‘Largest Bible Translation Campaign Launched’

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

(Worthy News) – An alliance of the world’s main Bible translation groups launched Wednesday what it called the “largest Bible translation campaign ever” on social and digital media.

illumiNations said the campaign, ahead of Easter, wants to encourage people to make Scripture available in every language in the next 12 years.

“The “I Want to Know” campaign gives people the opportunity to sponsor the translation of one or more Bible verses,” organizers added. illumiNations noted that 3,800 language communities worldwide don’t yet have a complete Bible. “More than 2,000 of those languages don’t have a single verse of Scripture yet.”

“Can you imagine not having the Bible in English, or your native language?” wondered Mart Green, Ministry Investment Officer at the Hobby Lobby group supporting the campaign. “One billion people still don’t know what God’s Word has to say to them. We can help fulfill the Great Commission and eradicate ‘Bible poverty’ in this generation.”

In the “I Want to Know” campaign, viewers will hear “powerful testimonies” from people who don’t yet have access to the full Bible in the language they understand best, organizers said.

Walkie, a native speaker of the Yupik language of Alaska, recalled the moment his mother understood the Bible’s message for the first time. “Before my mother died, I was able to read her Psalm 139 in Yupik,” he remembered, according to a transcript. “And she said, ‘Oh! So that is what it means to us!'” Yupik speakers have some Scripture in their language, but are still waiting for a complete Bible.

For $35, participants in the “I Want to Know” campaign can sponsor one translated verse of Scripture, said illumiNations. People were also encouraged to post the text they “want the world to know” on social media using the hashtag #IWTKBible.

The illumiNations alliance envisions all people having access to Scripture by the year 2033 — a target they’re calling the “All Access Goals.”

“It means 95 percent of the world’s population will have access to a full Bible, 99.96 percent will have access to a New Testament and 100 percent will have access to at least some portion of Scripture.”

illumiNations is an alliance of the American Bible Society, Biblica, Deaf Bible Society, Lutheran Bible Translators, Pioneer Bible Translators, Seed Company, SIL International, United Bible Societies, The Word for the World and Wycliffe Bible Translators USA.

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