New Bible translation close to completion in Nigeria

Translation of the New Testament into Margi South, a language of northeast Nigeria, is close to completion according to Sikabiya Ishaya Samson. He is a minister with Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) who has been working on the translation as a language programs manager for ITDAL (Initiative for the Development of African Languages) based in the city of Jos.

“Margi Tiwi Nga Tǝm (Margi South) is said to be at 80 percent completion, all the books have been drafted, and are waiting for consultant checking,” he wrote in an email report to Newsline. “The Gospels and Acts have been typeset for publication, we are trusting God to get it ready so that it may be dedicated and launched in December 2021.”

He reported that the project is in its fourth year. Also, “a Jesus film has been published and it is in use in the Margi land,” he wrote.

Coincidentally, it was almost exactly a year ago–on Oct. 27, 2020–that EYN ministers reported in Newsline about the near-completion of a long-awaited Bible translation into the Kamwe language. See www.brethren.org/news/2020/bible-translation-for-kamwe-people.

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Among photos of the translation project provided by Sikabiya Ishaya Samson are (above) translators during a check-in with consultant Randy Groff from Dallas, Texas; (below) Margi elders who serve as reviewers for the translation; and (at bottom) a book of Bible stories in Margi South is shared in schools.
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