Are you someone who loves goals? Perhaps you’re fueled by the desire to check things off your list, to scale great heights and to accomplish what others cannot. You have a 10-step plan and know every move you need to make to ensure success. Nothing will hold you back.

Or maybe creating goals isn’t that important to you: You feel like it sets you up for failure before you’ve even begun. You’d rather focus on your hopes and dreams, with good intentions and ideas for how you’ll achieve them without feeling the need to create detailed plans for today, tomorrow or a particular season.

Whether you love goals or dislike them, God has wired us to live on purpose, with purpose and for a purpose. Ultimately, that looks like serving within His Kingdom to advance the Great Commission, as described in Matthew 28:19: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (NLT).

Along the way, though, He leads and directs our steps to align with His perfect plan for all people. We just need to have eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to understand how we — both individually and collectively — participate in seeing His will accomplished on earth.

Vision 2025: A God-Sized Dream

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 following 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 the number of languages was actually closer to 4,500-5,000  —so we’ve had to adjust the goal accordingly!) Up until that point in 1999, the most new language engagements in a year had been 25 languages. How could we increase that number so significantly?

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.

That brings us to today as we near the end of the 2025 calendar year. This God-sized vision has been a faith journey, during which we have continuously seen God show up and move as only He can!

Now approximately 550 Vision 2025 languages need Bible translation to start for the first time. Of these, approximately 400 languages have plans that are ready for launch — but we need the additional funding to say “yes” to starting these new languages without risking our commitments to nearly 3,000 languages we’re actively partnering with today.

The countdown to Vision 2025 is on! See how God has moved so far and how we’re prayerfully anticipating He will move in the days to come. →

Saying “Yes” To Those Still Waiting

Imagine Bible translation as a grand stage production.

Behind the curtain, approximately 550 language communities are waiting for their cue, eager to step onto the stage and take their place in God’s story. On the stage, nearly 3,000 languages are already performing. These are the communities where translation work is actively underway and supported.

As each language completes its part — the moment when Scripture becomes available for the first time — they step off the stage, making room for others still waiting in the wings.

Wycliffe wants to say “yes” to every performer ready to join in. But we also want to ensure that no one leaves the stage before their part is complete.

To welcome every new language community — every new performer — the stage itself must grow.

You can help expand the stage. You can pray for those translating and those waiting to begin the work. You can give to sustain the work already on stage and provide additional resources to invite new languages to step into the light. And you can advocate by telling others the story of what God is doing so more people can join in.

Together we can make room for every language community to take the stage in God’s story so that all people can encounter Him through Scripture they clearly understand.

The Hardest of the Hard

Four areas include the greatest remaining needs for Bible translation to start: East Asia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the global Deaf. Just two years ago, these regions represented more than 800 languages without Scripture. Today, that number has dropped by more than half, with fewer than 400 remaining!

Papua New Guinea

Home to more than 840 languages, Papua New Guinea has always stood out as one of the most linguistically diverse — and most challenging — places for Bible translation. But now the nation is on the verge of a historic milestone: Only 111 languages still need Scripture to begin.

This remarkable progress is the result of decades of prayer and the faithful obedience of local churches and determined translation partners who said, “We want God’s Word in our own language — and we’re willing to help make it happen.”

East Asia

East Asia remains one of the toughest regions for translation; yet God is clearly at work. Local pastors and church leaders are receiving training — sometimes across borders and often online — to guide new translation efforts.

Technology, including emerging AI, is opening new doors for collaboration and learning. Though the path ahead isn’t always clear, we’re walking through every door God opens, trusting Him to show us the way forward.

Pray that translation will soon begin for every remaining language in this region.

Indonesia

Just a year ago, Indonesia had 159 languages waiting for translation to start. Now that number is down to 53. Of these languages, 26 are considered the most challenging; yet work has already begun for several of them. Local churches, field partners and other organizations are uniting to see every community receive God’s Word. Despite political sensitivities and religious complexities, people’s hearts are opening and momentum is building.

Global Deaf

Around the world, roughly 400 sign languages are used every day. But for generations, most Deaf people had no Scripture in a language they could understand. That’s changing. Today only 69 sign languages are still waiting for Bible translation to begin. And the movement isn’t stopping there — the goal is for every Deaf person to have access to the full counsel of God’s Word in their unique sign language.

Sign language is the final push for Bible translation. See why a visual language needs a visual Bible.

Beyond Vision 2025: The Next Chapter

2025 might be nearly over, but God’s not done yet. Wycliffe and our partners will continue to work toward seeing all Scripture made available for all people, knowing that there is a promised future when people from every language will worship before the throne. That glorious picture, as described in Revelation 7:9, is a driving force in who we are and why we do what we do. Because at the end of the day, we know that only two things last forever: God’s Word and people.

So what does this mean for the future? We’re so glad you asked!

Wycliffe will continue to pursue our vision that people from every language will understand the Bible and be transformed. We’ll hold true to our mission of serving with the global body of Christ to advance Bible translation so people can encounter God through His Word. And we’ll pursue a day when all people are able to worship God in a language and format that captures their hearts and transforms their lives for eternity.

The Bible changes everything when it’s in languages and formats people clearly understand. Explore stories of transformation on the Bible Translation Experience, an interactive storytelling website for desktop!

Give the Gift of Scripture

Your gift helps bring the Bible to those who have never had it in a language they clearly understand. Make a donation today to support a translation project and experience the joy of generosity.

Donate Now