Once upon a time, on a small island far away, a man named John wanted to be able to read the Bible in the language of his village marketplace. He didn’t like that only highly educated people could read the Bible in Latin. Although his mother tongue was considered poor and vulgar, John believed that the good news of the Gospel should be available to ‘poor’ and ‘vulgar’ people as well. He was labelled as a rebel, yet he and his friends were the first to translate the Bible into the language that we now call English.

This story is told and re-told in village meetings, during celebration feasts and around camp fires all over the world. Still today, this very day, people around the world share this same vision as John: to be able to read the Bible in their own language.

The Wycliffe Global Alliance takes their name from this ‘rebel’ – John Wycliffe – because they also believe that all people should be able to hear from God in the language that they know best. Seven hundred years and counting, Bible translation is an immense vision, and it will take all of us working together to complete it. What part can you play?

Photo & Words: Elyse Patten