The Bible has been translated into thousands of languages across the globe, but one people group that is often unable to read the Bible in a language they can understand is the deaf community.
CBN News reports that Wycliffe Bible translators has been working tirelessly to ensure that the Bible is translated into every language. Recently Wycliffe translators began work on reaching the deaf community with a sign language Bible translation.
Chantel Pagan, the director of advocacy for Deaf Bible Society, explained that, although deaf people can read the Bible, having it translated into sign language communicates to them on a deeper level.
“It’s how they communicate best,” said Pagan. “It’s how they understand best, and I think that the Lord wants to communicate with us best. He wants us to understand him, and he wants that for the deaf community as well.”
“So why not give them Scripture in their heart language?” she continued. “Why not translate the Scriptures in a format that they can understand and offer video to content that they can have on technological devices?”
Although many churches have an individual signing the Scripture reading and message, there is often words and concepts lost in these imperfect translations. Wycliffe hopes to create a standardardized, all-encompassing sign language translation to serve deaf people.
“Even with the Bible, we’re still the last people to know,” Stuart Thiessen, a consultant for Wycliffe, told CBN through sign language “I’m very excited that we have the ability for deaf people to get this, what they need, now that we’re making all these translations happening.”
Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/KatarzynaBialasiewicz
Publication date: December 21, 2017
Jesus Christ is King
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