Category: Languages

Our mission is to help people engage with God’s Word. And today, thanks to the generosity of our partners, we’re pleased to announce that language number 1,000 comes to us in a Bible. Bibilia Ilagano Lya Kale 2015 is written in Sukuma, the primary language of 7.6 million people in Tanzania, Africa. As incredible as it is to be announcing this milestone, Sukuma is just one of the 81 new languages and 83 new Bible versions that our partners introduced to the Bible App during the last three months alone. (The full list appears below.)

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We hope that you enjoy the freedom of experiencing God’s Word in your favorite language. If the Bible has impacted your life as profoundly as it has ours, it’s important that you know:

More than a billion people still don’t have a Bible in their language.¹

Bible societies, Bible publishers, and copyright holders have worked together to generate a detailed list of which languages do not have their own Bible. Of almost 7,000 languages in the world,² nearly 2,000 still need translation projects started.³ That sounds like a lot — and it is. But by leveraging today’s technology and communication, it’s within our reach to see the Bible translated into every language…within this generation. And even if you don’t know how to translate, there’s a place for you within this vision:

What if you could help a family like this one get a Bible… just by clicking a button?

You Can

It was for families just like this one that the Bible Society of Tanzania developed the Bibilia Ilagano Lya Kale 2015, the Bible that brought Sukuma to the Bible App.⁵ Tanzania is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa⁶ — and to almost 55 million people.⁷ The Bible is living and active⁸ among Tanzania’s largest people group,⁹ the 7.6 million Sukuma: 3.2 million of them are professing Christians.¹⁰ And now that they can use Bibilia Ilagano Lya Kale 2015 in the Bible App, they can engage with God’s Word wherever they go, and even more easily share it with others.

Why now?

In 2011, more than half of all Tanzanians (32 million) had a mobile device, with mobile services there rapidly on the rise.¹¹ Just as in other parts of the world, affordable smartphones have introduced many Tanzanians to their first computing devices — and to their first internet access.¹² In developing countries, smartphones not only connect people with more news and information, but even with education, healthcare, and financial services.¹³ And with more than half of Tanzania’s population (64%) under age 25,¹⁴ it’s more important than ever that we equip this generation with God’s Word right wherever they are — through their mobile devices.

Don’t miss this chance to join in what God is doing in the world.

Bibilia Ilagano Lya Kale 2015 is just one of over 1,300 Bibles —  and Sukuma just one of 1,000 languages — that now help people engage with God’s Word in their own language in the Bible App. We do what we do because the Bible changed our lives. We hope it’s changed your life, too.

Our partners are working to ensure that every person on Earth will have that same opportunity: to experience God’s Word in their own language. What will happen when that vision is fulfilled? Let’s find out! Get involved. Just tap on any of these Bible partners to see how you can become a part of this incredible mission:

	American Bible Society
	Wycliffe
	United Bible Societies
	Biblica
	Bible Society of India
	Bible Society of the Democratic Republic of Congo
	Institute for Bible Translation
	Bible Society of Uganda
	Bible Society of Tanzania
	Bible Society of Cameroon
	Paraguayan Bible Society
	Canadian Bible Society
	Bible Society in Liberia
	Pioneer Bible Translators
	Aramaic Bible Translation
	Bangladesh Bible Society
	Bible Society of Burkina Faso
	Bible Society in the Central African Republic
	Bible Society of Côte d’Ivoire
	Bible Society of Malawi
	eBible.org
	Vietnam Partnership

Sources:

1. “Mission,” Every Tribe Every Nation.
2. “How many languages are there?” BBC.
3. “Mission,” Every Tribe Every Nation.
4. “Sukuma People,” photo by paulshaffner, used under Creative Commons license 2.0. (Mr. Shaffner is not affiliated with YouVersion or with the Bible Society of Tanzania.)
5. Bibilia Ilagano Lya Kale 2015, Bible.com.
6. “Tanzania: Geography,” Wikipedia.
7. “Country: Tanzania,” Joshua Project.
8. Hebrews 4:12.
9. “Sukuma (People),” Encyclopædia Brittanica.
10. “Sukuma in Tanzania,” Joshua Project.
11. “Communications: Telephone system” and “Telephones – mobile cellular,” CIA Factbook: Tanzania.
12. “2.2 Mobile driving innovation across the world,” GSMA Global Mobile Economy Report 2016, p. 25.
13. “Mobile plays key role in socio-economic development,” GSMA Global Mobile Economy Report 2016, p. 4.
14. “People and Society: Age structure,” CIA Factbook: Tanzania.

But they can’t. At least, not yet…

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you already have the Bible in your language. (We hope so.) You may even have several versions to choose from. But have you ever wondered what your life might be like without the Bible? Think about how God’s Word speaks to you when you read it. What if the Bible were available in your language… but you couldn’t see? Or you didn’t know how to read? It’s estimated that 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired,¹ and that 775 million adults (~17%) cannot read or write.² How will they discover all that God wants to say to them through His Word?

If you came here from an email we sent to you, welcome!
(If you’re not receiving our emails, you can subscribe here.)

Bible societies are bringing God’s
Word to everyone. You can help.

In just the last three months, generous Bible society partners have introduced 25 new audio versions to the Bible App, offering new opportunities to connect with the Bible, for people who may never have had it before. Half of the world’s population now has a mobile subscription (up from just one in five 10 years ago).³ Anywhere a mobile device can go, God’s Word can be there. This freedom changes lives:

“I am totally blind. The Bible App is invaluable! I can read the Bible anywhere, anytime. Now I can truly study the Bible. As my husband has some difficulty with reading, this app is also invaluable to him!”
—Bible App User from Australia

As liberating as audio Bibles are, they’re just a small part of all that Bible societies are doing to change the world. During that same three months, they introduced 23 new Bible texts to the Bible App. Together, these contributions represent 38 new languages! (The full list is below.)

The day is coming when every person on earth will have the opportunity to experience God’s Word, because passionate people have dedicated their lives to bringing this vision to life. Of the 7,000 languages in active use today, the complete Bible has been translated into 550, and the New Testament into 1,300.⁴  While many language groups remain to be done, Bible societies are translating for the largest groups first. In addition, easier travel and new communication technologies have exponentially increased their capacity.

Don’t miss your chance to take
part in what God is doing in the world.

Your contribution to bringing God’s Word to Myanmar could transform a child’s life:

(That’s thanaka on her face, a traditional cosmetic paste made from tree bark.⁵)

In Southeast Asia, where this girl lives, more than 32 million people speak Myanmar (Burmese), mostly within their country’s borders. Still classified as “unreached” by the Gospel, most of Myanmar’s population is Buddhist. Although some projections estimate that as much as 9% of Myanmar’s people might be Christians, it’s difficult to know for certain.⁶ People who profess any religion other than Buddhism are socially ostracized, and often violently persecuted. For these reasons, most Christ followers in Myanmar keep their faith secret.⁷

But their story is just beginning. In recent elections, the people of Myanmar united to overthrow years of government corruption and violence. Now mobile service providers are introducing technology there designed to advance health care, and even to help people conduct financial transactions.⁸ When these positive changes began sweeping across the nation, Global Bible Initiative was ready, bringing their New Testament Myanmar Standard Bible to Myanmar’s Bible App users. Now, thanks to their work, even if Christians in Myanmar can’t share their faith openly—yet—they can still remain connected to God’s Word.

Aided by new technologies, Bible societies now have the chance to bring God’s Word to every person in the world, no matter where they live, what language they speak—or even what physical challenges they face. An opportunity like this has never existed before in human history. And we get to be here. You get to be here. You were made for such a time as this.

Now that you know,
what will you do?

Join us. Click below and learn what our Bible society partners are doing. Find one whose vision inspires you—and commit to support them. All of creation is waiting in eager expectation to see what we will do.⁹

	American Bible Society
	Wycliffe
	Global Bible Initiative
	Biblica
	Viorel Silion
	Bulgarian Bible Society (BBS at UBS.org)
	Bible Society in Guinea-Conakry
	The Bible Society of Ghana (BSG at UBS.org)
	Messianic Jewish Publishers and Resources
	United Bible Societies

Newest Audio Bibles

Newest Versions and Languages

Sources:

1. “Visual Impairment and Blindness,” World Health Organization.
2. “Statistics on Literacy,” UNESCO.
3. Report: GSMA Mobile Economy 2015, Groupe Spéciale Mobile Association.
4. “Why Bible Translation?,” Wycliffe.
5. “Thanaka,” Wikipedia.
6. “Country: Myanmar (Burma),” Joshua Project.
7. “#23 on the World Watch List (of persecuted Christians),” Open Door.
8. “2.3.1 Mobile Money, [mHealth, and 2.4.1 Connected Women,” GSMA Mobile Economy 2015.
9. Romans 8:19.