Wycliffe Bible Translators UK announced that the Bible has been translated into its 800th language, meaning 6.2 billion people have the entire Bible translated in their native tongue. The achievement comes amid what the organization calls a “tremendous acceleration” in Bible translation efforts within recent years.
James Poole, Wycliffe UK’s executive director, says reaching the 800-languages mark is notable, but more important, it means wider global access to the Bible in the heart language or dialect of millions of people.
“Celebrating the 800th completed Bible translation is very exciting, of course,” Poole said. “But more significant than the number itself is what it represents. Millions more people are now able to engage with the whole Bible in the language that speaks to them best, often for the first time.”
In 1998, Bible translation reached its 400th language. But that number has doubled since then in a surge that is only increasing. In 2020, Bible translation reached its 700th language. And since then, 500 million more people have the whole Bible in their language. The acceleration of Bible translation in recent years is remarkable considering that it took over 1,900 years for the first 400 languages to be translated.
Poole says that now “is an extraordinary time for world mission.”
“Over recent decades we have seen remarkable progress, with translation work accelerating in many parts of the world. Communities are receiving the Bible far sooner than would have seemed possible only a generation ago,” Poole said. ‘That matters because it means people are gaining access to God’s Word in languages they understand deeply and naturally. As churches engage with the Scriptures in their own languages, they are better equipped for evangelism, discipleship and ministry.”
Among the most recently translated Bibles is a translation for the Podoko people who live in north Cameroon. They are receiving the Bible through a smartphone app rather than a printed Bible.
Languages currently being translated include Weh and Mokpe, tongues spoken in Cameroon, as well as Ifè which is spoken in Togo and Benin. A language in Ghana known as Koma and a language known as Shor in Siberia are also in the works.
“We are witnessing God at work: this is a historic opportunity, and it is a privilege to play a part in what He is doing,” Poole said.
Despite this milestone, about 1.5 billion people do not have the Bible translated in their native language.
“As we join in the celebrations for the 800th Bible, at the same time we remember the 1 in 5 people worldwide who do not yet have access to the Bible in the language that serves them best,” Poole said. “So, alongside our gratitude for what has been achieved, there remains a sense of urgency. Every language represents people whom God loves. That is why we continue to work with Christians and churches around the world as they seek to make God’s Word accessible to their communities.”
Wycliffe Bible Translators UK attributes the sharp increase in Bible translations in part to technological advancements such as generators that allow computers to operate in places with unpredictable electricity as well as access to computers that are empowering language teams to effectively complete translations. Additionally, new translation software is allowing the quality and speed of translations to improve. The increased ability for people to connect overseas to work together on such projects has also accelerated Bible translations.
Mark Woodward, a Wycliffe UK staff member who is helping develop AI technology to aid in translation-accuracy checking procedures, is seeing AI’s effectiveness in producing accurate translations.
“We think AI can be a tool that can make things better and more efficient for Bible translators,” Woodward explains. “It could be a similar revolution within the work of Bible translation to when translation teams started to use computers.”
