of the sounds of the
language
A writing system
The Rotokas language in Papua New Guinea has only 11 letters in its alphabet
p t k b d g
i u e a o
A writing system
The Sandawe language of Tanzania has 59 distinct sounds that need to be written
A writing system
A good writing system depends on:• Good analysis of the sounds of the
language • Acceptance by the whole speech
community
Literacy work
Translation
Translation Checking
Scripture Use Promotion
Finance
Member Care
IT and computing
School teachers
Project Management
Kama vile mwili ulivyo mmoja lakini una viungo vingi, na viungo vyote ingawa ni vingi vinafanya mwili mmoja, ndivyo ilivyo na Kristo. Kwa maana tumebatizwa na Roho mmoja katika mwili mmoja, kama ni Wayahudi au Wagiriki, kama ni watumwa au watu huru; nasi tumepewa tunywe, huyo Roho mmoja.
The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free.
But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
Bible translation is about…
Partnership
Bible translation is about…
People of diverse languages and cultures, with different backgrounds and skills…
…all united in Christ, serving together to see God’s message of love translated into Languages and Liveswww.wycliffe.org.uk