New Movement Aims to Share ‘Original Testament’ with the World Written by CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell
JERUSALEM, Israel – Ninety percent of the world’s languages do not have a translation of the Old Testament. One movement seeks to change that and spur a global revolution in Bible access.
This year during Pentecost, men and women gathered at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem to work on expanding the use of the Old or “Original Testament” worldwide.
“’The Original Testament Gap’ refers to the fact that the Original Testament is under-translated, under-used and frequently misunderstood,” says Ram Gidoomal, former chairman of the Lausanne Movement. “We, therefore, commit to do all we can to accelerate the original testament into every living language in order to help complete the Great Commission.”
Support Our Site
Now is your chance to support Gospel News Network.
We love helping others and believe that’s one of the reasons we are chosen as Ambassadors of the Kingdom, to serve God’s children. We look to the Greatest Commandment as our Powering force.
That resulted in the signing of the Jerusalem Declaration to eliminate the Original Testament Gap.
“That’s what this consultation is all about,” says David Swarr, president and CEO of the 4.2.20 Foundation, which seeks to expand Bible translations throughout the world. “We had people from around the globe that have gathered here very prayerfully to seek the Lord.”
Youth With a Mission’s (YWAM) David Hamilton explains why they chose to use the term “Original Testament” instead of Old Testament – which Jews refer to as the “Tanakh.”
“When something is old, you just want to toss it out and replace it with something else. Original speaks of [a] foundation that has legacy and value in a multi-generational way. The Original Testament was the Bible that Jesus and the apostles used, and we want everyone to have access,” says Hamilton.
They point out this is needed to fully understand the New Testament.
“The Original Testament is the foundation for us to understand the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus came preaching,” says Swarr.
