World Bible Translation Center: About Us

ABOUT US

In the Beginning . . .

World Bible Translation Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1973 in Arlington, Texas. A handful of people began the Center's work with the common desire to see God's Word accurately translated in a simple and clear way into the world's languages.

With the need for translation established, the first major consideration was to set up a system for coordinating the steps involved in the translation process. Priority was given to:

Clear Communication
It was decided that actual translation would be done only by those who speak the target language as their mother tongue. No one else can clearly and consistently communicate the message like mother-tongue speakers to their own people. And each translation is produced on a reading level suitable for the common person.

Accuracy
Qualified Greek and Hebrew scholars make sure every word and phrase is true to the original meaning. With the aid of a third-party back-translation, they check every verse to ensure that the text is complete and that nothing inaccurate or misleading finds its way into the published text.

Urgency
Translation has historically been known (and avoided) as a work that takes a great deal of time. Some translations have taken up to fifteen or twenty years. Thanks to better tools, especially computers, software and digital resources, the time required to produce a translation has decreased dramatically. That allows the Center to produce more texts for less money. It must be noted that no computer exists that can do accurate translation work on its own. What computers can do is the mammoth job of storing and organizing data, as well as dramatically streamlining the drafting, editing, and checking of the text during the translation process. Typically, a New Testament translation can be completed in as little as three years.

The three factors described above--clear communication, accuracy and urgency--are important in all of the Center's work. Although the means of achieving these may vary in each new project, they are always the goals that are constantly emphasized as translators and scholars carefully select the words and phrases that will communicate the Good News in each target language.

Targeting and Identifying Language Groups for Bible Translation

Extensive research is required to determine specific target languages for the Center's translation projects. Each potential language group must be thoroughly investigated with questions such as:

Are there existing Scriptures in that language and do they communicate clearly and effectively?
How many people speak the language?
Are there mother-tongue speakers of the language available with the skills necessary for translation work?
Is a translation needed to support planned or existing evangelism?

Mission agencies and organizations, field missionaries and various publications prove extremely helpful in finding answers to these and other questions.

Above all, leaders of World Bible Translation Center believe in prayer, and that, in His timing, our All-Powerful Lord will open opportunities when and how He desires. With this confidence, the Center views the world and the opportunities that exist to lay the Word before the eyes of its billions.

Publishing and Distribution

Once a translation is ready for publication, the Translation Center typesets, prints, and distributes the text to the people of the target language.

The Translation Center doesn't own any of its own printing equipment, which gives it the flexibility of purchasing printing anywhere in the world--wherever it's most economical.

This advantage allows the Center to print many more copies at a greatly reduced cost, taking advantage of paper supply and demand, as well as currency fluctuations throughout the world.

The Center has printed and distributed more than 19 million Bibles and New Testaments throughout its history. In addition it has provided Scripture portions and internet downloads of its texts in the tens of millions.

The Translation Center depends on the generosity of individuals, churches, and other mission organizations not only to maintain current distribution levels, but also to expand them in the future.

The Ongoing Work of Bible Translation

World Bible Translation Center is a ministry that is focused on world evangelism. All who are involved in this work believe strongly that the time, energy, and finances invested in producing understandable Scriptures will multiply the effectiveness of those working on the front lines of missions.

From the first prayerful consideration of a new translation project to the distribution of Easy-to-Read Bibles around the world, the Center's primary focus remains the same--to bring glory to God. And Scriptures laid before the eyes of those still untouched by the message of God's grace in a language they can really understand bring the Center one step closer to that goal.

Through the Center's distribution of Bibles, the Word is going out to the far corners of the earth. And the fruit it bears confirms that World Bible Translation Center is being blessed by a Father who loves His fragmented creation.

The ministry of Bible translation and the work of World Bible Translation Center have caught the imagination of thousands of believers. Their enthusiastic support and participation have made the difference in the Center's successes in the past. And now, more than ever, their encouragement, prayers and financial contributions are causing the Center to flourish.

So much remains to be done. Billions of unevangelized people present a formidable challenge. But the words of God's servant David, in the face of another overwhelming task, are as relevant today as they were three thousand years ago: "Be strong and brave and finish this work. Don't be afraid, because the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will help you until all the work is finished. He will not leave you. . . . " (1 Chronicles 28:20)
With that assurance, no challenge is too great.

A letter from one of our readers:

"Since this translation of the New Testament is my first honest meeting with Jesus Christ, it was in my heart to write a few words about what this book has meant to me personally. My friend gave me one of your New Testaments with the words, 'Look, you've already received a gift.' I went home with some indescribably special feelings.
I began to read the New Testament immediately. I was surprised at how easy it was to read. I have a Bible in my home that I have taken in my hands several times wanting to read at least a little of what is written inside but, honestly, it was too hard for me to read and a bit hard to understand so I usually gave up rather quickly. I haven't been able to put this translation of the New Testament down. It is written so simply, understandably and is approachable to every person.
I wouldn't want this letter to appear like ordinary words of praise for this translation of the New Testament but rather, words from the heart of a person who was lost but now looks into the light. 'What great blessings there are for the people who know they have spiritual needs. God's kingdom belongs to them' (Matthew 5:3)."

Sincere greetings,

Ljiljana

Split, Croatia

God’s Word or God’s Words?

By Ervin Bishop, Senior Translation Consultant
World Bible Translation Center

The Bible is the Word of God. “Word” in this usage, however, is not the same as “words.” The Word (logos) of God is His “Message” conveyed to us, the people of the world using our “words,” that is, whatever human language we use. This means it has to be expressed differently for different people. There is no “standard” form of God’s Word in any language today. That’s why a Bible written in any of a hundred different languages or styles is still the Word of God, as long as it accurately conveys the message originally expressed in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.

That the Bible is the Message of God expressed in the words of men is also illustrated by the fact that the same message is often expressed by different writers of Scripture in different words. For example, compare Matthew 8:16 and Luke 4:40. Both indicate the time of the same event, but Matthew says literally, “Evening becoming,” while Luke says, “Going down the sun.” Both describe the same time of day, but each in his own characteristic idiom. In a similar parallel between Matthew 14:15 and Luke 9:12, Matthew uses the same expression as above, but Luke varies his style with the phrase, “the day was beginning to close.”

A simple explanation for many of the variations between parallels in the gospels is that each writer was free within the Holy Spirit’s guidance to use his own natural language to express the truths revealed to him.

There is a related consideration which makes the variants between parallels significant for the work of translation. It is the fact that the Greek gospels in many passages apparently represent translations of material originally spoken (or perhaps written) in Aramaic. (Note the explicit references to “translation” in several passages, e.g. Mark 5:41 and 15:34). Aramaic was the language spoken by the Jewish people of Palestine in the first century (cf. Acts 21:40; 22:2; 26:14), and most scholars agree that Jesus and his followers spoke Aramaic. This being the case, we have in the Greek gospels some Biblical examples of translation. From these examples we should be able to derive some approved principles of good translation.

Below are five versions of a statement made by John the baptizer at the end of his ministry, just before the baptism of Jesus. His words express his own unworthiness as compared to Jesus’ greatness. Each Greek version of this statement appears below, accompanied by a literal English translation. John surely spoke to his Jewish audience in Aramaic. All four gospel writers record John’s message, and Luke quotes it again in Acts, this time giving Paul’s version of it. We have, then, five different Greek “translations” of John’s original statement.

5 Translation styles

Besides variations in grammar and syntax between the five versions, there are significant differences in the choice of words and expressions. Note that the idea conveyed with the term “sufficient” in the first three writers is expressed by John and Paul with the word “worthy.” Mark, Luke and John all make specific reference to the “thong” of the sandal, but Paul and Matthew do not. Paul, however, is the only one using the expression “the sandal of the feet.” Mark is unique in mentioning explicitly the action of “bending down.” Of special interest is Matthew’s apparent use of a different figure—that of carrying the sandals instead of untying the sandals. But most English translations are misleading here. Although the word used by Matthew usually has the meaning “to carry,” it can also have the meaning “to remove,” which it most certainly does in this context. So Matthew was just expressing in different words the same idea found in the other translations of John’s statement.

The differences between these writers should not be disturbing to the person who understands the nature of human communication. Consider the variety of ways the message “He died” might be expressed in English: “He passed on,” “He expired,” “He met his end,” etc. All are valid ways to state the same fact.

In the case of the New Testament writers’ translations of John’s words, each expressed the same message using language that was natural to him or would communicate best to his particular audience. There are, however, no differences in meaning. What one writer makes explicit is implicit in the other versions. For example, the fact that Mark makes explicit mention of bending down does not mean that he added any information that is not present in the other versions. For the other writers the action was so obviously a part of “loosening the sandals” that it did not need expression.

Considering the differences between the five versions of John’s statement, do we really know what John said? The answer is “Yes.” We may not know the exact Aramaic words that John used, but we most definitely know what he said. He said that Jesus was so much greater than he was that he was not good enough to perform for Jesus the humblest duty of a servant. While the words in each of the five translations are different, the message is exactly the same.