ICMT 2025Collaborative Information for the Bible Translation Movement
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Chapter 7

Publications

A completed translation needs to become access.

Chapter 71 of 7 sections · 0% read

Translation → Publication → Use

Beyond checking whether a translation has been completed, this chapter asks how that translation effectively reaches people.

A translation that isn't published or accessible remains limited in its impact.

  1. Completed translation

    The text has been translated into the group's language.

  2. Publication

    The translation is recorded, formatted, and made available in some format.

  3. Access and use

    The community effectively finds, receives, and uses the published material.

Questions this chapter answers

  • Which language groups have complete New Testament publications?
  • In which cases does the translation exist, but publication is still partial or restricted?
  • In which formats is the content being published?
  • How can published material be made accessible and relevant to communities?
  • How has the pace of publications changed over time?

7.1 Copyright and publications

Several organizations may take part in the same translation project, holding different responsibilities.

  • one organization translates;
  • another funds it;
  • another trains;
  • another provides consulting;
  • another publishes;
  • another may produce the audio.

Roles and responsibilities need to be defined as early as possible.

Why does this matter?

A lack of dialogue about rights, responsibilities, and information management can later hinder publication, distribution, and Scripture-engagement projects.

Pioneer projects

There are still contexts where no biblical verse has been translated.

Translations built over time

The same Bible may contain books translated at different times and under different organizational responsibilities.

Revisions

Versions produced decades ago may need revision, updating, and new publication agreements.

Who is responsible for what?

Points for reflection and dialogue

Right to the text

Reference suggested in the report: translating agency.

Right to publish or reproduce

Reference suggested in the report: publishing organization.

Right related to audio or recording

Reference suggested in the report: organization that made the recording.

Right to revision and community participation

Reference suggested in the report: church or community related to the language group.

Important note

These cards are a reflection proposal from ICMT and do not replace legal analysis or formal agreements between organizations.

Important symbols

Trademark

Used to identify a registered commercial trademark.

Copyright

Related to copyright, especially in the context of written text.

Phonogram

Related to phonogram or audio recording rights.
There is no specific symbol that, on its own, represents printing or publication. This information must be made explicit appropriately.

Collaboration and international libraries

The chapter also encourages greater participation of Brazilian organizations in libraries and international initiatives that support the translation movement.

Examples cited by the report:

  • DBL
  • UBS
  • other related initiatives.

When were the New Testaments published?

One way to understand the movement's progress is to observe the pace at which New Testament publications were completed over time.

The year shown corresponds to the year the New Testament was finalized/published, not necessarily when the project began.

Figure 7.1

Catalog1 Highlight: New Testament publications by decade

At what pace were Catalog1 Highlight's New Testaments published over time?

Catalog1 Highlight

112

groups analyzed

58

NTs published

51,8% of the total analyzed

Publication peak

2001–2010

15 publications · 25,9% of the 58 published NTs

2021–2030 is an ongoing period and may still receive new publications.

Showing 58 of 58 publications

We never represent the 112 groups analyzed as the total number of publications — only the 58 with a published NT enter the chart.

The chart includes only groups with a published New Testament (CC_NovoTestamento = '1NT Novo Testamento'). The year (DA-PublicaçãoAno) corresponds to the NT's completion/publication, not the project's start.

Figure 7.1

Historical reading

The number of publications grew progressively, reaching its highest level between 2001 and 2010. After that period, the numbers decline.

This reading should not be presented as proof of a specific cause. It indicates a trend that may raise new questions about strategies, resources, and ongoing projects.

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Other catalogs: publications by decade

Border, overlap, national, and other records that meet the database's criteria.

Figure 7.2

Other catalogs: New Testament publications by decade

Outside Catalog1 Highlight, at what pace were the New Testaments published?

Border, overlap, national, foreign, and other database records

  • 25

    with known year

  • 35

    NTs published

  • 10

    with no year provided

The chart below uses 25 (published with a known year) as its base — never the 35 published in total.

Highest volume

2001–2010

10 publications · 40,0% of records with a known year

2021–2030 is still an ongoing period.

Showing 25 of 25 publications

35 groups in the other catalogs have a published NT; only 25 enter the chart because they have a valid year.

Universe: all catalogs except the consolidated Catalog1 Highlight. The chart uses only records with a published NT and a valid year between 1971 and 2030.

Figure 7.2

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Compare histories

This section doesn't exist in the printed report — it's a useful adaptation for the PWA, comparing the two series by decade without altering the original data.

  • 1971–1980

    Catalog1
    Other

  • 1981–1990

    Catalog1
    Other

  • 1991–2000

    Catalog1
    Other

  • 2001–2010

    Catalog1
    Other

  • 2011–2020

    Catalog1
    Other

  • 2021–2030

    Catalog1
    Other

The denominators are different

Catalog1 Highlight: 58 publications. Other catalogs with a known year: 25 publications. Don't compare percentages between the two series without accounting for this difference — absolute values can be compared directly, as long as they're identified as such.
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What you need to remember

  1. Translation and publication are related but different stages.
  2. Rights and responsibilities need to be defined among participants.
  3. The year analyzed represents the New Testament's publication/completion, not the project's start.
  4. In Catalog1 Highlight, 58 published New Testaments have a historical distribution by decade.
  5. The highest number in Catalog1 occurred between 2001 and 2010.
  6. In the other catalogs, the highest volume also occurred between 2001 and 2010.
  7. Publications with no known year remain visible, but are not artificially assigned to a decade.
  8. The ultimate goal isn't just to produce content, but to make it accessible and used.

Source: ICMT 2025 Project — Collaborative Information for the Bible Translation Movement, Brazil.

Content adapted from the ICMT 2025 Report for a digital, mobile-friendly experience.

The information and visualizations are intellectual property. When sharing or using this content, please cite the source appropriately.

Go to Chapter 8 — Digital spaces