The Bible Matters Because _______________. Намуна

By Wycliffe Bible Translators USA

Have you ever thought about what your life might look like if you never had access to the Bible in your own language?

Think about that for a minute. What if you weren’t able to pick up your Bible whenever you want and read directly from its pages (or from your mobile screen, as is often the case today) words of hope, encouragement and life? 

The Bible is the way we draw close to God. It’s the way we are transformed by the truth of the gospel. And it’s why Bible translation is so crucial — because it connects people to a God who speaks their language.

Around the world, millions of people speak thousands of languages. Many of them are speakers of major languages — like English — but millions of others have one thing in common: they’ve never heard God’s Word in a way that speaks directly to their hearts. 

At Wycliffe, we refer to this as someone’s “heart language.” It’s the language that your mom and dad speak to you at home as you grow up, or the language that you think, dream and pray in. Unless you’re able to hear God speak to you in this language, the words of the Bible won’t be able to penetrate your heart fully. You might hear them, but you won’t be able to understand them intimately. 

Today there are approximately 1,600 languages (out of an approximate 7,000 spoken around the world) that still likely need Bible translation to begin. That represents up to 160 million people still waiting to hear God speak their language. 

We believe that this needs to change. Through the work of Bible translation, people around the world can draw close to a God who speaks their language — a God who is near, personal and touches their hearts with his Word. 

Over the next few days, we’re going to share stories of lives — and entire communities! — that have been changed once they heard God speak their own language. We hope that you’ll be encouraged and reinvigorated in your own walk with God as you read the Bible in your heart language.