Update on printing press & translation work

Some of you remember me mentioning a printing press that was to be brought to Mongolia. I'd like to update you on that so that you can pray. Actually, there are two different things that are happening at the same time. The first is that FirstBibles International helped FirstBibles Mongolia obtain a printing press and ship it to Mongolia. The press arrived in July and is now set up. A man from the U.S. came to help Mickey Cofer, president of FirstBibles Mongolia, set up the press. He plans to return in the spring to begin running the press and to train someone else to take his place.

The goal of having a press in Mongolia is not only to print Bibles but also to print discipleship materials and tracts, etc. The work of printing Bible materials and tracts should start next spring.

Let me give a brief overview of the current Bible translation situation. Currently, as I see it, there are two translations in common use in Mongolia. One is a translation of the New Testament although a complete Bible with a revision of the New Testament has been "near completion" for several years. This Bible (so far a New Testament) sacrifices accuracy for readability. Having talked to several of its proponents, I believe that they would agree with me that readability was given a much higher priority than accuracy.

The second is a complete translation of the Bible. It has its own set of problems. It stresses literalness over readability. Also, it was rushed out in a short time, and it's my belief that the translation could have been done better if there had not been a rush to complete it. Because of its hurried nature, this translation has already been revised multiple times since it was first published.

Further, these two translations are very different in their choice of terminology. The first favors "descriptive phrases" to try to explain concepts that are lacking in Mongolian culture (and many concepts are simply not understood). The second tries to use religious words in current use even though those words do not carry the same meaning as the Biblical terms which they were chosen to represent. Much more could be said about both translations, but this is a summary of their strengths and weaknesses.

Recognizing the difficulties with the current translations, several groups have begun to work towards a new translation of the Bible. Two of those groups are independent Baptists who have been working in Mongolia for some years.

One of those groups has a connection to FirstBibles Mongolia, FirstBibles International, and through the latter to the Trinitarian Bible Society. FirstBibles Mongolia has offered their printing press to print Bible portions initially and the complete Bible when it is done. FirstBibles International has offered to assist with funding and translation checking. Also, the Trinitarian Bible Society has offered to assist with translation checking. This group wants to form a committee of foreign and Mongolian translators who would translate the Bible. There is a meeting tentatively scheduled for January 9, 2007, at which a call will go out to interested churches to support the translation effort.

Please pray especially for the right people to translate the Bible. Bible translation is an awesome task and a exacting responsibility. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated.