Sign Languages: A Visual Bible Translation Brought to Life
Think back to a time in your life when you didn’t know who Jesus was or how much He loved you. Was there ever such a time?
Perhaps you’ve known Jesus since you were a young child, and can never remember a day when you didn’t know of His love for you. Or maybe you encountered Him personally as an adult and have a concrete memory of moving from darkness to light, or from hopeless to hope-filled.
Without access to God’s Word, it’s impossible to know how much He sees, loves and values you. That’s why we’re excited to see the gospel going out into the furthest corners of the earth, becoming accessible to people in the languages and formats they clearly understand.
But there’s still a significant number of people waiting to experience the gospel: the global Deaf community.
Thanks to the work of dedicated Bible translators all over the world — both hearing and Deaf alike — more and more Deaf communities are connecting with Scripture in their unique sign languages, opening hearts and minds to God’s great love.
A Visual Bible Needs Visual Translation
You might be surprised to learn that sign languages need their own Bible translation. After all, isn’t the written word sufficient?
The reality is, the written word isn’t the best format for those who use sign language; in fact, it can feel more like a second language altogether. Sign languages and written languages don’t share the same rules for grammar, structure or sequence. And in spoken language, we use inflection, intonation and gestures to emphasize and convey meaning. But none of this is helpful for those who can’t hear.
Sign languages are completely different from written and spoken languages — and incredibly dynamic, as people communicate with every part of their body, including their hands, facial expressions, posture and body movements.
For Deaf individuals, a visual Bible removes the barrier of having to interpret a second language (written text) in a format different from their preferred language (sign language).
Jenny Storey serves as a director of Word Collective, specifically in their Deaf ministries. Jenny is herself Deaf, so this collaborative work to see sign language Bible translation happen around the world is very personal to her.
I didn’t see a version of the Bible in sign language until I was over the age of 30,” she shared.
“I wish I had grown up and had access to the Bible in sign language. I struggled to read as a child learning English, and so if I had seen somebody who could have signed the Bible in a language that was my heart language, I think I would have connected to the Bible much more quickly. I could have understood it more.”
Having a sign language Bible creates a level playing field for everyone, so that all hearts can fully receive God’s Word in a language and format they clearly understand.
Jeremy Roe, one of our Deaf staff, serves as a sign language Bible translation facilitator. He shared: “The Bible is so valuable. God has allowed His Word to be available for everyone. But not all Deaf people have the ability to read and understand it.
Many parts of the Bible, such as parables and miracles, are naturally visual stories. When translated into sign language, these stories become vivid, clear and transformational to the Deaf, bringing God’s Word to life.
Partnering Together to Accelerate Bible Translation For Deaf Communities
Around the world, there are nearly 400 unique sign languages in use. Until recently, only 2% of the global Deaf community had been introduced to the gospel, and only one sign language — American Sign Language — has had the full Bible. But that’s changing!
Teach kids about sign language and the American Sign Language Version of the Bible. They’ll also learn how to fingerspell the alphabet in American Sign Language!
Today, Bible translation is happening in more and more Deaf communities around the world, particularly in the Americas.
“SLAm! 43” stands for “Sign Language Americas 43,” a project designed to research and engage 43 sign languages across 37 countries or territories in North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. As a result of this project, it’s anticipated that Bible translation will start for the last known remaining languages in 30 countries or territories. Praise God!
In September 2025, Bible translation leaders, local pastors and Deaf individuals came together in Barbados to discuss ways to see Bible translation advance for these different communities across the Americas. “That’s our goal,” Jeremy shared about the conference, “ — to explore and connect with those communities in the Americas, and understand what their needs are and what they want. And so [in 2024], we started the process of engaging a number of these communities, and understand that there is a desire for many of them to have their own sign language Bibles.”
Bryan Rodrigues, a Deaf team leader for Trinidad and Tobago who participated, shared: “Years ago, I used a print Bible to read, which was quite the struggle. [For] a lot of the vocabulary I had to use a dictionary to understand, or ask a hearing friend to define terms for me. Other words, I easily misunderstood, just like so many other people in the Deaf community. I’m excited now that we’re beginning to see sign language translation happen so that the Deaf community can have full access to God’s Word in their heart language. It’s a very exciting thing!”
Have you ever wondered what sign language worship looks like?
The Ripple Effect of Sign Language Bible Translation
You can imagine that working across 43 sign languages is no easy task. But pursuing collaboration and unity as the body of Christ is always worth it! And the impact is already spreading as conference participants went back to their communities, encouraged and inspired to take next steps in bringing Scripture to their people.
“Being here, it’s meant everything,” shared Anthony Pile, a Deaf leader from Barbados. “I’m so inspired and encouraged. It’s like it woke something up inside of me … being able to meet different Deaf people from all these different countries. I wanted to learn how best to help my Deaf church, you know, with studying the Scriptures. And I learned that there’s just so much that goes into Bible translation, and I wanted to learn more. I had a little bit of experience. I knew that there was a lot more to learn. … I’m able to go back to the Deaf church where I serve. I’m going to be able to use these experiences to help them with Bible studies and help them teach and learn more about the Scriptures based on what I’m taking away from this conference.”
As Bryan continues to lean into the work of sign language Bible translation for Trinidad and Tobago, he’s excited to see what God will do as a result of these efforts. “As we’ve begun this translation process and we’re learning and growing together, I’m excited about seeing the gospel go forth — not just blessing local churches but going out into the communities and helping Deaf people find true life in God.”
That’s why Wycliffe and our partners are so committed to seeing God’s Word made available to all people — giving every heart, everywhere, the opportunity to find true life in Him. The Bible isn’t meant to be just a book we turn to when we need direction; it’s a conduit for God’s love, told across time and history, and we want everyone to have it in a language and format they clearly understand.
In this, we know we do not labor in vain, because God desires for all people to come to Him, returning His love because they’ve been transformed by it. The decisions we make here on Earth aren’t temporary or short-term. They have long-term implications that echo into eternity!
Jeremy shared: “I’m encouraged to see Revelation 7:9 — just a glimpse of it! How in heaven we’re told every tribe, every nation, every language, is going to be there. And this is just a small reflection of that … all of these Caribbean nations gathered together to worship Christ this week. This is what we’re going to see in heaven!”
Yes, the global Deaf community remains a significant area of need, with many still waiting to experience God through His Word. But bright days are ahead!
“We’ve been hearing this number: ‘Only 2% of the Deaf community worldwide knows Jesus.’ Just 2%! But I believe that number is going to increase because of this conference,” Jeremy shared. “Because of the potential for sign language Bible translation in the Caribbean, many Deaf are going to have the opportunity to watch and understand God’s Word in sign language. And that’s going to have a ripple effect, and we’re going to see Deaf people come to know the Lord, and more and more Deaf people are going to go to heaven as a result.”
Discover Bible study resources that inspire and challenge you to live with the promised future in mind, as described in Revelation 7:9 — when people from every nation and language worship around God’s throne.
Your Next Step
Perhaps you’re just now learning about the need for sign language Bible translation, or maybe you’ve been aware of it for some time. We invite you to explore your next right step as we pursue a day together when all people can encounter God through His Word, whether in written, spoken or visual formats.
The Bible Translation Experience
This interactive storytelling platform invites you to experience what God is doing around the world through Bible translation as people receive Scripture. One story in particular focuses on sign language and is designed for both Deaf and hearing audiences.
Celebrating the American Sign Language Bible
Back in 2020, a historic milestone was accomplished: The first sign language Bible was completed in American Sign Language after nearly 40 years of work! Watch a video of the celebration, and join us in praying that more sign languages will soon receive the full counsel of God’s Word.
Pray for Sign Language Bible Translation
Prayer is foundational to Bible translation, and you can be part of asking God to open doors for collaboration and work so that all Deaf people can have access to Scripture in a sign language they can clearly understand.
Pray for sign language translation →
These are just a few ideas to get you started. You could also sign up for a sign language class, follow Deaf Christian influencers on social media or attend a Deaf-first experience to gain a better understanding of why it’s so important that a visual language has a visual Bible. Together, we have the chance to link arms so that all people can have God’s Word, knowing that Jesus loves each one of us — no matter where we live or what language we use.
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