Leviticus may seem like an odd Bible book to use in evangelism. But not in West Africa, where in April 2005 the first ten chapters were read to the Lobi—a people of subsistence farmers, animistic mask-makers, and poison-arrow warriors in Burkina Faso—in their own language.
Many in the listening crowd were struck by the similarities between the sacrifices mentioned in Leviticus and those of the Lobi religion. This infuriated the son of a Lobi priest, who forbade the reading to continue, because it is taboo to speak of Lobi religious practices in public. But another listener shouted, «Well, it means that we, too, are descendants of this High Priest. Aren’t we?»
Such comments gave the Lobi translators an open door to share the gospel. They also validated the growing trend among Bible translators to bring the Old Testament to more of the world’s nearly 7,000 language groups.
Something was Missing
Doming Lucasi, a native Balangao translator from the rice-terraced slopes of the northern Philippines, worked on the New Testament as a young man. He has now launched an OT translation project. In a culture that contains similarities to the Old Testament’s sacrificial and legal systems, he said, «Having the New Testament without the Old is like having a sword without the handle.»
The Old and New Testaments, separated by a chronological gap of about 400 years, have in modern times also developed a translation gap. Of the 2,400 language groups with portions of the Bible, roughly 1,115 have the New Testament. Only 426 have a full Bible, including the Old Testament.
Christians have long upheld the value and interconnectedness of both testaments, at least since Marcion’s denial of the Hebrew Scriptures was rejected as heresy in the second century. Yet the missionary translation boom of the 20th century largely ignored the Old Testament.
«The assumption was that the New Testament alone was adequate, because it held the gospel message and would be sufficient for evangelization,» said Ralph Hill, international translation coordinator for Wycliffe Bible Translators. The focus on evangelism over church growth, coupled with shortages of personnel and resources and the Old Testament’s sheer, intimidating size, created today’s gap between the testaments.
Take Papua New Guinea, for example, the world’s most linguistically diverse nation with more than 820 indigenous languages. A surge of translation work in recent decades has put the New Testament into nearly half of those languages. Yet the 13 New Testaments scheduled to be dedicated during this year or next outnumber the estimated total number of complete Bibles, 12.
«Effective evangelism among unreached people groups needs to start with Genesis,» said Don Pederson, director of field ministry for New Tribes Mission (NTM). «It’s through the story of God’s interactions with man that his character is fully understood and people understand their dilemma, that they need a Savior.»
NTM, which focuses on planting churches among the unreached, began each of its 120 current translation projects in Genesis, translating key OT passages en route to the Gospels. These «chronological» translations will provide a framework of salvation history that Pederson believes is crucial for successful evangelism.
NTM missionaries found that groups coming out of animism or polytheism with only the New Testament had deficient understandings of God and sin. «Churches were being planted, but something was missing,» said Pederson. «The gospel was being presented, but people did not seem to be understanding it.»
Missionaries explain that the stories of the Old Testament connect well with many people groups, who often share the ancient Israelites’ tribal lifestyle of sacrifices, patriarchy, and agriculturalism. Increasingly, translation projects in the world’s three areas with the most need—the Indo-Pacific, Central Africa, and Central Asia—begin with the Old Testament.
The Old Testament also connects powerfully with Muslims. «Muslims are already familiar with the characters of the Old Testament—Abraham, Jacob, and especially Joseph,» said Natalia Gorbunova of the Moscow-based Institute for Bible Translation. «In this way, the OT becomes a bridge into the New Testament.»
The institute, which seeks to bring the Bible to 130 non-Slavic language groups living in Russia and Central Asia, has 22 Old Testament projects, primarily for Muslims. A recent translation in Crimean Tatar, called «Prophets,» contains selections from Genesis, Exodus, and other OT books and tells the stories of biblical characters known in both Islam and Christianity, accompanied by relevant New Testament excerpts.
Although access to the New Testament has birthed many churches, translators say the Old Testament is needed to ensure churches’ long-term health and growth. «Since churches must go beyond evangelism, they need the whole picture and the whole Bible,» said Phil Towner, director of translation services for United Bible Societies. «It’s not just a matter of evangelism. It’s a matter of being in this Christian adventure for the long haul.»
Some translators attribute syncretism in Africa and other parts of the world to imbalanced and inadequate exposure to biblical truth. «For the sake of a long-term, growing church that is going to face problems of theology and practice,» said Wycliffe’s Hill, «they will want to consult the whole Bible.»
Today, translation experts estimate that about 500 of the 1,700 translations underway are full Bible projects. Most of the rest involve at least some parts of the Old Testament, often short, straightforward narratives like Esther, Ruth, and Jonah.
«We would not be involved in an Old Testament project except that the people say they want it,» said Walt DeMoss, director of program ministries for Lutheran Bible Translators. «They just develop a hunger for more of God’s Word.»
Some groups request specific Old Testament passages regarding the Creation, suffering, or other themes. But many express the same wish as Lama translators in Togo, who want the whole story simply so they can understand Jesus better.
«In many cultures, knowing someone’s background, someone’s grandfathers, is quite important to knowing them,» said DeMoss. «And where do you find these ‘grandfathers’ to know more about Jesus except in the Old Testament?»
Grassroots Translations
OT projects have become more feasible due to another movement: the increasingly central role of national translators. Nationals now compose 90 percent of the world’s translation force. They generally produce higher quality translations at a faster pace, because they know their own language and culture well. Many translation agencies have begun using Western missionaries primarily as quality-checkers and advisers—especially for comparing translations against the original Hebrew and Greek—while nationals do the actual translation work.
«The future of Bible translation in the world is in empowering and releasing nationals to do the work,» said Véroni Krüger of Word for the World, a whole-Bible translation group founded in South Africa. «I don’t see any other way in which we can complete the task.»
The ideal situation may be national translators who know Hebrew and Greek and are thus able to translate straight from the original biblical texts into their own languages. The time saved by this approach is often worth the additional training costs, DeMoss said.
However, only 10 percent of national translators have biblical language skills, as such training remains a luxury due to its expense or to the education level of translators. This number is growing slowly, as programs teaching biblical languages become increasingly available worldwide.
Wycliffe sponsors translation schools in the Philippines, Thailand, Kenya, and Cote d’Ivoire. Word for the World offers a mobile two-year program that in 2005 trained 175 translators from 73 language groups in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and other African countries.
Speed of learning and retention are better when learning Hebrew as a living language, according to Halvor Ronning, founder of the Jerusalem-based Home for Bible Translators. His program has provided advanced biblical language training to 74 translators from 26 countries speaking 44 different languages, and his students have gone on to lead translation efforts in Kenya, Togo, Nigeria, and other nations.
George MacDonald, a translator in Papua New Guinea, said he would always remember the day his Dadibi friends dedicated their complete Bible in 2001. Living in a remote location and considered inferior by trade partners, the Dadibi had long looked down upon themselves. Yet they became one of the few groups worldwide to receive both an Old and New Testament in their own language.
«This indicates that God has certainly not forgotten them, but instead has looked with favor on them,» said MacDonald.
Thousands turned out for the dedication ceremony—some walking for up to two days to get there. The national translators held the Dadibi Bibles up for the crowd to see. Thunderous applause arose, and one man let out a high-pitched yell reminiscent of the victory shout used by returning Dadibi warriors in days of old.
Jeremy Weber is a journalist and freelance writer living in Chicago.
Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere:
More CT articles on Bible translation include:
The Word from Geecheetown | Gullah-speaking slave descendants welcome New Testament translation. (Dec. 19, 2005)
Wycliffe in Overdrive | Freddy Boswell describes the most audacious Bible translation project ever. (Feb. 3, 2005)
God’s Own Dictionary | You won’t believe the words that didn’t exist until the first English translations of the Bible. (Feb. 05, 2003)
A Translation Fit For A King | In the beginning, the King James Version was an attempt to thwart liberty. In the end, it promoted liberty. (Oct. 22, 2001)
Not Your Grandfather’s Mission Field | From lighter radios to lightning-fast computers, technology is speeding up ministry and easing the load at Wycliffe Bible Translators. (Feb. 19, 2001)
Meaning-full Translations | The world’s most influential Bible translator, Eugene Nida, is weary of ‘word worship.’ (Sept. 16, 2002)
New Bible translations help to preserve world’s disappearing languages | The total number of languages in which the Bible is available in part or in its entirety now stands at 2233. But this is still barely more than one third of the estimated 6500 living languages in the world. (Feb. 28, 2000)
And the Word Was … Debatable | All those who take up the daunting task of Bible translation step into a force field of tension. (May 18, 1998)
‘Your Sins Shall Be White as Yucca’ (Part 1 of 3) | Wycliffe missionaries Gene and Marie Scott gave nearly 40 years of their lives translating the New Testament for a small tribe in the jungles of Peru. Was it worth it? (Oct. 27, 1997)
Confessions of a Bible Translator | In this article, Daniel Taylor, and English professor at Bethel College in Minnesota, gives us a glimpse into that most daring of undertakings—humans translating God’s Word. (Oct. 27, 1997)
More Bible articles are available on our website.
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Whole Word Fellowship is a great local church and Ministry Center. We are biblically based, Christ centered and Holy Spirit led.
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The Whole Word for the Whole World: The Life and Ministry of J. Vernon McGee
The biography/autobiography of Dr. J. Vernon McGee, 1904-1988, founder of Thru the Bible Radio.
- GenresChristian
145 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
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I still enjoy listening to his radio program. Underrated man of God. Thankful that his teachings continue to help others in their walk.
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На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать грубую лексику.
На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать разговорную лексику.
для всего мира
на весь мир
за весь мир
для всей мировой
для всего мирового
о всем мире
для целого мира
для мира в целом
всему миру
во всем мире
для всего человечества
The same moment for the whole world cannot be.
The revision of issue is a material question for the whole world.
Пересмотр выпуска есть существенный вопрос для всего мира.
Liberal morality and economics were his best advertisement for the whole world.
Либеральная мораль и экономика стали его лучшей рекламой на весь мир.
Today there are only about 130 of them for the whole world, but the number of instructors is constantly growing.
Сегодня их всего около 130 человек на весь мир, но число инструкторов постоянно растет.
We pray for all humanity, for the whole world.
Мы возносим молитву за все человечество, за весь мир.
That would be a nightmare for the whole world.
Here products are produced for the whole world.
Being grateful offers many benefits for the whole world.
The cost of online training course: for the whole world — $995.
The issues* at stake are the interests that mean much for the whole world.
Вопросы , поставленные на карту, это интересы, которые много значат для всего мира.
Youth who receives education here is the most valuable for the whole world.
Молодежь, которая здесь получает образование, для всего мира самая ценная .
Armenian separatism was supposed to be a lesson for the whole world, but it did not.
Армянский сепаратизм должен был стать уроком для всего мира, но не стал.
The device was then used in many countries — it was universal for the whole world.
Аппарат потом применяли во многих странах — он был универсален для всего мира.
We managed to create a beautiful city and open it for the whole world.
Нам удалось создать красивый город и открыть его для всего мира.
I don’t like talking about myself too much, so I’m not telling this story for the whole world.
Я не люблю говорить о себе слишком много, поэтому я не рассказываю эту историю для всего мира.
We will become teachers for the whole world.
Bringing together their innovative and industrial potentials carries considerable possibilities for the whole world.
Объединение их инновационных и индустриальных потенциалов несет большие возможности для всего мира.
Proper nutrition and access to reliable and healthy food for all is now a vital issue for the whole world.
Правильное питание и доступ к надежной и здоровой пище для всех в настоящее время являются жизненно важной проблемой для всего мира.
It is from here that these modest, but significant for the whole world plants gradually spread to all countries.
Именно отсюда эти скромные, но значимые для всего мира растения, постепенно расселились по всем странам.
These last twelve months have been a time of great uncertainty for the whole world.
Последние двенадцать месяцев были периодом большой неуверенности для всего мира.
Результатов: 1271. Точных совпадений: 1271. Затраченное время: 594 мс
Documents
Корпоративные решения
Спряжение
Синонимы
Корректор
Справка и о нас
Индекс слова: 1-300, 301-600, 601-900
Индекс выражения: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200
Индекс фразы: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200
Предложения с «for the whole world»
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I want to talk about the implications of that for the whole world . |
Я хочу поговорить о последствиях этого для всего мира. |
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The general trend for the whole world , whether we consider countries or individuals, has been for the rich to become richer and the poor to become poorer. |
Общая тенденция для всего мира, говорим ли мы о странах или отдельных лицах, сводится к тому, что богатые богатеют, а бедные становятся еще беднее. |
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The massacre in Orlando is not just a tragedy for America, but a tragedy for the whole world . |
Бойня в Орландо — это трагедия не только для Америки, но и для всего мира. |
|
A man before a tank became a picture that became a symbol for the whole world of resistance. |
Изображение мужчины перед танком стало символом сопротивления для целого мира. |
|
In the meantime, it is vital for the whole world that they do not inadvertently become true enemies. |
Но для всего мира крайне важно, чтобы в процессе они случайно не стали настоящими врагами. |
|
Did you know that when you took Dan to the Campbell apartment and set up a camera to seduce him for the whole world to see? |
Знала ли ты об этом, когда затащила Дена в квартиру Кемболов и, настроив камеру, обольстила его, показав это всему миру? |
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It was planned as a gigantic experiment in low-rent housing, to serve as model for the whole country; for the whole world . |
Этот проект задумывался как гигантский эксперимент возведения домов с максимально низкой квартирной платой, эталон для всей страны, для всего мира. |
|
This was a feeling of loathing for something-whether for Alexey Alexandrovitch, or for himself, or for the whole world , he could not have said. |
Это было чувство омерзения к чему — то: к Алексею ли Александровичу, к себе ли, ко всему ли свету, — он не знал хорошенько. |
|
It would be the end of pollution… warmth for the whole world . |
Загрязнениям окружающей среды придет конец. Весь мир получит тепло. |
|
It’s a shame Tasha had to meet someone who flies her dirty laundry like a freedom flag for the whole world to gawk at. |
Позор, что Таша встречалась с кем — то, кто вывешивает свое грязное белье, как знамя свободы на всеобщее обозрение. |
|
He wanted to kiss me directly; and while I was struggling, he contrived to do what I would not have suffered for the whole world . |
Вскоре он захотел поцеловать меня, и в то время как я, вполне естественно, стала защищаться, он изловчился и сделал то, на что я не согласилась бы ни за что на свете… |
|
All right, that bunch of thugs that you call a team up there is showing their true colors for the whole world to see. |
Сборище головорезов, которое вы зовете командой, демонстрирует истинные цвета на показ всему миру. Так? |
|
Before the funeral, the day you moved the casket to the capitol, well, your children were on full display for the whole world to see. |
Перед похоронами, в день, когда вы перевезли гроб в Капитолий, ваши дети были выставлены на показ перед целым миром. |
|
I wasn’t gone long enough for the whole world to fall apart. |
Меня не настолько долго не было, чтобы весь мир успел развалиться. |
|
They’ve got public enemy number one in handcuffs for the whole world to see… so they’re not looking for anybody else. |
Злодей всего мира номер один стоит перед в наручниках перед всем миром, так что никого больше не ищут. |
|
God-a-mercy, I would not hang the poor thing for the whole world ! |
Милосердный боже, да я вовсе не хочу, чтобы этот бедняк шел из — за меня на виселицу! |
|
The American Match Company will yet make matches for the whole world , whether I’m connected with it or not. |
Не сомневаюсь, что Американский спичечный трест будет снабжать своими спичками весь мир, вне зависимости от того, останусь я во главе его или нет. |
|
This is the truth for the whole world to see. |
Это правда, которую должен увидеть весь мир. |
|
My imperfections, while slight, have been broadcast for the whole world to see, Sean. |
Мои недостатки, хоть и не небольшие пока, увидел весь мир, Шон. |
|
Yeah, she had that license out for the whole world to see. |
Да, она повесила эту лицензию всему миру на обозрение. |
|
Barney, I’ve got half a mind to take that playbook and put it up on the internet for the whole world to see. |
Барни, у меня есть желание взять эту книгу и выложить в интернет на обозрение всего мира. |
|
You invite her here? Into the heart of Rome onto the steps of the Vatican for the whole world to see? |
Ты пригласил ее сюда, в сердце Рима, в Ватикан, на глазах у всего мира? |
|
If they hadn’t spooked him, he was going to parade my affliction around for the whole world to see. |
Если бы они не напугали его, он планировал выставить моё несчастье на обозрение всему миру. |
|
that ends up in a dealer’s window for the whole world to see! |
А потом это выставляют на обозрение всему миру в витрине. |
|
Just the one person with hope enough for the whole world . |
Один человек, надежды которого хватило на весь мир. |
|
An example for the whole world . |
Примером для всего мира. |
|
That is not for the whole world and everybody on the Internet to know. |
Это не для всего мира и люди в Интернете не обязаны знать. |
|
Carson still has his Helium-3 base. It could mean total disaster for the whole world ! |
Пока Карсон может добывать Гелий — 3, он остаётся угрозой для всего мира! |
|
The problem is we don’t know what it’ll be, beyond incredibly destabilizing and dangerous for the whole world . |
Проблема в том, что мы не знаем к чему, кроме невероятной нестабильности и опасности для всего мира, это приведёт. |
|
I need hardly tell you that this is a great step forward for Britain, and indeed I may say, for the whole world . |
Я должен сказать вам, что это — большой шаг вперед для Великобритании и, для целого мира. |
|
You see, I don’t know what’s best for the whole world . |
Видите ли, не мне знать, что лучше для целого мира. |
|
Laud have mercy upon ‘um; I would not have such a sin to answer for, for the whole world . |
Господи, прости им! Вот уж ни за что на свете не взяла бы такого греха на душу. |
|
Bailey’s putting her surgeries on the Internet for the whole world to see. |
Бэйли выставляет свои операции на всеобщее обозрение. |
|
Live, for the whole world to see. |
В прямом эфире. На глазах у всего мира. |
|
Yeah, Don Ho writes songs for the whole world to sing. |
Да, Дон Хо пишет песни, которые поют во всем мире. |
|
What, how you took 20 years of our history, and you just hung it up for the whole world to see? |
Что, как ты взяла 20 лет нашей истории, и просто позволила всему миру узнать обо всем? |
|
Your job is to hide things, not to declare them for the whole world to see. |
Твоя задача скрыть факты, а не выставлять всем напоказ. |
|
Your Honor, I think I speak for the whole world when I say can we please all get some sleep? |
Ваша честь, я думаю, что говорю от имени всех, можем мы уже поспать в конце концов? |
|
I’m gonna be exposed for the whole world to see me. |
И я предстану перед миром во всей красе. |
|
Yeah, well… you were looking out for the whole world so, you know… |
Ну, да. ты заботился о целом мире, так что. |
|
I DON’T UNDERSTAND PEOPLE SPREADING THEIR LEGS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE. |
Я не понимаю, как могут люди раздвигать ноги, чтобы весь мир это видел. |
|
Resurrection on demand for the whole world , isn’t that good? |
Воскрешение для всех, разве это не чудо? |
|
This is a festival not for you or me. It is for the whole world and maybe the whole universe. |
Это праздник не для тебя и не для меня. Это для всего мира, а может быть, и для всей Вселенной. |
|
] the cherubim are described as being so bright that the light of one of them could suffice for the whole world . |
херувимы описываются как существа настолько яркие, что Света одного из них хватило бы на весь мир. |
|
And perhaps for the whole world’s population, probably only one more bridging individual should be needed. |
И, возможно, для всего населения земного шара, вероятно, потребуется только еще один человек — мостик. |
|
Those sales figures are for the whole world . |
Эти цифры продаж — для всего мира. |
|
This whole project has become unique — so, no other country in the world is tracking generations of children in quite this detail. |
Этот проект считается уникальным — ни одна другая страна в мире не прослеживала жизнь поколений детей столь детально. |
|
Like you notice, nobody could make any sense of what was happening except me, and I didn’t give a damn, really, because the whole world , and whole humanity, seemed as confused and lost as I was. |
Как вы заметили, никто не имел ни малейшего понятия, что происходит, кроме меня, но мне было наплевать, потому что весь мир и всё человечество казались такими же потерянными, как и я. |
|
It sends signals about the whole way your world is going to look when you become an adult. |
Даёт полное понимание о том, каким будет окружающий мир, когда вы вырастете. |
|
And I have some good news: if you’re looking to avoid the whole doomed to decay and die thing: you will have all the help in the world in that avoidance from the funeral industry. |
И у меня есть хорошие новости: если вы хотите избежать так называемого гниения и распада, миру есть что вам предложить: вся похоронная индустрия поможет вам. |
|
When I see this little girl, 11,000 years ago, I want to know that the little girl now can stand there and think she’s entitled to her dreams, she’s entitled to her destiny and she’s entitled to speak on behalf of the whole world , be recognized for it and applauded. |
Когда я вижу эту девчушку, нарисованную 11 000 лет назад, мне хочется верить, что сегодняшние маленькие девочки могут с уверенностью утверждать, что они имеют право мечтать, имеют право стремиться к своему предназначению и имеют право говорить на весь мир и получить за это признание и похвалу. |
|
And if you’re paying any attention at all to cyberthreats, or, for instance, if you’ve read about the Stuxnet virus or, for God’s sake, if you’ve ever had an email account or a Yahoo account or a phone hacked, you can imagine the whole new world of hurt that could be triggered by modernization in a period of cyberwarfare. |
Если учесть все эти киберугрозы, например, если вы читали о компьютерном вирусе Стакснет или, не дай Бог, ваша почта, аккаунт Yahoo или смартфон когда — нибудь были взломаны, вы можете представить, насколько ужасный новый мир может быть порождён модернизацией во время цифровых войн. |
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This is a whole new world in terms of our visibility. |
Это невиданный ранее мир в части прозрачности наших действий. |
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Because you think the whole world revolves around you. |
Ну так ты думаешь, что вокруг тебя планета вертится. |
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It was a United Nations first International Year of the Woman and really they were gathering women from around the world to discuss women and human rights and there was a small group that started to think if we could work on only one issue, because they were discussing domestic violence, you know, economic access, education, the whole plethora of human rights. |
Это был первый Международный год женщины объявленный Организацией Объединенных Наций, и действительно там собрались женщины со всего мира, чтобы обсудить положение женщин и права человека, и образовалась небольшая группа, которая стала думать, можно ли работать только по одному вопросу, потому что там обсуждали насилие в семье, знаете, экономические возможности, образование, целый ряд прав человека. |
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I have her bestest friend in the whole wide world . |
Я знаю ее лучшего друга на всем белом свете. |
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JESUS WARNS IT WILL NEARLY DECEIVE THE WHOLE WORLD . |
Иисус предупреждает, что это обманет почти весь мир. |
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Every four years the youth of the whole world come together to the Olympic Games. |
Каждые четыре года молодежь всего мира собирается на Олимпийские игры. |
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Felt the whole world changed in that very instance. |
Чувствовали, что в это же мгновение меняется весь мир? |
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The game was trivial compared to the whole world . |
Игра была такой ерундой по сравнению со всем остальным миром. |