Bible translation has powered ahead during the pandemic

Wycliffe Associates Bible translators at work in the Democratic Republic of Congo before the pandemic. (Photo: Wycliffe Associates)

More translations of the New Testament were completed in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, than in any other year, according to Wycliffe Associates. 

The Bible translation ministry said that translators completed the New Testament in 141 languages last year despite the challenges of Covid-19. 

In addition to work on the New Testament, last year saw the completion of the Old Testament in eight new languages. 

Wycliffe is currently working on 773 Bible translations.

Tim Neu, Wycliffe's interim president and CEO, said that Bible translation work had "actually accelerated" during the pandemic, rather than slowing down. 

Much of the work was made possible by the ministry's online Bible translation system, but Neu also paid tribute to the  commitment of the translators who continued to work on the Bibles despite their own challenges with Covid-19 and lockdown. 

"I've been humbled to see how believers in difficult areas, some in places of intense persecution and real danger, have been absolutely unwavering in their dedication to the cause," Neu said.

News
Churches urged to be ready amid reports of growing Bible curiosity among young adults
Churches urged to be ready amid reports of growing Bible curiosity among young adults

A sharp rise in Bible sales and reports of growing spiritual curiosity among young adults in the UK has prompted calls for church leaders to be ready to respond. 

Memorial art for Holocaust heroine unveiled
Memorial art for Holocaust heroine unveiled

Haining said she'd be "back by lunch", in fact she was on her way to Auschwitz.

The Christian Churches and the Nazis
The Christian Churches and the Nazis

Why were so many German Christians supportive of the Nazis in their rise to power and why were so few involved in active opposition once the realities of the Third Reich became apparent? 

The problem with Labour’s Islamophobia definition
The problem with Labour’s Islamophobia definition

Whether it's called Islamophobia or "anti-Muslim hostility", the threat is the same.