Recent plans for completing the Pente New Testament include holding online workshops every Monday to finalize the text of 1 Timothy and the last half of Revelation. Meanwhile, literacy efforts are spreading with the use of their first Old Testament Storybook and the training of additional teachers to use it in Sunday schools. Despite political instability and natural disasters in the host country, in-person workshops are able to continue. On the first day of the initial literacy workshop, an intense discussion arose regarding using the mother tongue for teaching instead of the national language. One of the attendees, who teaches around 150 children every week, ended up having a “lightbulb moment,” saying, “I have been teaching exclusively in the national language, but now I see how valuable using Pente will be.” All attendees received a copy of the Old Testament Storybook and learned new techniques for using it with learners of different reading levels.
In the translation workshops, Philippians, Colossians, Galatians, and Philemon have been checked and added to the mobile phone apps. Audio recording is underway for several completed New Testament books, which will also be included in the apps. The Pente New Testament is over 50% complete. Praise God! Please pray for health for the translation team, several of whom are suffering with physical issues.
Sideros* Bible (Asia)
All of the Old Testament books have now been drafted, except for Song of Solomon and Lamentations. Those books, the book of Ecclesiastes, and the final chapters of Job are scheduled to be consultant-checked this year. Hebrew poetry sections will be revised with the help of a skilled Read-and-Review Committee member. The Sideros Bible is now 65% complete, and the book of Daniel is being prepared for publication in 2026 as a trial edition. Please pray for the main translator, who will also be finishing his consultant-in-training requirements this year.
Zotung Chin Bible (Myanmar)
The Zotung translation team is working through a common issue in Bible translation—finding appropriate translations for unfamiliar plants, animals, and cultural items. Their current crisis is what to call the palm tree mentioned in the Old Testament. The consultant has shown photos of different palms, but the Zotung seem not to have a generic term that covers all type of palms. So, they will need to either choose a term for the specific palm that is most similar to what grew in Israel at the time (date palm) or come up with another solution, such as borrowing, coining, or modifying an existing word. The team was sent home with photos and an assignment—to ask other Zotung speakers what they would call that palm. (This is often a helpful way to find the vocabulary word they need.) Please pray for success with this assignment and others as they seek appropriate and meaningful translations. Pray also for good internet connections, as this is the main way we are able to continue holding workshops with the Zotung.