New year, new you, right? Our culture puts a lot of emphasis on the start of a new year and the fresh, clean slate it provides for your goals, ambitions and dreams.

At Wycliffe we, too, strive to start each new year with not only strategic goal setting but also a sense of anticipation for what God will do in and through Bible translation.

That’s perhaps never been truer than it is this year — the year we’ve been collectively praying for and working toward for more than 25 years.

What Makes 2025 So Special?

Have you ever done a task well but not fast enough? In our current age of rapidly advancing technology, this predicament has been a common impetus for the development of new apps and systems designed to speed up the process of work without compromising the end results. And in many cases, it works! The world is moving faster than ever before in history but also more slowly than it ever will again. (Let that sink in for a moment!)

The same is true for the global Bible translation movement. Back in 1999, Wycliffe and SIL Global, one of our strategic partners, evaluated the pace of Bible translation. While the critical work was taking place at an ever-expanding global scale, it took decades for a New Testament translation to be completed, let alone a full Bible. We were doing the task well but not fast enough, and too many communities were waiting too long for God’s Word.

That’s when we established a God-sized vision that felt way bigger than any of us — to see a Bible translation in progress for every language still needing one by the year 2025. We called it Vision 2025. At that time, we believed that it would require translation to start in 3,000 languages over the next 25 years. The pace of Bible translation in 1999 meant that, in order to accomplish this, instead of beginning a new translation every two weeks, two translations would need to begin every week.

This felt huge and even overwhelming for many people. (And today, we know that number was closer to 5,000 languages and have had to adjust the goal accordingly!) Up until that point, the highest number of new language engagements in a year had been 25 languages. How could we increase that so significantly? Yes, the vision was big, but we knew God was bigger. We set a bold goal in faith and confidence that it could only be achieved through God’s hand at work in and through His Church.

Vision 2025 Today

Flash forward 26 years. Where does that leave us today?

As of Jan. 1, there are 833 Vision 2025 language communities waiting for Bible translation to start. That represents:

• 131 countries that have achieved Vision 2025.


• 43 countries that have 1 remaining language.


• 24 countries that have 2-5 remaining languages.


• 18 countries that have 6 or more remaining languages.

On average, a new language is engaged every 14 hours. And in 2024 alone, we engaged 616 new languages for the very first time!

Most significantly, every number represents a person who has a story that matters deeply to God. And He wants them to encounter Him through the greatest story ever told — the Bible — in a language and format that they not only understand with their head but that penetrates their hearts and transforms their lives forever.

That’s why we won’t stop working until all people have access to all Scripture. It’s not just about starts — it’s about completions. We long for all people to have the full counsel of God’s Word in their language, worshipping God as described in Revelation 7:9 when John wrote, “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb” (NLT).

Our Next Steps

Wycliffe and more than 3,000 partners are working together to see this promised future as described in Revelation 7:9 become reality here on earth, just as it’s described in heaven!

Working together means that we embrace these values that lead to accelerated impact:

• Ownership: We want to see the local church own the vision and responsibility for Bible translation in their community. When that happens, Scripture is immediately available for use so that churches are equipped for evangelism, discipleship and church planting!
  
  
  
  • When local churches take ownership of Bible translation for their community, the work is accelerated in incredible ways! Watch the Sihanaka dedication for an example of church-owned translation in Madagascar!
  
  
  
  

• Partnership: Translation goals, products and plans are determined collaboratively. This includes like-mindedorganizations, local churches and individuals working together to see Bible translation accomplished for communities, countries and even entire regions!
  
  
  
  • See what God has done in Nigeria as a result of partnership and collaboration!
  
  
  
  

• Stewardship: Biblical stewardship means giving our time, talents and treasures to advance the Kingdom. As we seek to live this out, Bible translation projects are developed, designed, resourced and managed well with an emphasis on accountability and transparency among all partners — including you!
  
  
  
  • As believers, we have the joy and privilege of following the Holy Spirit’s prompts to consider how and where to give. What does Spirit-led giving look like for you?
  
  
  
  

• Relationship: God made us to be in relationship not only with Him but with others! When we work in relationship among translation teams, local communities and partners, we all get to see the Great Commission advanced through Bible translation and know that we played a part in seeing the gospel go out among the nations.
  
  
  
  • One way you can be in relationship with like-minded believers who are passionate about Bible translation is through the Wycliffe Prayer Community! Join us in praying through timely requests from the field as we together ask God to move and work among His people around the world.
  
  
  
  

Prioritizing these key values isn’t always easy. After all, as humans we all have our own agendas, desires, ways of working, personal opinions and more. But when we seek to live out unity as Jesus described in John 17:23b, we see a glimpse of who God made us to be and how He’s called us to live: “May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (NLT).

Your Next Step: Join the Movement

This year isn’t just important for the global Bible translation movement. It can be important for you too! This is a once-in-history opportunity — even a once-in-eternity opportunity — to see Bible translation start for the last remaining languages.

As part of the generation that will see the gospel go out into the furthest corners of the earth, we invite you to join the movement! Here are just a few ways to get involved this year:

• Pray: We believe prayer is foundational to the work of Bible translation and are incredibly grateful for the people who have committed to praying. Whether you want to receive a weekly prayer request and update via text message or join our online community of like-minded believers to pray for timely needs, your prayers can help change the world.


• Give: God calls us as believers to steward our resources well. This includes our time, talent, treasures and more! When you give to Bible translation, you are making an eternal deposit that will impact lives now and in the future. Whether you want to give toward the greatest needs, a specific translation project or a missionary, your generosity is vital to ensuring people have the opportunity to encounter Jesus personally through Scripture.


• Advocate: When you’re passionate about something, you want to tell everyone about it! Advocacy comes in all shapes and sizes — sharing Wycliffe posts with stats and stories on social media, inviting your friends to learn about Bible translation, connecting your church leaders with resources like our free kids’ curriculum, and more.


• Join the team: If the Holy Spirit is tugging on your heart to serve more directly in the work of Bible translation, we’re here to help you explore what that might look like! Whether short- or long-term, domestic or international, volunteer or staff — there are a variety of ways in which you can get involved when you join the team.

Every person who participates in Bible translation has the opportunity to choose their right next step. As you prayerfully consider yours, you can be sure that no matter which one you take you’ll be contributing to the collective whole: a promised future where all people can worship God in their language.

A God-Sized Goal: Looking Ahead at 2025

As we look ahead to what 2025 holds for Bible translation, we are asking God to continue moving in ways that only He can! We’re asking Him to:

• Pave the way for Bible translation to start in every language still needing it by the end of this calendar year.


• Bring more partners — like-minded organizations, local churches and individuals like you — who will work together to accomplish this God-sized goal.


• Stir up biblical generosity in His Church to collectively support this work so that we can say “yes” to every community requesting Scripture.


• Unify the body of Christ throughout the world as we seek to advance the Great Commission and equip all churches for evangelism, discipleship and church planting.

These aren’t small requests, but we serve an awesome God whose faithfulness in the past provides us with confidence for the future. He, we trust, will continue to do what He says He will do!

So, as you look at 2025, what are you asking God to do? Write it down and tuck it away (we sure are!) so that at the end of the year, you can reflect back on His faithfulness. May we all keep our eyes focused on Him as we rest in who He is: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬-‭21‬, ‭NIV‬‬).

Track the Progress: Vision 2025

Around the world, Vision 2025 — a God-sized goal to see a translation program in progress in every language still needing one by the year 2025 — is being accomplished. Track the progress and sign up for weekly updates that will keep you inspired and encouraged by the latest news!

Text SIGHTINGS to 407-358-0916.