Transform Iran completes Gilaki New Testament, begins work on the Old Testament: Mission Network News

by Katey Hearth

Iran (MNN) — Bible translators are praising God for progress in a language of northern Iran. Transform Iran’s Lana Silk says the Gilaki language has a broad reach.

“There are three million Gilakis living in a predominantly unreached part of Iran,” Silk says.

There has never been an accurate translation of the Gilaki Bible, and now we’re in a place where we can give them the entire New Testament.

Along with text, Transform Iran’s team is publishing audio dramatizations of Scripture in Gilaki. More about that here.

“Even before using it in evangelism, we’re already seeing dozens of Gilakis coming to know Christ, just through the process of translation and review of the New Testament,” Silk says.

Work has already begun on the Old Testament translation, and “some of the Psalms are already being audio dramatized today,” she adds.

Once the Psalms and Pentateuch are completed, translators will begin work on select Old Testament books.

“We’re thinking about Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Daniel, some of the giants of the Old Testament whose graves can be found in Iran today. These are meaningful stories for people who live in that land,” Silk says.

“We want to give them those texts first, and then as we progress, the plan and the vision is to see the entire Old Testament translated.”

Stage two: Old Testament translation

The next phase of translation work will be finished in no time.

“We have about 150 Bible translators working with us in different capacities [on multiple different languages of Iran.] They’re working 24/7 because there’s such a sense of urgency that ‘This must happen yesterday, so let’s get it done as quickly as we can without compromising quality,’” Silk says.

For the Torah, Psalms, Proverbs, and some of the very Iran-centric Old Testament books, we plan to have those all finished [in Gilaki] by the spring of next year.

Praise God for the progress being made in the Gilaki language. Pray for the Church to be established, take root, and grow among this people group.

Connect with Transform Iran here to take further action.

“With $35, we can translate a verse of the Scriptures, and another $15 will give the audio dramatization,” Silk says.

“Maybe we can get together with our family or house group and think, okay, how many verses do I think I can make happen? Could I make a chapter or one of the epistles happen?”

Donate to Transform Iran’s Bible translation work here.

Originally posted on: Mission Network News.