Bridge to God’s Word

Drafting Titus - Can Grace ”Appear”? Translating Figures of Speech

In this episode we consider how to draft Titus 2:11-15. We also look at how to translate figures of speech, and note that in this verse, grace is personified so that it appears, offers salvation and teaches. What happens if it doesn't make sense in a new language to have an abstract noun do those things? This section ends Titus chapter 2!

Drafting Titus - Relationships

As we continue through Titus considering various translation issues, we look in this episode at Titus 2:1-10. This section talks about Christian relationships and behavior. Five different groups of people are given instructions on God-honoring behavior: older men, older women, younger women, younger men, and servants. The primary translation issue is how to translate all these characteristics and how much implicit information can be made explicit - especially considering a passage where we might want to explain some of the concepts, such as women working at home and being submissive to their husbands! Join us as we consider how to translate these ideas.

Drafting Titus - Dealing with the Rebellious

In this podcast, we look at translation issues in Titus 1:10-16. In this section, Paul is giving Titus instructions for dealing with "the rebellious", and particularly "those of the circumcision party." We discuss how translators sometimes have to take cultural information that would have been implied to the original readers and actually state it outright for a new audience. We look at the example of "the circumcision party" - what it means, how to state it in a clear way for a new audience, and how understanding the meaning of this phrase affects our understanding of the rest of the passage. 

Translating Titus - Qualifications for Elders

We are continuing our look through Titus. In this podcast we look at translation issues in Titus 1:5-9, which includes both how to translate words in lists that are very similar like "self-controlled" and "disciplined", and the issue of the "one woman man" - does this mean an elder is faithful to his wife, or has only one wife?

Drafting Titus - Introduction

As my translation team works through the book of Titus, I thought it would be fun to look at it in podcast form as well. We will consider the issues that are specific to translation, which are different than the types of things you might consider in devotional study. This podcast looks at the introduction - verses 1 through 4, and considers issues like how to translate "slave", how to translate "God's elect", and how to make it clear that Titus isn't Paul's biological son.

Drafting Titus - Background

Come along with our translation team as we draft Titus! Join me as a I go through the book of Titus as I would with our translation team, considering issues that are specific to translation and thinking about how to clearly, naturally, and faithfully express those concepts in another language. This episode gives the background that we need before starting to translate.

Exegetical Checking

Join us in the translation room in this podcast! Our primary task while I was in Africa was Exegetical Checking - checking a text that has been drafted to revise it and make it as accurate as possible. Get a glimpse of what it was like as you hear our translators talking through the text together.

Mindy - Loving the Littles

There are many "support" roles that are essential to Bible translation, one of which is a teacher. Missionary teachers allow families to stay on the mission field by providing quality education for their kids, which also allows parents to work at various aspects of translation while the kids are in school. In this episode, meet Mindy, who is our teacher here in West Africa. She is an essential part of our team! Hear a little about her call to teaching, to missions, and to Africa.

Marty and Tina - Translation and Faithfulness

While I'm in West Africa, I wanted to give you a look at some of the people who are working here, and who have dedicated their lives to Bible Translation! This is Marty and Tina, who started working here in 1995, and have faithfully dedicated their lives to this translation project. It's a bit longer than usual, but their story is worth the listen!

Roadmap to the Bible - The Ends and the End

Now we reach the end of the story of the Bible. This podcast looks at the spread of the Gospel from Israel to the ends of the earth, and then considers our part as the modern day church in the story of the Bible. But, the story doesn't end there. The Bible gives us a peak into the final conclusion of the whole Biblical story in the book of Revelation. Christ is victorious!