Bible Translation Begins With Understanding

A simple framework for understanding Bible translation.

Start Learning Explore the Framework

Every faithful Bible translation process is built on three foundational principles.

Understand

Learn the meaning of Scripture — what the text meant to its original audience.

Translate

Communicate the meaning in another language — clearly, naturally, and faithfully.

Check

Confirm faithfulness and approve language use so the community trusts the translation.

The Six Activities of the Framework

Understand

  • Share Scripture
  • Learn Meaning

Translate

  • Communicate Meaning
  • Record Translation

Check

  • Confirm Faithfulness
  • Approve Language Use

Four Ways to Get Started

The Tano Story Series

Discover the foundations of Bible translation through The Tano Story Series: When the Church Translates — seven engaging story-based videos, each approximately five minutes long and available in 12 languages.

Watch the Series

BT Servant

Learn with BT Servant through guided conversation. BT Servant helps you understand and apply the principles of faithful Bible translation.

Try BT Servant

Open Bible Stories

Get started with 50 Bible stories from Creation to Revelation. A simple yet powerful resource for discipleship and evangelism.

Explore the Stories

Foundations BT Video Course

A seven-session guided learning journey through short sessions, reflection questions, and the Tano Story Series. You'll discover the principles that guide faithful Bible translation.

Watch the Course
Your Translation Coach

BT Servant

Learn Bible translation through guided conversation. BT Servant helps you understand, translate, and check with trusted guidance, right when you need it. Just Ask.

Try BT Servant on WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, or the web.

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BT Servant
unfoldingWord BT Servant
Today
I'm here to assist with general Bible translation tasks. Here's what I can do:
  • Summarize a passage: Books, chapters, or verses.
  • FIA process guidance: Explain or apply steps.
  • Translation helps: Typical challenges.
  • Keywords: Key terms in a passage.
  • Set response language: Choose your language.
Which of these would you like me to do?
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Message
BTS Web
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Help me translate John 3:16

Welcome! I'm BT Servant, your Bible translation assistant. 🙂

I'd love to help you translate John 3:16!

Before we dive into translation, I need to walk you through the Understand phase first. This is an important part of the translation process — you need to deeply understand a passage before you can faithfully translate it.

The process I use is called UTC:

  • Understand the passage
  • Translate the passage
  • Check the translation
How can I help you today?
BT Servant Web v1.6.3
Try BT Servant
Join the Global Church

Across the world, churches are working together to
understand, translate and check to share God's Word.

Start Learning

Want to go deeper?

Foundations BT is just the beginning. If you'd like to explore further, these two resources go deeper into Bible translation principles and practice.

translationCore
Tools and resources to support and strengthen Bible translation quality.
Church-Based Bible Translation
Learn more about the church-based model for Bible translation and how local churches are leading the way.