Bible translation
What is Bible translation? How are Bible translations created? Which Bible translations are there? Discover the world of Bible translation work!
What is Bible translation?
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. This is called the source text of the Bible. Because not all people can read and understand these languages, these texts have been translated for a very long time. We do this in the Netherlands and Flanders, but also worldwide.
On this page, we would like to explain more about the subject of Bible translation. Use the links below to go directly to the section:
- How does Bible translation work?
- For whom is the Bible translated?
- Which Bible translations exist?
- How many Bible translations exist?
- Watch the webinar on Bible translation 'Five keys to Bible translation: get to know the NBV21'
- Frequently asked questions about Bible translation
- Read the related articles about Bible translation
How does Bible translation work?
If you want to translate the Bible, you must therefore be able to read Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. And you must know a lot about the language into which you want to translate. Furthermore, the Bible is a very important book for many people. Bible translation must therefore be done very carefully, and is thus a complex process that sometimes takes a lot of time.
For whom are you translating the Bible?
The Dutch-Flemish Bible Society translates the Bible for people in the Netherlands and Flanders. But we also ensure that the Bible can be translated worldwide, so that all people can read the Bible in the language of their heart. In this way, we provide good Study Bibles for Christians in Laos, or Bibles in Purepecha in Mexico.
'In the church, there are many people who benefit from the New Testament in Purepecha. That is because they do not understand Spanish. That is why we hold bilingual church services. Since receiving the New Testament in that language, people are much more involved in the church and attend services more often.'
PASTOR MATTHEO RODRIQUEZ RAMOS
Which Bible translations exist?
In the Netherlands and Flanders, there are various Bible translations. The newest Bible translation is the NBV21 , the Bible of and for the 21st century. But there is also, for example, the Bible in Plain Language, a translation in a language that everyone knows and uses.
How many Bible translations exist?
The complete Bible is now available in 733 languages for 5,9 billion people. The New Testament is available in 1.622 languages; parts of the Bible in another 1.255 languages. In 3.776 of the approximately 7.400 languages, no part of the Bible has yet been translated.
Where does the NBG help?
Support Bible translation!
Frequently asked questions about Bible translation
All questions and answers about Bible translation
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What is the Bible?
A well-known book and a holy book
The Bible is one of the most widely read books in the world. It is a source of inspiration for many people. For Jews and Christians, the Bible is not only a source of inspiration but also a holy book. They read the Bible as a book that gives meaning to their lives.
Discover more at debijbel.nl!
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How old is the Bible?
The books of the Bible were written by various authors, spread over a period of perhaps as many as 1000 years. Want to know more? Then check out debijbel.nl for a wealth of information!
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Which Bible translations are there in the Netherlands and Flanders?
In the Netherlands and Flanders, there are many different Bible translations . The best known are the NBV21, the Bible in Ordinary Language (BGT), the NBG Bible of 1951 (NBG-51), the Great News Bible , the Willibrord Translation , the States Translation from 1637, the Revised States Translation (HSV), Het Boek , and the Naarden Bible.
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Why are there so many different Bible translations?
The Bible is a very important book for many people. That is why the Bible is constantly being retranslated. This is because language changes, meaning that, for example, words are used in a translation that are no longer well understood. The Bible in Plain Language, for instance, was created because all existing translations were too complicated for many people to read. Furthermore, sometimes new discoveries are made about the source texts that result in new elements being included in a translation.
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What is the oldest Bible translation?
Around the beginning of the Common Era, Greek and Aramaic translations of most of the books of the Old Testament already existed. The first Bible printed in the Netherlands was the Delft Bible of 1477 , but this contained only the Old Testament, and without the Psalms . The first complete Bible translation into Dutch appeared in Antwerp in 1526 and is known as the Liesvelt Bible . One of the most famous is the Statenvertaling, which was presented to the commissioner, the States General, in the year 1637 .
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Which Bible translation should I choose?
The choice of a particular Bible translation is personal . Would you like one that is used in the church? Then you can choose the NBV21 or, for example, the Statenvertaling or HSV. Do you want one in a language you understand immediately ? Then the Bijbel in Gewone Taal is very suitable . Or would you prefer one with extra explanation? Then take a look at a Study Bible. Do n't know where to start? On debijbel.nl you can open the different translations side by side and compare them!
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In how many languages is there no Bible yet?
There are approximately 7400 spoken languages in the world. In more than half of all languages in the world, there is no Bible available yet.
Per continent, you can say that this applies to:
- Oceania: 390 languages for 391.000 people
- Africa: 578 languages for 16.535.000 people
- North & South America: 115 languages for 1.566.000 people
- Asia: 698 languages for 122.622.000 people
- Europe: 57 languages for 1.152.000 people
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Why are Bibles often so expensive?
Bibles come in all shapes and sizes. A book of over 2000 pages that must withstand intensive use is expensive to produce, which is why a standard edition costs around €40. As the Bible Society, we want everyone to have access to the Bible. That is why we offer Bibles starting from €5, and the Bible is free to read and listen to via our digital platform debijbel.nl and the My Bible app.
Discover more stories about Bible translation
Farewell to Bible translator Jaap van Dorp
Jaap van Dorp worked at the NBG as a translator for thirty years. He was involved in four translations: the GNB, the NBV, the BGT, and the NBV21.
How are Bible translations made?
There are about 7400 languages in the world. And every year, a Bible or a part thereof is translated for the first time into a few of those languages. But how are translation projects selected? And how are those translations made?
Professor of Bible Translation: Matthijs de Jong
Biblical scholar Dr. Matthijs de Jong has been appointed Professor by Special Appointment in Bible Translation at the Vrije Universiteit, effective March 1, 2022.