Translation – Carrying God’s Word Across Languages
Translation is the act of conveying words, meanings, and ideas from one language into another, so that a message expressed in one language can be understood by speakers of another.
The Task of Translation
Rendering words, meanings and concepts from one language into another is complex, for there are seldom exact parallels or substitute words in the other language. Consequently there will be variations of the thoughts expressed, but a good translator aims to stick as closely as possible to the original ideas — committed to carrying the meaning itself, not merely the vocabulary, from one language to another.
A faithful translation conveys the original message, rather than translating only the exact words
The ability to translate orally is also a specialised skill, requiring an instant grasp of two languages and the discipline to remain faithful to what was actually said.
God’s Word in Every Language
The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and the New Testament mostly in Greek. Parts of the Bible have been translated into around 3,500 languages that are understood by the majority of the world’s population — the most translated book in history, because God intended His message to reach every nation and tongue.
Use a Bible translation which will help you understand God’s message
In English there are many different translations and paraphrases which reword the concepts to achieve a greater clarity. Some follow the original text closely, while others prioritise readability; the best translation is the one you will actually read and understand.
Transliteration is closely related to translation, but it works differently. Instead of carrying over a word's meaning, transliteration carries over its sound — writing a word from one alphabet using the letters of another. Words like amen, Sabbath and baptise entered English this way. A transliterated word preserves how a word sounds, but not necessarily what it means. Baptise, for instance, simply reproduces a Greek word that means to immerse or dip. This is why readers who want the full sense of Scripture benefit from knowing the original idea behind a transliterated term.
God Speaks Every Language
On the day of Pentecost, by a sovereign miracle, no translation was necessary: each person from the various language groups gathered heard Peter’s gospel message in their own dialect (Act 2:6). God cut through the language barrier Himself, declaring by this sign that the good news is not bound to one nation, one culture or one tongue.
The gospel does not belong to any single language or people
Where the tower of Babel scattered humanity into many languages, Pentecost showed God gathering humanity back together — the gospel crossing every border that sin had built.
Reflection and Application
- Thank God that His Word has been carried into your own language.
- Choose a Bible translation you can clearly understand, and read it regularly.
- Pray for translation work still underway among people groups without Scripture.
- Remember the gospel is for every nation — share it without cultural barriers.
See also: Babel, Bible, interpretation, languages, Pentecost, transliteration.