Today marks Day One of the Wycliffe Bible Translators 40 Days of Prayer leading up to their World Day of Prayer on November 11,
November 11 is a day to remember that Wycliffe “began with prayer and will continue only with prayer.”
The day of prayer for Bible translation worldwide has been ongoing since 1933, when Wycliffe founder Cameron Townsend was granted permission to enter Mexico to begin Bible translation by the power of prayer and God’s grace alone.
Townsend and his translation partner were stopped at the border on November 11, 1933 and told to leave. But the team and dozens of others had been praying for opportunities to reach the more than 50 indigenous tribes who had no access to the Gospel. As the two men prayed for guidance, Townsend remembered a letter that a Mexican educator had sent him, impressing the need for Bible translators. After he showed it to the border guards–praying all the while, the team was eventually allowed in.
This year, the ministry is gathering as many as possible to focus prayer on the Bible translation process from start to finish by taking a look at the scope of the vision, the major parts of a Bible translation program, and praying through the challenges to it all.
Currently, over 2,000 languages have yet to claim a full Bible translation. Only 457 language communities actually have access to the New Testament in their heart language. In total, about 340 million people do not have translations of the Word–or even projects started–in their heart language.
See: Mission Network News
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Local time: 07:18
German to Italian
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I think there would be plenty of translators ready to cope with this huge job
Greece
Local time: 08:18
Greek to English
...I think that providing access to adequate clean water, food, healthcare and education should take precedence over the translation of a book.
[Edited at 2011-09-19 20:56 GMT]
Poland
Local time: 07:18
Member (2010)
English to Polish
+ ...
...I think that providing access to adequate clean water, food, healthcare and education should take precedence over the translation of a book.
[Edited at 2011-09-19 20:56 GMT]
Exactly!
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:18
Swedish to English
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...I think that providing access to adequate clean water, food, healthcare and education should take precedence over the translation of a book.
[Edited at 2011-09-19 20:56 GMT]
When I saw the topic I thought it actually meant "for a Bibleless World" as stated rather than "for a Biblefull World".
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:18
French to English
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I agree with the above posters - but @Giulia: think of the Kudoz questions that it would generate!
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:18
Member (2008)
Italian to English
I'd better not say what I think.
[Edited at 2011-09-19 23:11 GMT]
Local time: 06:18
Italian to English
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'Only 457 language communities actually have access to the New Testament in their heart language. In total, about 340 million people do not have translations of the Word–or even projects started–in their heart language.'
Thank heaven for small mercies...
oops!
Romania
Local time: 08:18
Member (2011)
English to Romanian
+ ...
Dave, why not consider going someplace to help drill a fountain? The Bible never lands anywhere without the deepest care for people. What would your patron, St. Jerome, say?
Cheers.
Poland
Local time: 07:18
Member (2006)
English to Polish
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Dave, why not consider going someplace to help drill a fountain? The Bible never lands anywhere without the deepest care for people. What would your patron, St. Jerome, say?
Cheers.
I am with Cristian on this one.
Netherlands
Local time: 07:18
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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I think that providing access to adequate clean water, food, healthcare and education should take precedence over the translation of a book.
True, but not all people are eager to do charity work purely for the sake of it. Some people require ulterior motives before they succumb to the plea to help. Many christians are unwilling to perform charitable acts unless their religion is attached to it. Having a book like the Bible translated into the language of a needy group of people will help get more christians involved in charitable work among those people, because they can do it under the guise of missionary work.
So translating a book may not be worthwhile by itself, but what matters is what the translation will eventually lead to.
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:18
Hebrew to English
- but who probably had (past tense) unique and intricate belief systems of their own...
A perfect example of how translation isn't always a positive force in the world. There's definitely something to be said for non-proselytizing religions.
It's funny how people cry foul when a monolithic language like English condemns minority languages to linguistic oblivion, but when a monolithic religion like Chri... See more
- but who probably had (past tense) unique and intricate belief systems of their own...
A perfect example of how translation isn't always a positive force in the world. There's definitely something to be said for non-proselytizing religions.
It's funny how people cry foul when a monolithic language like English condemns minority languages to linguistic oblivion, but when a monolithic religion like Christianity condemns a minority culture to cultural oblivion, then these cries are hushed to a whisper.
Won't be a popular opinion I'm sure, but a valid one nonetheless.
[Edited at 2011-09-20 09:36 GMT] ▲ Collapse
Germany
Local time: 07:18
German to English
Hello,
Some of the articles from Wycliffe are probably translation news, this is certainly not: I get 11 hits for "pray*". (Considering the content, it seems fair to attribute the 8 hits for "transl*" to SEO.)
Please don't publish things like this in the future.
Sincerely,
Michael
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:18
Member (2008)
Italian to English
I am reminded of something Archbishop Desmond Tutu said:
"When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray'. We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land."
Local time: 07:18
German to Italian
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This has happened too many times... and unfortunately it continues to happen..:((
Germany
Local time: 07:18
German to English
I just fail to see the news value in this. Some closer vetting of articles would be in order.
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