Not everyone understands or is fluent in the language in which the Bible was originally written (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic). Translating it into various languages ensures that people from different linguistic backgrounds can access and understand its teachings. Translating the Bible into various languages, including one's mother tongue, is essential for ensuring accessibility, cultural relevance, comprehension, evangelization, language preservation, and fostering a deeper spiritual connection with the divine.
Some Steps of Bible Translation
Exegesis
This is a study process in which we know as much as possible about what the original author wanted to communicate to the original audience, so that we can understand the reality of the message.
Drafting
In this process, the scriptures are translated into the target language by native translators.
Team checking
If a group of translators is working together to translate different books in the same language, the translators read it out loud among their team and thoroughly check for naturalness, accuracy, and clarity.
Village checking
Translated Scripture books are shared with people in a language that people can read and provide comments and suggestions. In the part where words and sentences need to be changed, they are changed as per those suggestions.
Exegetical checking
In this process, the translation is checked with the source language with the help of a trained translation adviser to ensure the correct meaning of the translated parts.
Back Translation
After the village check and exegetical check, the translated parts are then translated into English to help the person doing the Consultant checking and if the person doing the check does not understand the local and Hindi language this Back translation is very helpful.
Review committee checking
This is a process that involves pastors serving in the target language and some key church leaders who will help make key decisions for words, phrases, etc. This process is carried out by sitting together. If there is a review committee form then it becomes easier.
Consultant checking
With a Greek/Hebrew Bible scholar, the back translation is sent a month in advance, and after a month the scholar checks with the Greek/Hebrew Bible with some translators.
Paratext checking
Paratext checking is a process in which there is a technical check, which has to go through this process after all the checks so that the remaining errors are detected and corrected here.
Typesetting
In this process, after all the checks are completed, the finished file is shared with those who are experts in typesetting the book. The complete book is prepared with the help of some software.
Proofreading
After the book is ready, it is printed one more time and then all the translated parts are read properly so that there is no error.
Printing distribution
The book prepared in these processes is given to the printing press. So that it can be printed. The number of books is determined according to the demands of the community and church. The book is then distributed in the community after a dedication with the local congregation.
