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Supporting the global Bible translation community

Our Processes

United Bible Societies tracks progress, supports efficiency and ensures quality from end to end of the translation process.

We are committed to producing the highest quality Bible translations, rendering the meaning of the biblical source texts in a way that is accurate, clear, natural, and appropriate for the intended audience. 

Partnership and Collaboration

The details of the translation brief, such as translation principles, language style, intended audience, media etc. are agreed in partnership with the local churches who have requested the translation, but we do have our own norms, which we describe here.
 
Our translation projects are usually interconfessional, and our products usually intended for all, though we do also do special editions for the Catholic Church and other churches which may include more than the 66 books which all Christians recognise.

Academic Standards

Our source texts are usually the standard scholarly editions of the Hebrew and Aramaic Old Testament and the Greek New Testament, though on request we may sometimes use the Greek Old Testament as source text. We do not do secondary translation (from an existing translation in English, for example) or adaptations, as we believe that these approaches do not result in the high quality that the churches require.

Translators test translated texts in the Epembe community in Angola.

Meaning-based translation

Our translation approach is usually to do meaning-based translations into common language, though we may also do word-for-word translations such as interlinear editions, highly contextualised translations such as those for young people or people of other faiths, and high-register translations such as those for use in liturgy.

Types of Translation Projects

We are committed to producing first translations for communities that have never had the Bible in their language, though we also do revisions and new translations where an existing translation is no longer suitable. Increasingly, we also do study editions, with extensive background notes, images, timelines and maps.

The Translation Team

Most commonly, a translation team may consist of three translators, all native speakers of the target language with a first degree and at least one of them with advanced knowledge of biblical source languages and exegesis. We train them in basic Bible translation principles. Using key resources such as the UBS Translator’s Handbooks and Flora, Fauna and Realia Handbooks, as well as the range of tools available in the Paratext computer program, they translate in four stages shown below. 

Translators test translated texts in the Epembe community in Angola.

  • Drafting

    A draft is made by one translator

  • Checking

    A team-check is done by the other translators, usually entering comments into the text on their computers, after which the original drafter incorporates corrections and improvements

  • Review and Testing

    A review or testing process invites input from the translation committee and wider community, sometimes in the form of trial editions

  • Consultations

    Consultations are held regularly with a fully-qualified, PhD-holding translation consultant, who verifies that the translation is in line with UBS quality standards.

Most Bible translation into spoken languages is still done in written form. However, continuing our history of innovation in Bible translation theory and practice, we are also experimenting with other approaches, including Oral Bible Translation and the use of AI. And our technologies for the special field of Sign Language Translation are very advanced.

A version of the translation procedure is also described in the above video.