(Photo credit WYC)
International (MNN) — Bible translation is changing. It’s not just about translating the written Word anymore, but that’s not a bad thing.
Bob Creson, President and CEO of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA, also known as Wycliffe USA, shares why in this report.
“In the past, we would start translating maybe the Gospel of Mark, or the Gospel of Luke. Now, communities are saying, ‘We learn orally. Would you help us translate a set of stories that would start a project?'” Creson states.
Previously, Wycliffe would assign a team to translate the entire New Testament for a group of people who didn’t have God’s Word in their native tongue.
“It often took up to 20 years-25 years to translate a New Testament,” explains Creson.
Today, translation needs are driven by the local community. People groups are taking more ownership of translating Scripture into their own language. And, they’re working together to make it happen.
Creson says, “You might find five or six language communities working together to produce the materials that they want.”
Why does it matter?
(Photo credit Wycliffe USA)
“We really believe within the next 10 or 15 years every community will have some opportunity to hear this Good News of the Gospel in a language and a form they understand,” says Creson.
Some people hear that and think, “Well, good! The needs are all taken care of,” Creson notes. But, he adds, that’s not really true. There are still 1,800 communities who have no Bible translation projects started in their language.
Will you join Wycliffe USA and be part of the “push” that gets the final translation projects started? Find ways to get involved here.
It’s not just translators that are needed, Creson adds.
“We need teachers, we need administrators, we need IT people, we still need pilots,” he says.
“People can pray, and they can also give if they can’t go.”
