Who DOESN'T have the Bible?

We English-speakers have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to quality Bible translations. We have so many, in fact, that we can take the time to debate the relative merits of the different versions (NIV, ESV, RSV, KJV, etc.) But for many peoples, they don't even one book of the Bible in their own language. That's why it is so important to have Bible translators working to empower missionaries and local pastors to preach in their own tongues.

The need is about 340 million people speaking 2,078 languages, to be exact. These hundreds of millions of people don't even have Bible translation programs started in their languages, according to Wycliffe Bible Translators.

That's why Andrew Lancaster*, who has a degree in Bible translation and is headed to serve overseas, has a passion to see the need met.

"Why is it that there are now hundreds of English translations of the Bible, yet more than 2,000 languages of the world do not even have one word of it? English versions are produced left and right while thousands are dying without having ever had access to the Word of God," Lancaster said.