Martin Luther’s translation of the German Bible catalyzed the Protestant Reformation, changing the course of Church world history. Nearly 500 years later, a new Bible translation is setting the stage for a spiritual revival in a creative-access country where Christianity arrived in the 1st century AD.
George*, an Alliance marketplace ministries worker, was instrumental in helping translate the Scriptures into his peoples’ heart language. He and his team recently distributed 66,500 copies to the Orthodox priests, who are the nation’s traditional spiritual leaders.
“I have been reading the new Bible given to me for hours—day and night,” says Priest M. “I can’t part from the sweet Word!”
For centuries, the priests had a daunting task to make God’s Word understandable to their parishioners. They first had to read a passage in their church’s liturgical language, translate it into the national language, and then paraphrase the selected passages into the country’s mother tongue.
God Is Speaking to Us!
“Our message wasn’t reliable. Because we now have the Bible in our mother tongue, we have a clear message,” says Priest M. He is one of the 2,100 priests who have attended a Bible training program George and his team began.
“We have gone from chanting in the pulpit to teaching,” Priest M adds. “The people now say to us, ‘God is speaking to us in our language! He has heard our pleas; He is revealing Himself to us.’”
“I now understand my priestly role,” says Priest H, who also has attended the Bible training program. “I have a big responsibility before God. I now teach the way of salvation to the people I lead!”
Bible school students additionally are equipped to serve in outreaches that include ministering in local prisons. Some minister in a rehabilitation center for drug addicts that George has begun. “Biblical teaching is changing their lives,” he observes.
“That we have the Bible in our language now must mean that God has a plan to accomplish among us!” exclaims Priest B. “For many generations we have been reading in the old language without understanding. Now the Bible has become our counselor, teacher, corrector, guide, and support.”
*Name changed
Pray
Intercede for the priests who now have new Bibles to be accountable to share the way of salvation with their people. Pray that their parishioners will respond to trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Learn More
Alliance workers over the decades have witnessed the transformative power of God’s Word when it is translated into a peoples’ heart language.