MIRACLES IN BIBLE TRANSLATION

“I was almost killed, but God saved my life,” Pastor Bennett Marona said. 

He continued: “I think it was God’s plan, not just that I remain alive but that I complete this huge work that He set in front of me. Our people [the Baka] have been longing to see the Word of God in our language. We went through a lot of different challenges.”

Bennett is from South Sudan, a country that had a tumultuous start. He and his community have done more than their fair share of mourning: witnessing violence, being forced to evacuate from one country to the next and losing every worldly possession in the process.

At one point, Bennett was even kidnapped by armed soldiers and held captive. But with no explanation, the soldiers eventually let him go.

“It’s hard for me to know why I was not killed,” he said. “Truly, God chose me to be a translator. Bringing the Word of God to my people is more important to me than all other things. I want them to hear God’s voice with their own ears. All the time I prayed, ‘God, speed this work so that they have a Bible and read Your words, so that they go to heaven when the time comes for them.’”

Facing trial after trial, Bennett demonstrated his commitment to the task God called him to complete: translating the New Testament into Baka. After more than 30 years of perseverance, thousands of Baka speakers came together to dance, sing and experience the Word of God in their language at their New Testament dedication.

Bennett’s favorite part of the day was when the boxes of New Testaments were opened, and hundreds of his fellow Bakas rushed forward to get their copies. He said, “At that time, I forgot all the challenges I went through.”

Bennett’s role in Bible translation made him a greater target in a dangerous climate. But he stayed.

Though he has experienced mourning, today he and the Bakas experience God’s comfort through the Scriptures in their language. And Bennett’s relationship with the Lord is deeper because he remained steadfast in Bible translation. He explained:

“Whenever I sit at the desk to do translation, it's like I'm sitting with God at the same desk; we are facing one another. There's really no benefit like what I get from translation.”

What an incredible testimony of faith! Today people just like Bennett are also working — through both good times and hardships — to bring Scripture to their communities.

The Impact of Local Church-Owned Translation

Historically, Western missions work   was built on the premise that people around the world needed to have the gospel brought to them. And that premise wasn’t wrong. But today, in a digitally connected world, there is a significant shift in the approach to global missions — and it’s impacting everything from Bible translation to Scripture engagement and more.

Local church leaders recognize that a lack of Scripture is a massive barrier to evangelism, discipleship, church planting and other forms of ministry within their communities. Rather than expect Western missions to close this gap, they want to close it themselves!

As churches increasingly take ownership and Bible translation accelerates, Wycliffe transitions to the critical role of catalyst in the movement worldwide — supporting local leaders in accomplishing their vision through technology, resources and funding. This allows the local church to own the work in their communities, countries and even entire regions.

One example is in the Pacific, where some of the highest remaining needs for Bible translation exist. Local churches there are excited about translation and have said, “We want to do this!” The church-owned approach to Bible translation literally means that the church and community are choosing people to participate in the work. Together they are saying, “This is important to us!”

Churches, denominations and church networks aren’t willing to wait anymore for Scripture in their own languages. They deeply desire to see God’s Word made available in all of their communities so that people can be transformed.

The workforce required to reach these languages is significant. But God is raising up the workers from within churches across the Pacific region!

“What excites me most is the collaborative work that we’ve done together,” said Rev. Dr. Edward Kolohai. “You people from the global North and for us in the global South, we work together in order to improve the standard of our knowledge about the Bible and how we look at issues around us.”

A new way of collaborating together is changing the landscape of Bible translation work in incredible ways.

Miracles in Madagascar

Because partnership is playing such a huge role in Bible translation work, things are progressing at an unprecedented rate! And the impact is profound. What God has done and continues to do through communities in Madagascar is proof of that.

The gospel first came to Madagascar back in 1835, but it was only translated into one language: Malagasy. Since then, translation has taken place in more of Madagascar’s 23 language communities. 

A few years ago, a group of local churches began collaborating to translate the Bible into four more languages themselves. These churches had a deep desire to own and facilitate the translation process, so they asked for help with training their people to become consultants.

Within 12 months, these churches drafted four new, full Bibles using 300 translators, including local church members and college students. This is a testament to the profound power of partnership, collaboration and faith!

Serge Razafinjatoniary, a Bible translation leader in Anglophone and Lusophone Africa, said: “We know of 23 communities in this country — meaning, the 30 million people or so — [who] have had to interact with God with one language over the years. How would that make you feel to have to learn someone else’s language before you could really interact with God? So seeing God's Word being translated for the different communities in Madagascar — for me, it’s heaven.”

Serge’s wife, Olivia, is also a Bible translation leader and has witnessed what happens to people when they are able to experience God’s Word for themselves:

“Bible translation in the local language gives people the dignity and the honor that they deserve. They feel like they own it, that God didn’t leave them alone. That they are not obliged to learn the official language, as God can speak their language, and God can communicate directly with them in their own language. To them, even if the Bible that has been printed is still in a draft version, to them it is precious. It’s their wealth, their treasure. And it’s so precious to them.”

See how God performed a miracle through Olivia in Madagascar.

God is using local translators and churches to help bring His Word to their communities! And as a result, individuals — from the oldest generation to the youngest — are being changed from the inside out.

Help Bring Bible Stories to Life

As you approach Christmas, you’ll probably read, hear or see the story of Jesus’ birth in your church or home.

But what would it be like if you could only understand part of what God was saying to you through Scripture? What if you couldn’t understand any of the Old Testament references in the Gospel of Matthew? Or worse — what if you didn’t understand any of the story? You’d not only be confused, but you could jump to incorrect conclusions. 

Around the world today, there are still people whose Bibles are blank while millions of other people have incomplete stories. But when you partner with Bible translation projects in the Wycliffe Gift Catalog , you’re helping men, women and children around the world access Scripture in languages and formats that they can understand. 

As a Christian, what better way is there to celebrate the miracle of Christmas than by helping give people access to the Bible, the greatest story ever told?

When people are able to experience Scripture in their language, they are transformed. And those doing the translation are changed too! Translators in the Cordillera Cornerstone Cluster project  are an example.

For years, the Isnag-Conner, Masadiit, Sadanga and Vanaw communities in the Philippines had no Scripture in their languages. Now they are experiencing Bible stories in a way they know and understand — an oral format. 

And it’s already changing people’s lives.

One Masadiit translator described what it was like to share the story of Jacob and Esau: “I felt all the emotions of the characters as I put my feet in the shoes of Jacob and Esau, especially the scene when they finally reconciled. I’ve often read the story, but this oral proclamation is so different that I almost cried while proclaiming. So not only the listeners in the community were blessed but … [I was] as well.”

In the Vanaw community, people listened closely as Scripture was shared during a church service. “They were amazed at how beautiful and sweet the Word of God is when proclaimed in the mother tongue,” a team member said. Children eagerly tried repeating the passages in their own way.

The team will produce additional oral Scripture stories that reveal who God is, share the hope of Jesus and give these communities biblical truth they can remember and pass on to others. 

Give a gift that helps more people hear and understand God’s Word in their language — perhaps for the first time. → 

The Greatest Story Ever Told

The Bible truly changes everything! In Isaiah 55:11 (NLT), God promises: “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

God has invited each of us   to participate in what He is doing around the world through Bible translation. It’s a blessing to join Him as He changes hearts and lives! One day we’ll have the joy and privilege of worshipping alongside people from every nation and language, knowing that we played a part in seeing the gospel go out to the furthest corners of the globe. What an incredible day that will be!

However you join this Kingdom work, know that you are part of helping God’s Word go out into the world so that all people can encounter Him in their language and be transformed for eternity.