Bible translation work has come a long way since the first Scriptures were translated even before the time of Christ. However, much work remains.
We know that there are over 6800 languages in the world and that about 2286 of these languages have never been written down. The Bible is not available to these people groups in a language they can understand.
You can discover information about each of these language groups on SIL's ethnologue web site. Check out a country that interests you and see how many are waiting for the Scriptures to come to them.
You may be surprised to know that most of the worlds Bibleless people live outside the 10-40 window. Africa, Asia and the Pacific are the three main areas where many of these people live. However, Bible translation needs still also exist in Latin and South America, Eurasia and the areas inside the 10-40 window.
These 2286 bibleless languages are part of the minority languages of the world. While all of the major languages of the world have been translated, these minority people groups have lived in isolatation to the Gospel because no one has esteemed them or their language enough to live with them and reduce it to writing.
Some of these groups have as few as 500 speakers, but some of these languages have over 1,000,000 people! Some of these people groups live in isolated areas accesable only by aircraft or boats, many live in easy to reach places accessable by car.
At the current pace, it will take another 50 years to start translation work in these remaining languages. Wycliffe, in consultation with other churches and mission agencies, a few years ago adopted Vision 2025.
What is Vision 2025?
Vision 2025 is a call for Christians to respond in partnership to seeing a Bible translation project started for each language needing one by 2025. It is a step of faith, trusting God to supply that need.
Will you join us in praying that we reach these language groups sooner rather than later, so that every people group in the world has an opportunity to read the Bible in their 'heart' language and glorify God with their lives?
