Breaking Down Language Barriers: Bible Translation on the Rise
James Poole, Executive Director of Wycliffe Bible Translators, is thrilled about the rapid progress in Bible translation worldwide. According to him, millions have gained access to the Bible or New Testament in the past 12 months, and countless others are on the path to having it. For the first time in history, over half of the world’s languages have at least some Scripture, a remarkable achievement that highlights the dedication of Bible translators and the power of technology in accelerating this work.
A Record-Breaking Year
In the past year, Wycliffe Bible Translators announced 118 new Bible or New Testament translations, averaging one every three days. This includes 23 full Bibles and 95 New Testaments, the highest annual figure to date. Consequently, the number of languages without any Bible translation dropped by 44% in one year, from 985 to 550. This progress is a testament to the impact of collaboration, technology, and local church engagement in Bible translation efforts. As a result, an estimated 197 million people now have access to the full Bible in their native language, with 54 million more receiving the New Testament.
Continued Support Needed
Despite this progress, about 1.5 billion people globally still lack access to the Bible in their language. Wycliffe Bible Translators has called for continued support to reach every remaining language, emphasizing the importance of partnerships, technology, and local church ownership in achieving this goal. With the advent of AI and other technologies, the organization predicts that the time taken to translate the Bible could be reduced by up to half without sacrificing quality, bringing hope to millions who still await access to God’s word in their language.
