Stop and think for a moment: When have you asked God to do something bigger than you could imagine? Something that you knew without a doubt He could do but wondered if He actually would?

Perhaps you asked God to provide an opportunity for you to step into your dream job, or begged Him to heal you or a loved one. Perhaps you prayed that God would bring peace to your community, your church or even your country, or you stepped out in bold faith with a vision to change the world.

As believers, we know in our heads that God can do it. We know He’s the same God who told Noah to build an ark, who parted the Red Sea, who rescued the Israelites time and time again and who ultimately sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to save the world from our sins. And we know that He’s the God who, even today at this very moment, continues to pour out His Spirit upon the earth in ways that go beyond what we can imagine or comprehend.

Recognizing that His Spirit is actively working for His ultimate glory and the good of His people around the world is what allows our head knowledge to fuse with our heart belief — our knowing that God can do something becomes a tangible trusting that He will accomplish His purposes.

Across the Bible translation movement, we are seeking to actively live out that balance of knowing and trusting in God, and one way we see Him moving is through the acceleration of Bible translation starting in communities around the world for the very first time.

A Look Back at 1999 and the Start of Vision 2025

In 1999, Wycliffe and several of our key partners were evaluating the pace of Bible translation. We estimated that with the ways we were working at that time, it would take another 150 years before a translation in every language was started. That was simply unacceptable!

So we asked God to help us rethink the way that we work. We asked Him to give us a fresh vision, to creatively solution how we could change the way we work, and to provide opportunities for greater collaboration so we could partner in new ways. And that’s when Vision 2025 was born: a God-sized vision to have a translation program in progress in every language still needing one by the year 2025. (Learn more about the history of this dream in Vision 2025: Then and Now.)

We knew this wasn’t going to be possible without God doing something incredible, and He has — throughout the last 25 years and continuing today! Let’s take a look.

A Look at Today and Progress Toward Vision 2025

What started off as a dream by a few key Bible translation organizations has grown into a multi-organizational effort! Around the world, partners have embraced Vision 2025 for themselves and are actively developing strategies to start Bible translation for the last remaining languages. And countries are achieving Vision 2025 at an unprecedented rate, with no signs of slowing down.

Let’s take a look at just a few of the projects underway in countries that have achieved Vision 2025 or are on their way:

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  EXPLORACIÓN MAYANGNA | NICARAGUA

  
  

  Nicaragua has achieved Vision 2025! Going forward, the "Exploración Mayangna" project will build a foundation for local churches that have a vision for Bible translation to take ownership and responsibility of the work.

  
  

  >> PRAY that God will equip local churches and agencies with everything they need for Bible translation and engagement so that their communities can encounter Jesus through Scripture in the languages and formats that capture their hearts.

  
  


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  SWEDISH SIGN LANGUAGE | SWEDEN

  
  

  Translation efforts for Swedish Sign Language occurred between 1998-2008, which resulted in a few Scripture portions being available to the Deaf in Sweden. However, awareness of and access to the translation has been limited. A new project — done in partnership with the Swedish Bible Society and Church of Sweden — will work toward providing the Swedish Deaf with their first translation of a Pauline Epistle. Many people have expressed their joy that the translation of the Bible in their language will start again!

  
  

  >> PRAY that this project will be a springboard to inspire continued support from local funders in Sweden, and that the translated Scriptures will be widely used by the Deaf community and bring transformation.

  
  


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  JIE | SOUTH SUDAN

  
  

  The Jie project is an oral Bible translation project that will produce the first translation of the Bible in the Jie language! The community will provide a team of local translators, and people from partnering organizations will support them through checking and reviewing the translations for accuracy. Once the audio files are done, local churches plan to distribute them to their congregations through different audio formats.

  
  

  >> PRAY for local churches as they form small Bible study groups and organize teaching sessions using the newly translated Scriptures.

  
  

These are only a sampling of projects happening around the world. As of July 2024, a new Bible translation project is started, on average, every 15 hours. (For context, in 2019 the average was every 120 hours.)

Check out the latest stats to see a current overview of what countries have achieved Vision 2025!

A Look Ahead at the Future of Vision 2025

We initially established Vision 2025 as a benchmark goal that would fuel us to continually evaluate the way we work. It felt big — definitely too big without God doing more than we could ask or imagine — but we also sensed that God was asking us to step out in faithful obedience.

Today, achieving Vision 2025 actually feels like a possibility. We are seeing the global Church rise up and take ownership of the work, which is accelerating the pace in “only-God” ways. There is a tangible and almost overwhelming sense of excitement and momentum!

So, will we achieve Vision 2025 by the end of calendar year 2025? Honestly, we don’t know. But we do know that God will continue to draw people to Himself through Scripture in a language and format they clearly understand. And we will continue to wholeheartedly pursue a day when every man, woman and child is able to encounter Jesus personally through Scripture.

The truth is that Vision 2025 is just the starting line, and we are filled with anticipation of how God will continue to make His name known among the nations!

Sign Up for Weekly “God Sightings” Text Messages

Each week, you can receive an update on what God is doing around the world — directly to your phone! Stay informed, inspired and encouraged by the latest news, and join us in praying for God’s name to be made known among the nations through the work of Bible translation.

Text SIGHTINGS to 407-358-0916.

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Read the previous "God Sightings" article.