Why bother with Bible translation

in the 21st century?

“If your God is so great, why can’t he speak my language?”

Cameron Townsend & the Cakchiquel

“Jesus ordered his disciples to enter the boat.”

on Mount Elgon… no boats

“Jesus Ordered His Teachers to Plant Milk”

Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense “And we thought that our people knew Swahili well!”

Mercy or grace buy a goat using another language sanctification or justification!God only seemed to speak in someone else's language.

Was theirs not an important language?

Were they an important people?

Could God understand them when they prayed in Sabaot?

Did God even listen?

Bible Reading

И словото стана плът

и пребиваваше между

нас

ppl dat trust da Lord wil bcome strong agen deyl sor on wings lik eglz deyl run+not gro weary deyl walk+not

get tired

ppl dat trust da Lord wil bcome strong agen deyl sor on wings lik eglz deyl run+not gro weary deyl walk+not

get tired Isaiah 40:31txtmsgv

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though

God were making his appeal through us. We implore you

on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God

2 Cor 5:20

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though

God were making his appeal through us. We implore you

on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God

2 Cor 5:20

Let’s do some translation!

THE AGNI LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN IN THE SOUTH EAST OF CÔTE D'IVOIRE ON THE BORDER WITH GHANA.

SAY YOUR NAME IN AGNI

Befle i Ezoua his name is EzouaBefle ma i Ezoua his name is not EzouaBefle ma me Ezoua my name is not Ezoua_________________ my name is _______

THE AGNI LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN IN THE SOUTH EAST OF CÔTE D'IVOIRE ON THE BORDER WITH GHANA.

SAY YOUR NAME IN AGNI

Befle i Ezoua his name is EzouaBefle ma i Ezoua his name is not EzouaBefle ma me Ezoua my name is not EzouaBefle me John my name is John

AGNI AGAIN…

TALKING ABOUT FOOD

E so di he is eatingMe so di I am eatingE so to he is cookingEhima e to tomorrow he will cookE so to baana he is cooking bananas______________ tomorrow I will eat

bananas

AGNI AGAIN…

TALKING ABOUT FOOD

E so di he is eatingMe so di I am eatingE so to he is cookingEhima e to tomorrow he will cookE so to baana he is cooking bananasEhima me di baana tomorrow I will eat

bananas

THE NADEB LANGUAGE - SPOKEN IN BRAZIL

THERE IS NO WORD FOR “SNOW” IN NADEB

How would you translate Matthew 28:3?

“his clothes were as white as snow.”

a. Use English word for snow?

b. Substitute something known in the Nadeb area which is white eg cotton or white fleecy clouds?

c. Use Portuguese word for snow.

d. Make up an phrase explaining what snow is?

THE NADEB LANGUAGE - SPOKEN IN BRAZIL

THERE IS NO WORD FOR “SNOW” IN NADEB

How would you translate Matthew 28:3?

“his clothes were as white as snow.”

a. Use English word for snow?

b. Substitute something known in the Nadeb area which is white eg cotton or white fleecy clouds?

c. Use Portuguese word for snow.

d. Make up an phrase explaining what snow is?

THE NADEB LANGUAGE - SPOKEN IN BRAZIL

THERE IS NO WORD FOR “LION” IN NADEB

How would you translate Daniel 6:16?

“they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.”

a. Use English word for lion?

b. Substitute some other wild animal known in the Nadeb area eg crocodile, jaguar or snake?

c. Use Portuguese word for lion?

d. Make up an phrase to describe a lion?

THE NADEB LANGUAGE - SPOKEN IN BRAZIL

THERE IS NO WORD FOR “LION” IN NADEB

How would you translate Daniel 6:16?

“they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.”

a. Use English word for lion?

b. Substitute some other wild animal known in the Nadeb area eg crocodile, jaguar or snake?

c. Use Portuguese word for lion? ???

d. Make up an phrase to describe a lion? ???

Let’s do some more Bible translation!

six volunteers

please

MOVE OVERLOVE…

Who are the best people to do Bible translation?

• know the language• know the culture• know how to express ideas clearly

Nationals!

• need help with exegesis• need help with linguistic analysis• need help with literacy• need help with IT support

Yes! With help & support

Can they do it by themselves?

The Solution…

PARTNERSHIPmother tongue speakers + trained linguists & support staff

But why bother with Bible translation!

1. Because the God we worship and follow is

a God who wants to communicate with all his

created peoples

Some examples throughout the Bible…

• Genesis 12: call of Abram

• Psalm 67: may nations praise God

• Jonah: sent to Nineveh

• Malachi: 1:11 my name will be great

• Acts 9: Saul converted specifically to reach the Gentiles

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and

of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey

everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28v19-20

“What teacher would try to teach students using a foreign language and

textbooks in a language they didn’t understand?”

Keith Benn (International translation consultant)

2. Because God the Father translated himself

for us when the Son became a human being

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 1v14

or as the Kouya translation puts it…

What’s going on in this verse?

“God’s Word became a

human being and sat down among us.”

John 1v14 Kouya New Testament

Andrew WallsMissiologist“Incarnation is translation. When God in Christ became man, divinity was translated into humanity, as though humanity were a receptor language. Here was a clear statement of what would otherwise be veiled in obscurity or uncertainty, the statement “This is what God is like.”

Chris WrightMissionary and writer

“God’s loving desire to restore all creation to God’s self resulted in the joyful event and message of Jesus. The incarnation translates and embodies God’s love for creation.”

3. Because of God’s promises in His Word

“…a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people

and language, standing before the throne…”

Revelation 7v9

4. Because of the great numbers of Bibleless people

groups

That’s 2,252 languages with nothing!

6,909 languages

spoken in the world today451

languages have an adequate Bible1,185

languages have an

adequate New Testament

843 languages have at least

one book of the Bible

What skills are needed ?translation

literacy

Scripture use

linguistics

language survey

computers

administration

finance

training

flying

teaching

dorm parenting

building / maintenance

www.wycliffe.org.uk