If you could travel back in time, where would you go? The parting of the Red Sea? Jesus feeding the 5,000? How about the day of Pentecost?
You arrive in Jerusalem – and you can’t understand a word! You reach the upper room just before it happens. The violent rush of wind, the tongues of fire and, in a moment of astonishing lucidity you realise you can hear someone speaking your language.
Pentecost was a moment of divine clarity. As the Holy Spirit descended, people from across the known world heard the wonders of God proclaimed in their own languages. Acts 2v11 records their astonishment: “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” This event was not just a miraculous sign; it was a powerful statement of God’s desire for every person to hear and understand His word in their language.
That mission continues today through Bible translation. Wycliffe Bible Translators’ desire to unlock God’s word for every heart captures the essence of Pentecost – ensuring that no-one is left without access to Scripture in a language they truly understand.
Finding strength in persecution
In West Africa, John* faces daily persecution. He is a Bible translator working on Scripture in the Flame* language, spoken by 500,000 people. His commitment to translation work is dangerous, yet he perseveres. One particular passage had a profound impact on him: 2 Samuel 8. When he read it in his own language – how David defeated the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalekites – John realised that “God allowed His people to have victory over these powerful persecutors”. In that moment, God spoke to him through the Bible. Fear left him, and his faith deepened.
Just as the people at Pentecost were amazed to hear the gospel in their own tongues, this translator experienced the power of God’s word in a personal way. Language is not just a tool of communication – it is the key to unlocking the truths of Scripture in a way that resonates with the soul.
The gospel in a hostile land
In another part of the world, where the gospel is actively opposed, Akram* has only Mark’s Gospel. Yet that one book changes lives. Every night, he reads it to his children. Because they hear the word of God in the language they understand best, they are growing up knowing Jesus. This act of faithfulness echoes the message of Pentecost: God’s word is meant for every heart, in every place, in every language.
For Akram the translated Gospel of Mark is a lifeline. He cannot openly share his faith, but through Scripture in his own language, he is discipling his children. Even in the most challenging circumstances, the word of God remains living and active, shaping hearts and transforming lives.
These stories remind us that the work of Pentecost is not yet complete. Over 1.5 billion people still don’t have the full Bible in their language. Many only have small portions of Scripture, others have none. The need for Bible translation is urgent because, without it, millions are unable to fully grasp God’s message of salvation in the language that speaks to them best.
Pentecost was the first great moment of God communicating with people in their own languages, when about 3,000 people came to know Jesus – a divine act ensuring that everyone could hear and understand. Today, Wycliffe Bible Translators continues that mission, unlocking God’s word for every heart, just as the Holy Spirit did on that first Pentecost.
When we celebrate Pentecost, let’s remember that God’s heart is for all people to know him. We can be part of this mission through prayer, giving, and advocacy for Bible translation. Because when people hear God’s word in their own language, fear leaves, children grow up knowing about Jesus, and lives are transformed.
*names changed for security reasons
