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