Bible translation is an ongoing ministry

The work will never be DONE!

Crossing tasks off a to-do list is very satisfying, and often Bible translation is spoken about as if there's a list of languages that just need to be ticked off. But in reality, Bible translation is an ongoing ministry that will never be finished. I've always struggled when people ask things like, "What will you do now that the Plain English Version is done?"; "How many Indigenous Australian languages are still spoken?"; "How many need Bible translation?"; "How long will it take?" I could never quite put my finger on the issue, until my colleague wrote this article: ausil.org.au/standing-armies

In it she explains that generally languages refuse to stay 'ticked' on the to-do list of Bible translation. Language communities and their needs change; languages change (and the smaller the language, the faster it changes); Bible translations can always be improved; and other resources are also needed. And that's apart from the fact that it's impossible to actually come up with a clear list of distinct languages, and that there's lots to be done after something is translated, like audio recordings, literacy, Bible studies, and other Scripture engagement activities.

I'd love to see the whole Bible available in the Plain English Version one day, but we've also had requests for Bible studies, Sunday School materials, audio recordings, videos, translations into other varieties of English used in more specific locations, and a translation for non-Indigenous ESL speakers. And as we do more language research and language changes, I find myself wishing we could revise what's already been done. So it's safe to say I'll never be 'finished', and that's without considering the needs for Bible translation into Indigenous languages!

Give thanks with me for all the Bible translation that has happened in Australia over many years, and for the lives that have been impacted. And pray for more workers to continue supporting Bible translation in Australia.