The Bible Matters Because _______________. Shembull

By Wycliffe Bible Translators USA

Guillermo, a pastor for the Katio people in Colombia, was helping to check the translation of the book of Mark. When the checking team began work on the account of Jesus healing both Jarius’ daughter and the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, Guillermo seemed troubled.

“I’ve been preaching the wrong thing!” he told Mareike Schoettelndreyer, SIL* translator. “When I read this passage from my Spanish Bible, I didn’t understand the story correctly.” 

From his understanding of the Spanish, Pastor Guillermo had previously taught that the daughter and the woman were the same person. But when he read the same verses in his heart language, Guillermo clearly understood. He could now preach confidently what he knew to be true. 

This example illustrated to Guillermo what he could be missing when reading the Bible in a language other than his heart language. “That’s why we need God’s Word in our own language!” he exclaimed.

*SIL is one of Wycliffe’s primary partners.

Read more stories like this in our e-book, “In Your Own Words.”