Bible Translation

The Tzeltal people are one of the largest people groups in Chiapas with more than 279,000 living in the region. (2000 census) But they don’t all speak the same version of Tzeltal. There is a low land version and a highland version of Tzeltal, plus 4 more dialects and several sub-dialects that differ to the point of almost being separate languages.

The Christian Church has been working with these kind and gracious people for more than 100 years, but they still do not have a complete and accurate translation of the Bible in Tzeltal. 85% of all Bibles today are printed in English for the 9% of the world who read English.

There is a Tzeltal translation that was done by a missionary in the 1970’s but he combined the highland and lowland Tzeltal using words from both languages. As it turned out, neither group could understand it. In 1988, the Mayan Synod undertook the project of revising and updating that translation, and the project is almost complete. The manuscript is in its final reading, and final revisions are being made by a team of three pastors appointed by the Synod.

Here’s the problem. How many of you have read the Bible cover to cover? I have, but only once and I can’t say that I was extremely thorough about it. The pastors on the translation team must not only thoroughly read each book, but they must meet to discuss and agree upon the changes to the translation. This is time consuming and tedious work that can only be done in the evening hours because all three are full-time pastors with multiple churches in different communities. If they work during the day on the translation, then their churches feel slighted and cut their pay. If they continue at their current pace, it will be years until the translations are completed to allow the Holy Bible to be available in their native tongue.

The pastors on the committee say they can complete their work in 6 months if they can work Monday thru Thursday on the translation. They can do this work for $300 USD each per month or a total of $5,400 to complete the translation. So for less than $6,000, you or your church could make an impact that lasts for generations! You could know that your gift allowed the Mayan Synod to bring God's word to their people in their own language, not a foreign language. To be able to learn, not from a foreign god, but from a God who speaks their own language, whose words are their words. Over a quarter of a million Tzeltal and their descendents... Go ahead….dare to make a difference!