Author: Simon Bartz, 8 April 2021
Despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, Bible Societies around the world completed translations of Scripture into 66 languages used by 707 million people in 2020.
This amazing feat was accomplished thanks to the kind giving of Bible Society supporters the world over.
Six language groups received the full Bible for the very first time – five in Africa and the other in the USA, where the Deaf community celebrated the completion of the American Sign Language Bible.
Juliet Clarkson, who received an Epie New Testament in Nigeria, said, ‘It will make evangelism easier. When we go out to preach to people, they do not understand the English Bible, but now we will be reading the Bible and preaching in the Epie language. The pastor does not need any interpreter any more since he will preach in the language of the people, using the Bible in our language.’
Last August, we reported that the number of languages with the full Bible had topped 700 for the first time. Now we can reveal that at the start of 2021, the full Bible was available in 704 languages used by 5.7 billion people. More than 70 per cent of these full Bible translations have been provided by Bible Societies.
The generosity of Bible Society supporters is now enabling us to press ahead with a further eight Bible translations in Africa that could bring God’s word to more than six million people.
These people live in mostly rural communities and they do not have the Bible in their own language. They are people often overlooked and on the margins. Many of them faithfully follow Jesus, and long to know him more by being able to read God’s word in their mother tongue.
If you would like to be part of this Bible mission to bring them the Scriptures, please click on the button below this article.
The support of people such as yourself is transforming lives throughout the world by allowing them greater access to God’s word.
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Full Bible translation tops 700 languages for first time
With an estimated 7,000-plus languages in the world there may be a little way to go, but the full Bible has now been translated into 700 of them.
Will you bring God’s word to people without it?
The Bible is for everyone and its power affects whole communities. You can reach people who won’t otherwise hear God’s word by supporting translation projects that have carried on during lockdown.
Christianity is growing at an exponential rate in Africa – and so is the need for Bibles. Our aim is to reach the poorest, most troubled families, the people who are at war or those who've been displaced, and the most marginalised communities.
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