Having the Bible in your own language is like being home

Would you be surprised to hear that a country in western Europe still doesn't have the Bible in their language? Luxembourg, nestled between Germany and France, is such a country. It is the richest country in the world and the seat of the European Court of Justice, yet they have never had the Bible in their language.

Bibles International recognized this need in 2010 and published the first Luxembourgish New Testament in 2017. While many Luxembourgers can function in German, French, or English, Luxembourgish is the language they understand best and that speaks to their heart. One believer, talking about the New Testament in Luxembourgish, expressed a sentiment we’ve heard from many: “Having the Bible in your own language is like being home.”

Believers are delighted to see God’s Word with fresh eyes as they read it in their own language. They’ve been surprised by how it moves them at an emotional level they’ve never experienced before and brings deeper understanding. Their eyes light up as they talk about their relationship with the Lord becoming closer as He speaks to them in their own language through Scripture.

With the New Testament in their hands and hearts, believers are becoming more passionate about sharing their faith. They’re finding it easier now as the Word of God provides Luxembourgish vocabulary to talk about their relationship with the Lord Jesus. God is working, and people are getting saved at a rate no one has seen before in Luxembourg.

Believers are not the only ones captivated by the Luxembourgish New Testament.

A couple of years ago, a struggling unbeliever asked a Luxembourgish friend of mine for advice. My friend suggested he read a chapter of the newly available New Testament each day. The unbeliever was drawn to the Scripture in his own language and kept reading. Forty days later he accepted Christ. Soon he brought his mom to church. They began doing a Bible study with my friend, and after a time brought the new believer’s aunt, then his uncle, and most recently his dad. All but the father have been saved and are growing in their walk with the Lord.

Another Christian hung a calendar with Luxembourgish verses in his cubicle at work. It quickly became a competition among his unbelieving co-workers to see who could memorize each Bible verse first.

Recently, the largest national news network published a featured interview with the translation team. Sales of the New Testament have spiked as people who never would have read the Bible otherwise want to read it in Luxembourgish.

Demand for the Old Testament continues to increase as we work on the project. One lady told the translator, “We don’t just want the end of the story!” The translation team is making good progress. We’ll publish Genesis through Deuteronomy this year as we keep working on the rest.

These stories challenge me to ask myself: Do I treasure the privilege of “being home” with my Bible in English as the Luxembourgers do? What can I do to help others have this gift?

Watch a 3-minute video of Luxembourgish believers telling what it’s like to read the NT in their own language: vimeo.com/1006577469