The Bible is AliveSample

The Bible Empowers Us

Imagine introducing yourself to someone from a different country by telling them you belong to a people group whose name means  “babblers.” That’s what the name “Popoluca” means, and it’s associated with an indigenous people and language of Veracruz, Mexico. 

To this day, “Popoluca” is still used to describe the 35,500 people within that region who speak that language. Those who speak it though, call it “Nuntajɨ̱yi”— “the Straight Speech.” 

While Nuntajɨ̱yi may seem insignificant to some, those who can now read or listen to the New Testament in their language understand it matters to the One who created it. Carolina is one of these people. A granddaughter of the translator of the Popoluca New Testament, Carolina is the first Popoluca woman to graduate from college. She has dedicated her life to sharing God’s Word in her language, and is now leading a team translating 50 of the Psalms. 

“When we read the Bible in Spanish, it seems like a wasted effort. But when we read it in our language, it arrives all the way to our heart. It touches our hearts—it moves us—because we can really understand it.” 

Carolina is an active part of the YouVersion Community, and she regularly uses YouVersion to study and share God’s Word in Nuntajɨ̱yi. 

“We’re very happy you’ve put our words into your app, because now anyone in the world can see it—our language is right there with well-known languages! So often our language is not seen as valued, but in this app, it is clear that our language is highly valued.”

Today, take a moment to thank God you have the Bible in your language. Thank God for Carolina and thousands of other Bible translators working around the world today. Because of their faithfulness and passion, God’s Word continues to spread throughout every area on earth, transforming the identities of the people who hear and understand it.