The Need
Over 1.5 billion people don’t have a Bible in their language – or what they need to use and apply it.
Some have no written Scripture at all. Others can’t yet read. And in many cultures, stories are shared orally, meaning Scripture must be heard, not just read.
4,058
languages with atleast some Scripture
By the Numbers
4,447
languages with work in progress
561
languages that need work to begin
Wycliffe Bible Translators & SIL Global
In 1917, a young missionary named William Cameron Townsend went to Guatemala to sell Spanish Bibles. But he was shocked when many people couldn’t understand the books. They spoke Cakchiquel, a language without a Bible. Cam believed everyone should understand the Bible, so he started a linguistics school—the Summer Institute of Linguistics (known today as SIL)—that trained people to study languages and do Bible translation. The work continued to grow, and in 1942, Cam officially founded Wycliffe Bible Translators.
From the beginning, SIL focused on the on-the-ground work of language research, literacy, and Bible translation. Wycliffe focused on engaging the church—raising prayer, financial support, and new workers for the task. Today, SIL and Wycliffe remain close partners: SIL serves language communities around the world, and most Wycliffe missionaries (including our family) are assigned to serve with SIL in the field.