Do you remember the first Bible verse you ever learned?

Maybe it was John 3:16 (NIV): “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Every word of the Bible is God-breathed into existence for His glory and our good. Through Scripture, His heart speaks to our souls and comes alive in people everywhere. In the Word, we encounter the living God, who knows us intimately and wants to transform us through His Spirit. 

And, by far, Scripture is best shared when it’s in a language and format people clearly understand.

Alex, who lives in Togo, has been a Christian for 25 years. And while Scripture had been available in other languages, it hadn’t been translated into his own language of Akebu. Until recently.

Something incredible happened when the Akebu New Testament translation was completed: God spoke directly to Alex’s heart, and he was overcome with emotion.

Alex explained: “When I learned that the New Testament had been translated and was going to be dedicated in the Akebu language, my heart was filled with enthusiasm. … I was able to follow the entire dedication on [a gospel radio station]. What I saw and heard deeply moved me. Tears streamed down my face, and I couldn’t hold them back. I asked myself: ‘Is the Word of God really translated into Akebu? Is that possible?’

“Driven by this emotion, I decided to visit my brother, Junior, a member of the translation team. … Once I arrived, I asked him to show me the New Testament in Akebu. When he handed it to me, I held it in my arms like a treasure … and burst into tears. My tears flowed so freely that my brother became concerned. I was overwhelmed with emotion.

“I then asked him to read John 3:16 to me in our language. And when he finished reading, I asked him this question: ‘Is this really what God wants to tell me?’ For 25 years, I had heard this verse, read it, preached it … but I had never understood it as I did that day. Listening to it in my mother tongue, it was as if God was sitting next to me, speaking to me directly, heart-to-heart.

“That day, I understood that God also speaks Akebu and that He wants each of us to hear His voice in the language that touches our soul most deeply.”

Isn’t that an incredible testimony? God’s Word in your own language truly changes everything.

Why Bible Translation Matters

Imagine that you, like Alex, received the most important message in the world — the gospel — but because it wasn’t in your language, you couldn’t fully grasp its meaning. Today there are still people whose Bibles are blank, while millions of others have incomplete stories.

That’s why Bible translation is so necessary: It’s not about an end product; it’s about seeing lives transformed as people meet Jesus in a language and format they clearly understand.

In order for individuals, churches and whole communities to experience life transformation, Scripture needs to be accessible to them. This means that it needs to be either in print, audio format (for communities that prefer oral communication) or video format (for Deaf communities that use sign language).
While the journey of Bible translation looks different for each community, it’s all done in pursuit of seeing God’s Word made available so that every man, woman and child can encounter Jesus personally through Scripture. 

Discover how Bible translation work is progressing around the world.   →

The Good News Is Going Forth

Today local churches are playing a significant role in Bible translation for their own communities, and that’s accelerating the pace of the work. Wycliffe desires to continue saying “yes” to every community still needing Bible translation, working alongside them to see the work started, sustained and completed so that lives can be transformed by encountering Jesus personally through Scripture.

Mats-Jan, director of Wycliffe Sweden (a partner organization) shared : “It’s amazing to see how missions work … is really bearing a lot of fruit around the world. ... And it’s fascinating to see now, when we’re talking [about] Bible translation. Like Africa, the continent of Africa, has 2,100 languages. And to see how many churches in Africa and church movements are so invested in Bible translation [and] language development, just to make God’s Word available for people groups.

“Before, it was like [the center of Christianity was] from the West to the rest, and now it’s from everywhere to everyone. They’re going to go into the whole world and make disciples. And one of the things you need to do that is the Bible. So you can’t make disciples without the Bible. You don’t know anything about Jesus without the Bible.”

God’s global Church is rising up to see Scripture made available for every heart, everywhere. As Scripture continues to go forth, so do His people!

A Way to Make a Difference for Future Generations

God has always had a plan for communicating His love to all people in the world in the languages that capture their hearts. As a Christian, you’re an important part of His plan.

One way you can help people meet God through Scripture in their language is by giving to Bible translation projects in the Wycliffe Gift Catalog! You can provide first Scripture, audio Scripture, sign language Scripture in video format and more — with gifts starting at just $25.

Because of your generosity, there will be children who will now grow up never remembering a day when they didn’t have access to God’s Word in a language and format they clearly understand.

Currently, Deaf children and adults in Tanzania face significant challenges: Many are surrounded by people with limited knowledge of their sign language, and interpretation is rarely available in churches. But God is working through the Tabora-Njombe Cluster project there, and His Word is being translated into two sign languages.

Julius, a young man from Tabora, has found a new purpose through translating Bible stories into Tabora Sign Language so that Deaf people in his community can understand the gospel. The translation process became a personal spiritual journey as stories such as Saul’s transformation in Acts 9 and Joseph’s journey through betrayal and restoration strengthened Julius’ faith and showed him God’s power and sovereignty. 

Julius shared: “These stories didn't just teach me about history; they gave me a foundation. I realized that my Deafness wasn't a limitation to God but a unique way to serve His Kingdom.”

The impact of Julius’ work became clear when he visited Deaf children during school holidays and shared the newly translated stories. For many, it was the first time they understood that God knows their language, and their joy was visible as they followed the stories with excitement and understanding! 

These children began to see themselves as valued members of God’s family. 

Reflecting on this experience, Julius expressed, “I went to teach them, but seeing their faces as they understood God’s Word for the first time — that is what truly changed me.”

Give a gift that helps people around the world receive Scripture so they can learn to follow Jesus.

The Hope of Our Promised Future

Think about the way that the Bible has impacted your own life, and how God has used the truth of His Word to shape your heart and mind. 

The Bible is the living Word of God that has the power to capture hearts and transform lives forever. When you partner with Bible translation, you’re part of the bigger story God is writing all around the world: a story culminating in our promised future described in Revelation 7:9a when there is “… a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb” (NLT).

God is accelerating the work of Bible translation around the world, and it’s a privilege to be part of what He is doing. Together let’s pursue a day when all the nations can know Him in languages and formats that capture their hearts!