Wycliffe Associates Providing Technology That Makes the Bible Accessible for Oral Cultures and for Those Who Can’t Read

(Worthy News) – Wycliffe Associates, an international organization that empowers mother-tongue Bible translators and partners with local churches in the advancement of Bible translation, has received requests for 479 Bible Translation Recording Kits (BTRKs) that make it possible to complete an entire recorded translation of the Bible.

The kits consist of a computer tablet, translation and recording software, and a microphone. During a Bible translation workshop, the kits provide necessary tools for translators from language groups that have no written language (there are nearly 2000 languages in the world without a written alphabet) or have members who are unable to read. The translators can also use the equipment to produce a narrated recording of a written Bible that already has been completed.

“This can be such an incredible breakthrough for entire people groups who have never heard God’s Word in their heart language,” says Bruce Smith, President and CEO of Wycliffe Associates. “They’ve spent all of history in spiritual darkness—yet now they can step into the light of God’s love.”

One man living in a predominantly Buddhist nation, where one in 1,000 people are Christians, attended a Wycliffe Associates Bible translation workshop. Later he brought his father to see the work they were doing. When his father, a non-Christian, heard a recording of the Bible in his language, he wanted to know more. Ultimately, he became a Christian as well.

“When language groups hear the Scriptures for the first time in the same language they think in, dream in, and pray in—they’re transformed,” says Smith, “because Romans 10:17 is true: ‘Faith comes by hearing.’ ”

With a cost of $500 for each BTRK, Wycliffe Associates is raising the $239,500 needed so they can fulfill each of the 479 requests they’ve received so far.

To date, Wycliffe Associates has provided mother-tongue Bible translators around the world with 1,206 BTRKs.

About Wycliffe Associates

One of the world’s leading Bible translation organizations, Wycliffe Associates was organized in 1967 by friends of Bible translators to accelerate the work of Bible translation. Wycliffe Associates empowers national Bible translators to provide God’s Word in their own language, partners with the local church to direct and guard translation work, harnessing their passion and desire for God’s Word, and engages people from all around the world to provide resources, technology, training, and support for Bible translation.

Because millions of people around the world still wait to have the Scriptures in the language of their hearts, Wycliffe Associates is working as quickly as it can to see every verse of God’s Word translated into every tongue to speak to every heart. Wycliffe Associates is directly involved with speeding Bible translation by providing technology, training, resources, logistics, networking, expertise, volunteers, discipleship, and support. Wycliffe Associates staff and volunteers are currently accelerating Bible translations in 108 countries. For more information, please see www.wycliffeassociates.org.

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