Chapter 5

Old Testament

What stage Old Testament translation projects are at among priority language groups.

Chapter 51 of 4 sections · 0% read

The Old Testament presents specific challenges

This chapter focuses on analyses related to Catalog1 Highlight, centered on the 39 books of the Old Testament. Unlike the New Testament, which is usually the starting milestone for most translation projects, the Old Testament presents specific challenges: greater length, more complex language, a diversity of literary genres, and the need for deep exegetical work.

The goal is to understand what stage OT translation projects are at, identifying achievements already reached, persistent gaps, and future opportunities.

What this chapter answers

How many groups already have at least one OT book translated in their language.
How many have active projects specifically focused on the Old Testament.
What proportion of books have been translated out of the total of 39.
Which OT books appear most frequently as the first ones translated.
In which formats (print, audio, video, digital) these books are made available.

Chapter under construction

This chapter is still being developed. We invite churches, mission agencies, researchers, and partners of the translation movement to reflect on which data and analyses would be most useful regarding the Old Testament. Your input will help shape this space into a practical, strategic tool that supports future decisions and mobilization.

How to read these figures

All values are calculated directly from ICMT's connected database. When a record has no information, it remains visible and identified as such: no data is estimated, filled in, or replaced.

Key concepts

Old Testament

The 39 books that make up the first part of the Hebrew Scriptures, with narratives, laws, prophecies, and poetry that broaden understanding of God's plan.

Print text

A written record of the Old Testament, printed or digital, consolidating the exegetical and translation work already done.

Universe analyzed

Figure 5.1 covers the Catálogo1 destaque consolidado, which gathers the values Catálogo1 destaque and Catálogo4_concorrência1 from the database — the same 112 groups analyzed in Chapters 3 and 4.

Old Testament in print

Although the New Testament is often prioritized, the Old Testament is essential to offering communities the fullness of Scripture. Having the complete OT is a milestone that strengthens the spiritual and cultural life of local churches.

Figure 5.1

Catalog1 Highlight with the complete Old Testament recorded in print text

How many Catalog1 Highlight language groups already have the complete Old Testament in printed text?

Catalog1 Highlight · Old Testament in print

112

language groups studied

Goal: all groups with the complete Old Testament.

Current status: 7 of 112 · 6,3%

Complete Old Testament: 7
Active project: 32
No known or declared project: 59
No information: 14

7
Complete Old Testament
6,3%
32
Active project
28,6%
59
No known or declared project
52,7%
14
No information
12,5%

Analysis based on the CC_AntigoTestamento column. The four categories are mutually exclusive in this figure.

Figure 5.1

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What this chapter shows

Only 7 of the 112 Catalog1 Highlight groups already have the complete Old Testament in print.
The OT represents a bigger challenge than the NT: longer, more complex, and requiring more exegetical work.
The strategic goal is to progress gradually from isolated portions to the complete OT.
This chapter is still under construction — input on which data to prioritize is welcome.

Go to Chapter 6 — Challenges