What Is the Total Number of Languages the Bible Has Been Translated Into?
Among the many questions we get about the Bible, one of the most common is why we have the Bible in many languages. To be honest, that’s a legitimate question anyone genuinely passionate about Christianity should ask.
If you’re asking the same, here’s the answer to your quest. Come along on this fascinating journey into history as we explore how the Bible has evolved over the years.
A Little Background
Before getting into the details of history and the translation of the Bible to many languages, let’s set some foundations. The first thing to note is that the Bible is one of the most translated books in the world. Currently, it has over 7,000 languages spoken worldwide. As a complete book, the Bible has been translated into around 700 languages as of today.
The New Testament alone has been fully translated into around 1,550 languages. Then, smaller portions of the Bible have also been translated into 1,160 languages, with the eventual aim of making the Bible available for all kinds of people to read and understand in their language.
History of Bible Translations
The Bible has a long, rich history of translations that go as far back as the Old Testament—or what some people call the Jewish Bible—which was originally written in Hebrew.
However, as the Persian empire grew, Aramaic soon became a popular language in that region. This made it necessary for the Jewish community at the time to translate the holy texts into Aramaic so that more people could understand.
These early translations were then called Targums, making it one of the oldest Bible languages. When many of the original Hebrew scrolls were lost with the passage of time, the Targum translations helped preserve the word of God or Jewish scriptures at the time.
By the 3rd century BCE, Greek had now grown to become the commonly spoken language in the Eastern Mediterranean. Jewish scholars then had to translate the Bible again, but this time, into Greek, making it another one of the popularly known Bible languages.
This project took over a century to complete and was called the “Septuagint.” The name “Septuagint” originated from the fact that 70 Jewish scholars representing the 12 tribes of Israel had worked on the Greek translation. The Septuagint version became so popular that it is believed to have been what the early Christian Church used.
As Christianity continued to spread far and wide, it became necessary to make the Bible available in many languages to meet the needs of the growing Christian community. In fact, the New Testament was eventually further translated from Aramaic and Greek into Coptic, Ethiopian, and Gothic.
In 405 CE, St. Jerome completed the Latin translation of the Bible, popularly called the Vulgate. While creating this translation, he referenced the historic Hebrew and Greek versions to ensure that his translation was accurate and that all these versions rhymed with each other.
As fate would have it, this Vulgate translation went on to be the Bible used in the Western Church for more than 1,000 years. Despite the relative stability of using one version of the Bible for a long period, there was still a need for more translations and to make the Bible available in many languages.
However, efforts to translate the Bible into English did not start until the 8th century, and it was soon halted following the Norman invasion of England in 1066. After the war, another attempt to translate the Bible into English picked up again in the 14th century, led by John Wycliffe, an Oxford priest.
Wycliffe believed that the Bible should be available to regular people in their native languages so that they could read it without depending on the church. He translated the Bible into Middle English, and although his translation was not officially printed, around 200 handwritten copies still exist today.
One of the many reasons his translations were not printed was that the church believed that not everyone should have access to the Bible and that it should be reserved for scholars. So, the church was Wycliffe’s major opposition at the time. In fact, 44 years after his death, history has it that the church exhumed his body, burned it, and threw it into a river.
Still, Wycliffe’s efforts and sacrifices didn’t go down the drain, as his work provides additional clarity on the question of why we have the Bible in many languages. Much more, Wycliffe’s plight inspired other people to continue the translation work. This influence spread to Europe, where the Bible was further translated into Hungarian and Bohemian, creating more Bible languages.
One of Wycliffe’s proteges, Jan Hus, a Czech priest, paid the ultimate prize for this sacrifice of love and was burned at the stake in 1415 after the church declared him a heretic. Thankfully, the invention of the printing press in the 15th century made it a lot easier to subsequently translate the Bible in many languages.
William Tyndale, an English scholar, created the first English translation of the New Testament in 1526, laying the foundation for the English Bible as we know it today. He, too, did not escape criticism from the church, as the Catholic church also declared him a heretic and executed him in 1536.
It is believed that his last words were, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes,” and as fate would have it, Tyndale’s version became the foundation for subsequent English versions, including the King James Version created in 1611. This is still used until today.
Why There Are So Many Bible Languages and Translations
Drawing inferences from the historical facts above, let’s now tackle the billion-dollar question, “Why do we have the Bible in many languages?” The reasons are varied, but we can categorize the majority of them into these three groups:
1. Languages Change Over Time
One major reason for multiple translations of the Bible is that languages have evolved over time. Words that made sense hundreds of years ago under various contexts have different meanings now. Just as English has changed, so have many other languages around the world.
These updated translations make it easier for people from all parts of the world to read the Bible in a way that makes sense to them.
2. Meeting Modern Demands
Another reason for translating the Bible to many languages was to meet growing needs. For instance, not everyone could read the original biblical versions in Hebrew or Greek.
So, it was necessary for the Bible to eventually be translated into English. But, with the world growing and despite how popular English is, not everyone can read it. Plus, with more people coming to Christianity, there was a need for more Bible languages and translations to help individuals better understand God’s word.
Beyond meeting modern needs, having the Bible in many languages can significantly aid the spread of the Gospel. For all we know, that’s God’s desire evident in His word.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Yahweh’s glory, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)
If God’s desire will come through to flood the whole earth with the knowledge of His glory, His word has to be readily available to all.
3. Social and Cultural Contexts Change
Since the Bible was first written, much of what was deemed acceptable has now changed, driving the need for the Bible in many languages. For example, recent and more modern translations have shifted from the Bible’s initially heavily male-oriented language to a more gender-neutral phrasing.
Some terms like “mankind” have been replaced in some translations to “humankind” to be more sensitive and inclusive. This approach helps to not only address reader concerns about gender representation but also make the Bible relatable.
Translating the Bible Beyond Borders
Undeniably, one of the reasons the Bible is well-known around the world is due to the work of translators. Through these translations, the Gospel has been able to reach people of diverse languages and tongues in a way they can understand.
So, to revisit the question, “Why do we have the Bible in many languages,” the answer remains the same: It’s still not enough.
Although new translations of the Bible in many languages have been made, with more being made to reflect modern realities, the word of God is still constant and hasn’t changed. This should reassure believers and not be a source of worry that these translations will cause confusion.
So, you may be wondering what version or translation is right to read. The right answer depends on what you’re searching for: relatable and easy-to-understand text or the original version of the Bible.
Better still, with the Bible in many languages and mostly available for free, you can explore and compare different versions, placing them side-by-side to see how the translations can work together to help your understanding of God’s word.
